I’ve been running iGaming CPM ads for a while now, and honestly, CTR was the first thing that made me question whether it was even worth it. You see impressions going up, spend going out, but clicks and engagement feel… underwhelming. I kept wondering if this was just how CPM works in iGaming or if I was missing something obvious.
The main frustration for me was that CPM looks great on paper. Cheap reach, tons of visibility, and supposedly good for awareness. But when you’re staring at low engagement numbers, it’s hard not to compare it with CPC or CPA and think you’re wasting budget. I’ve seen others in forums say the same thing, so I know it’s not just me.
At first, I assumed the issue was traffic quality. Maybe the placements were bad, or maybe CPM traffic just doesn’t care enough to click. I tried switching networks, adjusting bids, and even changing geos, but the CTR barely moved. That’s when I realized the problem might not be CPM itself, but how I was running the ads.
One thing I noticed early on was that generic creatives just don’t work. I was using banners that looked like typical betting ads, and people probably ignored them instantly. Once I started testing simpler visuals and more natural messages, things slowly improved. Nothing flashy, no big promises, just something that looked less like an ad and more like a normal piece of content.
Another thing that helped was matching the ad message to where the user actually was in their journey. With iGaming CPM ads, most users aren’t ready to sign up or deposit right away. When I stopped pushing hard calls to action and focused more on curiosity or light interest, engagement felt more natural. CTR didn’t explode, but it became more stable.
Landing pages were another eye opener. Earlier, I was sending CPM traffic straight to pages designed for high intent users. That didn’t make much sense in hindsight. Once I switched to lighter pages that explained things calmly and didn’t rush the user, bounce rates went down and time on site improved. Even if they didn’t convert right away, at least they stayed.
Frequency also matters more than I expected. Showing the same ad too often killed engagement fast. When I capped frequency and rotated creatives more frequently, CTR stopped dropping after the first few days. It’s boring work, but CPM really punishes laziness when it comes to creative rotation.
I also learned that CPM works better as part of a bigger plan. On its own, it can feel weak. But when I paired it with retargeting or follow up campaigns, the value became clearer. People who saw the CPM ads earlier were more likely to click later on other formats. It didn’t show instantly, but over time it added up.
If you’re trying to figure out how to make CPM work in iGaming, it helped me to rethink expectations. CPM isn’t about instant clicks or deposits. It’s more about warming people up and staying visible. Once I accepted that, optimizing CTR felt less stressful and more realistic.
I found this breakdown on iGaming CPM Ads useful when I was trying to understand how others approach this model without forcing performance expectations that don’t fit CPM.
Overall, CPM can work, but only if you treat it differently from performance ads. Focus on creatives, keep things natural, watch frequency, and don’t expect miracles overnight. Once I adjusted my mindset and setup, CTR and engagement stopped being a constant headache.
The main frustration for me was that CPM looks great on paper. Cheap reach, tons of visibility, and supposedly good for awareness. But when you’re staring at low engagement numbers, it’s hard not to compare it with CPC or CPA and think you’re wasting budget. I’ve seen others in forums say the same thing, so I know it’s not just me.
At first, I assumed the issue was traffic quality. Maybe the placements were bad, or maybe CPM traffic just doesn’t care enough to click. I tried switching networks, adjusting bids, and even changing geos, but the CTR barely moved. That’s when I realized the problem might not be CPM itself, but how I was running the ads.
One thing I noticed early on was that generic creatives just don’t work. I was using banners that looked like typical betting ads, and people probably ignored them instantly. Once I started testing simpler visuals and more natural messages, things slowly improved. Nothing flashy, no big promises, just something that looked less like an ad and more like a normal piece of content.
Another thing that helped was matching the ad message to where the user actually was in their journey. With iGaming CPM ads, most users aren’t ready to sign up or deposit right away. When I stopped pushing hard calls to action and focused more on curiosity or light interest, engagement felt more natural. CTR didn’t explode, but it became more stable.
Landing pages were another eye opener. Earlier, I was sending CPM traffic straight to pages designed for high intent users. That didn’t make much sense in hindsight. Once I switched to lighter pages that explained things calmly and didn’t rush the user, bounce rates went down and time on site improved. Even if they didn’t convert right away, at least they stayed.
Frequency also matters more than I expected. Showing the same ad too often killed engagement fast. When I capped frequency and rotated creatives more frequently, CTR stopped dropping after the first few days. It’s boring work, but CPM really punishes laziness when it comes to creative rotation.
I also learned that CPM works better as part of a bigger plan. On its own, it can feel weak. But when I paired it with retargeting or follow up campaigns, the value became clearer. People who saw the CPM ads earlier were more likely to click later on other formats. It didn’t show instantly, but over time it added up.
If you’re trying to figure out how to make CPM work in iGaming, it helped me to rethink expectations. CPM isn’t about instant clicks or deposits. It’s more about warming people up and staying visible. Once I accepted that, optimizing CTR felt less stressful and more realistic.
I found this breakdown on iGaming CPM Ads useful when I was trying to understand how others approach this model without forcing performance expectations that don’t fit CPM.
Overall, CPM can work, but only if you treat it differently from performance ads. Focus on creatives, keep things natural, watch frequency, and don’t expect miracles overnight. Once I adjusted my mindset and setup, CTR and engagement stopped being a constant headache.