ExoClick — traffic source: rating and member reviews

ExoClick is one of the big self-serve ad networks, and for many affiliates in adult, dating and entertainment it's the first source they learn. Founded in 2006 by its current CEO Benjamin Fonzé and based in Barcelona, it serves billions of ad impressions a day and supports almost every format a buyer might want. Here is what it offers advertisers and publishers, and what to watch out for.

What ExoClick is

ExoClick connects advertisers with a large network of publisher sites through a self-serve platform. You create campaigns, choose formats and targeting, and bid in real time for placements. It works for mainstream offers, but it's best known for adult, dating and entertainment traffic, where its inventory is among the deepest on the market.

Ad formats

• Banners in standard sizes;
• native ads that blend into the page;
• video, including in-stream;
• popunders, cheap volume for tests and broad funnels;
• interstitials, full-screen ads between pages;
• push notifications and in-page push;
• email clicks.

Having everything on one platform means you can test a GEO in popunder, then move the winners to native or in-page push without learning a new dashboard.

Targeting and bidding

The targeting is detailed: GEO, language, operating system, browser, device, carrier, specific sites, IP ranges, keywords and context, plus retargeting of users who already interacted with your ads. Real-time bidding lets you compete for placements and adjust bids as data comes in.

The reports are what make the targeting useful. You can break down results by campaign, landing page, site and zone, category, location, device, OS, language, browser, carrier, ad format and time.

Launching a campaign that has a chance

1. Clear message. One value proposition, readable at a glance.
2. Strong visual. An image or video that stops the scroll and fits the placement.
3. Tight targeting. Start with one GEO, one device type and a narrow audience.
4. Fast, mobile-friendly landing page with one clear call to action.
5. Conversion tracking from day one. Without it, you're optimizing on clicks.
6. Optimize by zone. Blacklist sites and zones that spend without converting, raise bids on those that convert.

Security and support

ExoClick filters malware, bots and fraudulent activity, and serves ads through HTTPS tags. Support answers advertisers and publishers, and personal account managers are assigned depending on the account's size. Traffic quality is still uneven across a network this big: the filters catch the worst, the rest is up to your optimization.

For publishers

ExoClick is also a monetization option for site owners, especially in adult and entertainment niches. The steps are simple: register, add your site, create ad zones, choose formats (display, popunder, push, native and more), set any restrictions, and follow performance in the reports.

Payments are weekly or monthly depending on the method. According to ExoClick's documentation, the minimum is 20 EUR/USD for Paxum and BitPay, 50 for other crypto and 200 for a wire transfer; PayPal, Payoneer and WebMoney are also available.

What users say

Reviews are mixed but mostly positive: advertisers and publishers praise the flexibility, the targeting, the self-serve platform and the support, while the complaints focus on campaign approval times and the learning curve of advanced targeting. That matches our view: powerful, not beginner-friendly.

Who ExoClick is for

• Adult, dating and entertainment affiliates: a core source.
• Mainstream affiliates testing popunder, push or native: worth a test, but compare with networks focused on mainstream traffic.
• Beginners: fine for small tests, as long as you're ready to learn the reports.