They are used when the primary goal is site visitation, top-of-funnel discovery, algorithm training, or low-intent exploration.

Traffic Campaigns do not optimize for conversions.
They optimize for the people most likely to click, not the people most likely to buy.

When should I use Traffic Campaigns instead of Conversion Campaigns?

Traffic Campaigns are strategic tools for specific situations, and answer one key question:

“Do I need landing page visitors more than I need direct conversions right now?”

You should use them when:

1. You’re entering a new market or geo

Cold regions need traffic data before conversion optimization works well.

2. You need algorithm training

Before running conversion campaigns, the pixel/CAPI needs:

• page views
  
  

• scroll depth
  
  

• add-to-carts
  
  

• early interaction patterns

Traffic campaigns build these signals.

3. You’re testing new landing pages

Traffic campaigns help diagnose:

• bounce rate
  
  

• scroll depth
  
  

• user behavior
  
  

• form interactions

4. You’re running content marketing funnels

Blogs, articles, video pages, quizzes — traffic objective is the right fit.

5. You want to build warm audiences for retargeting

Traffic populates:

• 7-day visitors
  
  

• 30-day page views
  
  

• product viewers

These become strong MOF audiences.

6. You want cheaper CPC for upper funnel experiments

Traffic campaigns are cheaper than conversion campaigns and ideal for:

• hook testing
  
  

• angle exploration
  
  

• messaging clarity tests
  
  

Why Traffic Campaigns Do NOT Excel at Conversions

Traffic Campaigns optimize for people who click a lot —
not for people who buy a lot.

This leads to:

• high bounce rate
  
  

• low scroll depth
  
  

• weak CVR
  
  

• poor quality traffic
  
  

• misleading “cheap CPC” that doesn’t convert

For purchase-driven funnels, always prefer Conversion Campaigns, not Traffic.

How Traffic Campaigns Fit Into a Full-Funnel Strategy

TOF — Best Use Case

Use Traffic campaigns to:

• introduce the brand
  
  

• test hooks
  
  

• test concepts
  
  

• educate cold audiences
  
  

• send traffic to high-value content

Traffic → MOF retargeting = a strong acquisition loop.

MOF — Rare Use Case

Use only when:

• educating users with long-form content
  
  

• nurturing via blogs, explainer pages, case studies
  
  

• routing users to comparison content

BOF — Not Recommended

BOF requires conversion-optimized delivery — not clickers.

Best Practices for Traffic Campaigns

1. Use Video or UGC for Maximum Thumbstop

Traffic campaigns respond extremely well to:

• native hooks
  
  

• storytelling
  
  

• creator-led formats

2. Optimize for Landing Page Views (LPV) Instead of Link Clicks

LPV filters out fake clicks, bot clicks, unintentional taps.

LPV = higher-quality traffic.

3. Use Strong Relevance Between Creative → Landing Page

Traffic quality improves when:

• hook matches headline
  
  

• promise matches offer
  
  

• tone matches funnel stage

Mismatch = instant bounce.

4. Track Scroll Depth + Bounce Rate

Traffic campaigns reveal page quality:

• Do users stay?
  
  

• Do they read?
  
  

• Do they interact?

5. Build Retargeting Pools

Traffic fuels:

• 7-day viewers
  
  

• 14-day blog readers
  
  

• 30-day product page viewers

These warm audiences convert dramatically better in MOF + BOF.

6. Segment Audiences by Intent

Routing traffic to:

• educational pages
  
  

• comparison pages
  
  

• quizzes
  
  

• blog funnels

creates different retargeting pathways.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• running traffic campaigns expecting sales
  
  

• optimizing for link clicks instead of landing page views
  
  

• sending traffic to slow, unclear landing pages
  
  

• mixing traffic with conversion campaigns in the same ad group
  
  

• treating clickers as high-intent users
  
  

• optimizing for cheap CPC instead of meaningful engagement

Traffic ≠ intent.
Traffic is raw volume to shape into intent.

Examples of Traffic Campaign Optimization

Example 1: Testing Hooks

Run cheap traffic campaigns with:

• 5 hooks
  
  

• same audience
  
  

• same concept

Identify highest thumbstop & LPV → convert into conversion ads.

Example 2: Expanding Geos

Traffic warms new regions → feed MOF campaigns with reliable audience signals.

Example 3: Content Funnel Build

Send traffic to blog → retarget readers with MOF video → BOF offer → lower CAC.

Example 4: Landing Page Diagnosis

Traffic reveals bounce & scroll issues → fix LPO → increase CVR for conversion campaigns.

What should you learn after Traffic Campaigns?

• Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO)
  
  

• Video Views / ThruPlay (traffic precursor metrics)
  
  

• Landing Page Optimization (required to convert traffic)