Unlock the secrets of profitable media buying in this deep-dive episode of The Media Buying Podcast.
🎯 Join co-hosts Jim Banks and Robert Adler as they break down everything you need to know about call tracking platforms, hidden costs, affiliate lead optimization, and advanced media buying tactics for 2025 and beyond.
Key Insights in this Episode:
Understanding Call Tracking Platform Pricing: Get the inside scoop on major platforms like Phinexa, Ringba, CallRail, and more. Learn how number costs, minute charges, call recording, and transcription upsells impact your margins.
Cost-Busting Tricks: Robert reveals how to cut down your pay-per-call spending by bypassing telco middlemen, optimizing recording storage, and accessing cheaper number pools.
Managing Lead Quality & Hygiene: Discover why prescreening and underwriting knowledge are critical for both affiliates and advertisers—and how to bake these into your campaigns.
Affiliate Optimization & Buyer Rotation: Learn the best way to evaluate buyers, balance waiting and priority, and maximize your revenue per call or click.
Intent vs Demographic Marketing: Jim and Robert debate real-world examples of why the highest paying offer isn’t always the most profitable—plus, how demographic targeting can trump intent in certain channels.
Combatting Programmatic Fraud & MFA Site Drain: Find out how to blacklist low-quality ad placements and keep your traffic spend working for you—not the ad arbitrageurs.
Creative Compliance for Unusual Offers: From Trojan horse landers to personality quizzes, see how pro media buyers use lateral thinking to run (legally) on “prohibited” verticals.
Advanced Hyperlocal Tactics: Get inspired by device-based targeting at dog parks, luxury hotels, and more—plus, time-of-day strategies that actually work.
Affiliate Upsells after the Sale: Don’t stop at thank you pages—learn how to use surveys and welcome packs for repeat and ancillary revenue.
⏰ Timestamps for Easy Navigation
00:00 – Introduction & Call Tracking Platforms Rundown
01:08 – The Economics of Phone Numbers & Least Cost Routing
03:05 – Hidden Costs of Call Recording, Transcriptions & Upsells
04:23 – Inbound vs Outbound Billing Charges Explained
05:58 – Realistic Margin Calculations in Pay Per Call
10:56 – Prescreening, Lead Hygiene & Underwriting Criteria
12:26 – Buyer Rotation, Lead Quality & Revenue Optimization
20:27 – Demographics vs. Intent Marketing in Affiliate Media Buying
29:22 – MFA Sites, Programmatic Ad Fraud & Blacklisting Strategies
41:41 – Lateral Thinking in Offer Creation & Compliance Hacks
44:23 – Hyperlocal Campaign Targeting & Device-Based Segmentation
46:45 – Post-Sale Surveys & Affiliate Upsell Opportunities
51:09 – Episode Recap & Upcoming Guests
