How to Master Popunders with TrafficStars

What are popunders? A popunder ad is a type of online advertisement that opens in a new browser window hidden beneath the active tab the user is currently interacting with. Unlike traditional display ads that appear within the page content, popunders are designed to avoid immediate detection, presenting themselves only after the user closes or minimizes their current browser window.

The appearance of a popunder is typically controlled via JavaScript. The specific trigger can vary depending on the ad script’s configuration. In some cases, the ad may activate simply upon loading the website; in others, it requires user interaction—such as a click anywhere on the page—to launch.

It’s important to differentiate popunders from popups. While both are forms of interstitial advertising, popups are more intrusive, instantly appearing over the content and interrupting the user experience. Popunders, on the other hand, operate more discreetly. They emerge beneath the main browser window, often going unnoticed until the user finishes their session and closes the active tab. This subtle delivery increases the chances that the user will actually view the ad content, as opposed to instinctively closing it, as often happens with popups.

Despite being one of the oldest ad formats in the affiliate and arbitrage marketing space, popunder ads remain popular due to their scalability, low cost, and ease of integration.

Key Considerations for Running Popunder Campaigns

Successfully leveraging popunder traffic requires more than just deploying ad creatives. Without proper tracking and performance analytics, achieving a strong return on investment (ROI) is difficult. When dealing with high traffic volumes, the use of advanced tracking solutions and automated optimization tools becomes essential.

Another layer of complexity arises from increasing browser restrictions and the growing prevalence of ad blockers, which can impact delivery and visibility. To navigate these challenges, it’s critical to work with reputable ad networks that support the popunder format and offer robust infrastructure for campaign management.

For beginners, it’s advisable to start with one or two trusted networks. This approach simplifies performance monitoring and allows for more efficient budget allocation during the testing and scaling phases.

 What Are Popunders?

Popunder traffic refers to an advertising format in which an ad opens in a new browser tab or window behind the active one, rather than on top of it. This method allows advertisers to deliver their message in a non-intrusive manner, preserving the user experience while maintaining high visibility. For those wondering what are popunders and how they differ from other formats—this distinction is critical: popunders are subtle, non-disruptive, and user-initiated, making them a powerful tool in the performance marketer’s arsenal.

Unlike traditional popups, which immediately overlay content and often result in user frustration, popunders remain hidden during the user’s initial interaction. The ad content becomes visible only when the user finishes their activity on the current page and navigates back to previously opened windows. This delayed exposure is what makes popunders feel less intrusive and more user-controlled.

One of the main advantages of popunder traffic is its cost-efficiency. It consistently delivers high volumes of targeted users at some of the lowest CPV (cost-per-visit) rates in the industry. Because the format is platform-agnostic, it performs well across all operating systems and devices—making it highly adaptable to a wide range of verticals, from finance and gaming to software downloads and adult content.

Popunder (also referred to as pops traffic) is known for driving stable, scalable traffic with minimal impact on the user’s engagement with the main content. The ad doesn’t interrupt the browsing experience, which often leads to higher conversion rates compared to more aggressive ad formats.

In most cases, popunder ads are triggered when a user interacts with the site—typically through a mouse click or tap. Upon that action, a new window or tab is programmatically launched in the background, loading the advertiser’s landing page. The user may not notice it immediately, but upon switching tabs or exiting the current one, they encounter the ad content. This delayed engagement increases the likelihood that the user will spend a few moments exploring the offer, rather than reflexively closing the window.

For media buyers and affiliate marketers, successful popunder campaigns depend on several key elements:

• Precise campaign configuration, including geo-targeting, frequency capping, and device filtering;
  
• Careful selection of ad networks that specialize in pop traffic and have strong compliance and anti-fraud mechanisms;
  
• Ongoing optimization based on performance metrics like EPC, ROI, CTR, and bounce rate;
  
• Strategic offer selection, ensuring alignment between the landing page and the user’s interests or browsing context.
  

Popunders vs Popups: Understanding the Difference

A common question is how popunders differ from popups. While both are types of interstitial ads, the primary difference lies in their placement and user experience. A popup opens directly above the content the user is viewing, often perceived as intrusive or spammy. A popunder, by contrast, appears in the background—not interfering with the user’s immediate session. As a result, popunders are often seen as more respectful of user behavior, giving control back to the audience. The choice to engage with the content becomes theirs.

Below is a visual comparison table of pop-under ads with other popular formats: native ads, banners, and push notifications. The table covers key parameters of effectiveness, cost, and user perception:

Why Popunders Work in Adult Advertising

The adult traffic vertical stands out as one of the most dynamic and resilient niches in digital marketing. Its major strength lies in its massive and constantly renewing global audience, driven by human curiosity, demand for novelty, and the continuous production of adult content. The scale is staggering: it’s estimated that every 30 minutes, a new adult video is produced, and at any given second, around 30,000 users are watching adult content online.

