Push, pop and native are the "classic" affiliate traffic formats bought from specialised ad networks. They are cheaper per click or per impression than Google or Meta, easier to get approved for many verticals, and fast to test — which is why many media buyers learn on them. Each format behaves differently, so the offer, landing page and optimisation approach must match.
Push notification ads
What it is: a short notification (title, text, small icon, large image) delivered to users who subscribed to browser notifications from a website. Classic push appears in the device's notification area.
How it is bought: usually CPC (cost per click), sometimes CPM, by country, OS, browser and subscription age.
Works for: sweepstakes, utilities, dating, finance lead gen, e-commerce deals, news-style content.
Watch out for: subscriber quality varies a lot by network and "subscription age" — fresh subscribers click more but can be lower quality. Block weak sources aggressively.
In-page push
What it is: an ad styled like a push notification but shown inside a web page, with no subscription required. It works on all browsers and iOS devices, which classic push often cannot reach.
How it is bought: mostly CPC or CPM.
Works for: the same verticals as push, with larger reach, especially on mobile.
Popunder (pop) traffic
What it is: a full page that opens behind or under the current window when a user clicks on a publisher site. The user sees your page when they close or switch windows.
How it is bought: CPM (per 1,000 impressions) or CPV, very cheap per view.
Works for: sweepstakes, utilities, VPN and antivirus, dating, gaming, smartlinks. The user lands directly on your offer or pre-lander, so the page has to grab attention immediately.
Watch out for: high volumes of low-intent views and bot traffic on weaker sources. Use your tracker to find converting placements and build allowlists.
Native ads
What it is: ads that match the look of the publisher's content — "recommended for you" widgets under articles, in-feed cards and similar placements.
How it is bought: CPC or CPM through native networks and DSPs.
Works for: finance, insurance, e-commerce, health and content-led offers that benefit from an article-style pre-lander.
Watch out for: native networks have stricter creative and landing-page rules than push or pop. Clickbait headlines that do not match the page lead to rejections and poor quality scores.
Side-by-side
| Format | Typical pricing | Intent | Best landing approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push | CPC | Low–medium | Short pre-lander or direct offer |
| In-page push | CPC / CPM | Low–medium | Short pre-lander or direct offer |
| Popunder | CPM | Low | Direct offer or one-screen pre-lander |
| Native | CPC / CPM | Medium | Article-style pre-lander |
How to test any of these formats
- Use a tracker and pass the network's macros (zone/site ID, campaign ID, creative ID) as sub-IDs.
- Start narrow: one country, one device type, one offer or a smartlink.
- Set a budget per test and a stop rule.
- Optimise by placement: block zones that spend without converting; raise bids or allowlist the winners.
- Rotate creatives — push and native fatigue fast.
- Check traffic quality with the advertiser's feedback and your own fraud signals.
Spy tools help you see which creatives and landers already run on these networks: see our reviews of push spy tools and pop spy tools.
FAQ
What is the difference between push and in-page push?
Classic push is delivered to users who subscribed to a site's browser notifications and shows in the device's notification area. In-page push looks similar but is shown inside a web page and needs no subscription.
Is pop traffic still profitable in 2026?
For the right offers — sweepstakes, utilities, dating and smartlinks — it still works, mainly because it is cheap. Profit depends on aggressive placement optimisation and good landing pages.
Which format is best for beginners?
Push and in-page push are popular because they are inexpensive per click and give fast feedback. Popunder is also cheap but needs stronger placement filtering.
What is a zone or placement ID?
It is the identifier for the specific publisher site or ad slot. Passing it to your tracker lets you see which placements convert and block those that do not.
Published 25 October 2026 by the ClickSpero Editorial Team. Platform features, fees and policies change often — check the provider’s current terms before you rely on a number. Third-party names are trademarks of their owners; no endorsement is implied.