Galaksion Smart CPM & Smart CPA: Buy Top-Quality Traffic for Less

 5 min read
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Our friends at Galaksion walk you through how their Smart CPM and Smart CPA models work, and which one is the better fit depending on your vertical, GEO, and campaign goals.


What if bidding could work in your favor the moment you set the rate?

You’re in luck: last year, Galaksion Ad Network introduced Smart CPM and Smart CPA with that exact goal in mind.

These two models are built to automate bidding and help you buy quality traffic at a more reasonable price.

Feels like a good move for your ROI, right?

But there’s a limitation: you’ll need to choose only ONE model when launching your campaign.

Each comes with its own strengths and suits different situations.

So how do you master both and pick right?

Discover how two models compare in this article!

We’ll take you step by step, help you maximize your profit potential, and motivate you with real success stories.

Talking about a good deal: for a limited time only, you can test these models with a special 15% promo code MOBIDEA15 from Galaksion.

More info at the end!

Quick Overview

Let’s compare the models side by side.

Smart CPM Smart CPA
Second-price auction
Auto bid optimization
You pay for impressions impressions optimized
through conversions
Strongest verticals iGaming, E-commerce, Streaming/VOD, and client-based Games VPN, Antivirus, Utilities, casual Games
Performs best with less competitive GEOs
and slices
high-interest GEOs and slices
Customer flow Complex funnel

bigger payments, less frequent

Simple funnel

easy-to-convert, low costs, sign-up, install, subscription

Formats available Popunder Popunder
RON or ROS? RON
Not recommended to use WL
RON
Not recommended to use WL
No conversions = no spend? You pay for impressions regardless of conversions You pay for impressions based on conversions you have sent or generated
Your advantage traffic may be up to 50% more affordable than with standard CPM conversions may cost up to 40% less than on standard CPA
Result quality traffic, higher volumes, better pricing maximum conversions without overspending

Interested in learning more?

We’ll help you make the most of these pricing models.

Smart CPM & Smart CPA: What You Need to Know

Second-price auction explained

Both models adjust your rate automatically depending on competition. But the good part is: most of the time, your actual cost will stay below your limit.

So how does the sCPM / sCPA algorithm actually work?

1️⃣ You set your maximum rate.

2️⃣ The system checks what others are bidding.

3️⃣ The system automatically adjusts the rate in your favor.

4️⃣ You secure the slice.

5️⃣ You don’t pay your full bid → only slightly more than the next competitor.

❗ Overbidding simply doesn’t happen here.

You’ll typically pay less.

How your costs are calculated

Smart CPM → you pay for impressions.

Smart CPA → you pay for impressions linked to conversions.

Instead of charging you a fixed price per conversion, Smart CPA transforms classic CPA into a CPM-based auction.

You’re paying for impressions, but calculated using a lower second-price auction principle and optimized with your campaign’s eCPM.

So the better your campaign converts, the more efficient your pricing becomes.

And in most cases, impressions end up costing less than standard CPA.

Impact sCPM and sCPA can have on your media buying process

Smart CPM can reduce traffic rates by up to .

Smart CPA can bring conversions at up to 40% lower pricing.

This means access to top placements and competitive slices at a better price + getting more conversions.

Both models work in your favor, ensuring you never pay more than you intended.

Where Each Model Makes the Most Sense

Smart CPM

— works best in GEOs with lower competition;

— helps you manage the testing and early campaign stages;

— goes well with verticals like E-commerce, Streaming/VOD, iGaming, and client-based Games;

— is a strong option when conversions are higher in value and the user journey involves more steps;

— allows you to focus on impressions while the sCPM algorithm supports performance.


Smart CPA

— is more effective in high-demand GEOs, because it deals with conversions;

— uses a test budget;

— matches well with verticals like VPN, Utilities, Antivirus, and casual Games;

— is a good choice for simple, low-cost flows such as sign-up, install, download, or subscription;

— allows you to pay only for completed conversions and keep your costs predictable.

Now you can learn some insights and tricks for further optimization.

Galaksion’s experts equipped us with a whole list to maximize your ROI!

Making Smart CPM and Smart CPA work in your favor

Recommendations for Both Models

🔹 If you’re aiming for top placements, adjust your max bid accordingly (CPM for sCPM and conversion rates for sCPA).

You choose the upper limit for your bid, but your final cost will be typically lower. These models protect you from overpaying.

🔹 Check the Traffic Volumes chart on Galaksion when adjusting your rates to choose the most suitable option for your bundle.

For Smart CPM

🔹 If you’re targeting competitive GEOs and seeing limited traffic, consider raising your max bid.

This can help you reach a stronger position and access more volume.

Still not enough? Launch a parallel CPM campaign and compare results to find the better fit.

For Smart CPA

🔹 Split campaigns by traffic slices (e.g. mobile vs desktop) to reach a more relevant audience and reduce testing costs.

🔹 Give the system some time to learn. Early CPA may be higher, but it will adjust as conversions increase.

For deeper insights, connect with your manager on Galaksion.

Their support team can answer all your questions, share practical tips, and help you build your strategy.

Real Success Stories to Shape Your Next Campaign

Advertisers on Galaksion are already putting Smart CPM and Smart CPA to good use.

Here’s what their results look like in practice!

Smart CPM Case: Doubling Traffic in Chile

Chile falls into the lower-competition GEO category, which created a strong opportunity for Smart CPM.

The advertiser set a max rate of $1.5, but the actual price dropped to $0.7!

The result was simple: double the traffic for the same budget.

Fewer competitors = more room for savings.

Smart CPA Case: 11% more profit with a higher bid

This advertiser was promoting an Antivirus offer in the US, making it a strong match for Smart CPA (simple conversion flow and a high-demand GEO).

He launched two parallel campaigns with different bid levels to test performance.

The lower bid campaign brought in 33% more impressions.

However, the higher bid campaign generated 11% more profit.

The takeaway is clear: in this case, a higher-quality slice was more valuable than volume.

Smart CPA proved to be the right choice, and splitting campaigns helped validate the strategy.

These examples highlight how Smart CPA and Smart CPM can perform, but results will vary depending on your slice, the ongoing auction, and the offer.

To get the most out of your campaigns, it’s always worth discussing your strategy with your manager on Galaksion.

These Smart CPM and Smart CPA models are available exclusively on Galaksion and ready to test as soon as you sign up!

Want to profit from them by yourself?

Get 15% bonus on your first deposit with the promo code MOBIDEA15!

Join now and gain access to high-quality direct traffic for a more reasonable price!

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