What Determines Lead Cost in CPA Goal: How the Model Really Works
Hey there! Push.House here.
Since its launch, CPA Goal has quickly become one of the most talked-about optimization tools among Push.House partners. And for a good reason: this model helps advertisers move away from manual bid management and focus on what truly matters — the final cost per lead. But what exactly affects the lead price in CPA Goal, and how does the algorithm decide where to allocate your budget? Let’s break it down step by step.
What Is CPA Goal
CPA Goal is an automated bidding model built around your target CPA. Unlike CPC or CPM models, where you manually control click or impression prices, CPA Goal works differently: you simply set how much you’re willing to pay for a conversion, and the system automatically adjusts bids across sources to stay as close as possible to that target.
The main idea is simple:
- You set your desired CPA.
- The system redistributes bids across sources based on performance.
- You still pay for clicks, but optimization is fully focused on achieving your CPA.
The final lead price is reached through smart budget redistribution between effective and ineffective sources.
How CPA Goal Works in Push.House
Launching a CPA Goal campaign follows the same familiar flow:
You create a campaign, choose CPA Goal as the pricing model, set your target CPA, select formats, and launch. From that point on, the algorithm takes over.
· Automatic Bid Optimization
Each source is analyzed individually:
- Sources that generate conversions within your target CPA receive higher bids.
- Sources where conversions are too expensive get reduced bids.
- Sources with no conversions are excluded after reaching the testing limit.
· Source Spend Limits
You can define a testing limit for each source — for example, several times your target CPA. This protects your budget from overspending and gives the algorithm enough room to test traffic safely and gradually.
· Dynamic Real-Time Adjustments
Bids are recalculated in real time. The system constantly balances between capturing promising traffic and keeping the final CPA within your target.
· Beta Status
Since CPA Goal is still in beta, minor delays or optimization inaccuracies may occur. For this reason, we recommend monitoring campaigns manually during the first hours after launch.
At Push.House CPA Goal is currently available for:
- Web Push — classic push notifications with strong engagement and conversion rate.
- In-Page Push — native notifications embedded directly into website content.
You can control budgets either at the campaign level or individually per source, giving you flexibility when testing and scaling.
What Influences Lead Cost in CPA Goal
While the algorithm handles optimization automatically, several factors directly affect your final CPA.
1. Offer Quality
If an offer has weak conversion potential, the algorithm will be forced to lower bids across many sources. You may still hit your target CPA, but lead volume will be limited.
Strong offers allow the system to:
- raise bids on effective sources
- expand traffic rotation
- reduce overall lead cost
2. Source Performance
Each source behaves differently. The algorithm evaluates:
- click-through rate (CTR)
- conversion rate (CR2)
- conversion stability
- cost per click
- available traffic volume
3. Target CPA Value
A CPA set too low leads to overly aggressive placement filtering. The algorithm simply can’t raise bids high enough to secure quality traffic at the volume you need. The result is low spend and a limited number of leads.
On the other hand, a CPA set too high pushes campaigns past the point of economic efficiency — you end up paying more for leads than necessary.
The optimal approach is to start with a comfortable CPA and gradually lower it as performance data accumulates.
4. Source Test Limits
Testing limits directly affect lead cost:
- Too low — sources may be cut before converting.
- Too high — unnecessary spend during testing.
The recommended range is 2–4 target CPA per source.
5. Traffic Volume
Some sources convert well but offer limited volume. To scale, the algorithm may bring in additional sources with slightly weaker performance, which can cause CPA fluctuations.
Wider rotation generally leads to more stable results.
6. Creatives and Relevance
Even the best algorithm can’t compensate for weak creatives. Low CTR increases CPC, which pushes CPA higher.
Best practices:
- use multiple creative variations
- refresh creatives regularly
7. GEO and Competition
In competitive GEOs:
- CPC is higher
- source competition is stronger
- the algorithm is forced to balance between maintaining the target CPA and capturing sufficient traffic volume.
In less competitive markets, lead cost is usually lower.
8. Learning Phase
During the initial hours, performance may fluctuate. This is a normal learning phase where the algorithm gathers data, tests sources, and stabilizes results.
Conclusion
CPA Goal is a powerful traffic-buying model that helps advertisers achieve predictable lead costs while reducing manual work. The system automatically handles bid management, source testing, and budget distribution — allowing you to focus on results. If automation, scalability, and stable CPA matter to you, CPA Goal is a strong tool worth testing.
The model is currently available in beta. Launch a campaign in Push.House, set your target CPA, and see how automated optimization can simplify your workflow and improve performance.
Good luck!