From a monetization perspective, this vertical is rich with opportunity, yet highly competitive and nuanced. The diversity of offers and audiences makes it suitable for a wide range of marketing strategies, but also requires a solid understanding of consumer behavior, regional preferences, and funnel optimization.

Economics of the Adult Industry

To put things into perspective, the industry reportedly spends around $3,000 every second on content production alone. Yet, the ROI potential remains substantial due to the unrelenting global demand. With over 68 million adult-related searches per day, the traffic pool is enormous—but cutting through the noise demands creativity and technical proficiency.

Revenue generation in this vertical varies significantly depending on:

• GEO-targeting (Tier 1 vs. Tier 3 countries),
  
• Type of offer (soft conversions vs. high-ticket sales),
  
• and initial budget available for testing and scaling.
  

Here’s a general breakdown of offer types by difficulty and profitability:

• Low-entry barrier: Adult games with cost-per-registration (CPR) or simple lead-gen models. These are easy to promote but offer lower payouts.
  
• Mid-range: Adult dating and chat services, which offer stronger user engagement and moderate payouts.
  
• High-end monetization: VIP content subscriptions, eCommerce for adult products, and high-ticket webcam sales. These demand sophisticated funnels and trust-building, but the earnings per user can be substantial.
  

Categories Within Adult Content Marketing

The adult vertical is not limited to traditional video content. It spans several lucrative sub-niches, including:

• Sex toy and lingerie eCommerce
  
• SMS and mobile billing subscriptions
  
• Adult streaming platforms, including 3D animations, VR, and hentai
  
• Erotic mobile and browser-based games
  
• Adult dating platforms and chat rooms
  
• Webcam services and live shows
  

This diversity allows affiliates and media buyers to select offers that best align with their traffic sources and monetization strategies.

The Challenge: High Demand Meets High Competition

While the audience is vast and evergreen, the adult space is highly saturated with aggressive marketers, established brands, and increasingly sophisticated consumer expectations. Gaining attention in such a competitive landscape requires more than standard targeting—it demands:

• Innovative creatives tailored to micro-niches;
  
• Localized funnels optimized for specific cultural and legal contexts;
  
• Compliance-savvy campaign setups, especially on platforms with strict adult content policies.
  

Standing out means constantly testing new angles, leveraging storytelling, and sometimes even building branded presences in a space where user trust can be rare.

Expert List of High-Converting Niches for Popunder Advertising in the Adult Industry

1. Live Cam Shows (Webcam Services)

Why it works:
Adult network popunders are ideal for campaigns that rely on delayed engagement. After closing the main browser window, the user may notice a cam site open in a background tab—often when they’re in a more private setting and more likely to interact with adult offers. This non-intrusive format increases the chance of genuine interest and higher conversion rates.

2. Adult Games

Why it works:
Adult games typically have high click-through rates and low entry barriers—most only require a simple registration. These features align perfectly with the popunder format, where users aren’t immediately disrupted but later discover a visually engaging game landing page. This soft entry leads to more engagement without breaking the user’s flow.

3. Adult eCommerce (Sex Toys, Lingerie, etc.)

Why it works:
Adult popunders work especially well when driving users to limited-time offers or flash sales. A user might not click on an adult product ad directly, but once they stumble upon a preloaded tab offering a discount or exclusive deal, they’re more likely to engage. This strategy is effective for driving impulse buys and remarketing.

How to Advertise Gambling with Popunders

When it comes to promoting offers in high-risk verticals like online casinos and sports betting, popunder traffic stands out as one of the most effective and reliable ad formats. Below are the key reasons why seasoned media buyers consistently choose popunders for gambling campaigns:

1. No Major Platform Restrictions

Unlike traditional advertising platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook, which impose strict (and often inconsistent) restrictions on gambling-related content, popunder traffic operates in a much more flexible ecosystem.

This freedom allows affiliates to:

• Run pre-landers and landing pages with aggressive copy, gamified elements, and countdown timers;
  
• Use provocative creatives and direct CTAs that would never pass moderation on mainstream channels;
  
• Experiment with high-converting flows that push compliance boundaries without risking account bans.
  

In short, what’s not allowed elsewhere is often fair game in advertise gambling on popunders.

2. Simplicity and Speed of Launch

Popunders are one of the easiest ad formats to launch, making them especially appealing for affiliates looking to test offers quickly or scale aggressively. Unlike native or push formats that require constant creative refreshes, popunder campaigns rely primarily on:

• A strong pre-lander or landing page,
  
• Basic targeting parameters (GEO, device, OS, etc.).
  

Even a beginner with minimal experience in affiliate marketing can go from setup to launch in a matter of minutes. There’s no need to fight ad policies or build complex funnels—just deploy and start testing.

3. Affordable Traffic with Broad GEO Reach

Popunder traffic remains one of the most cost-effective formats in affiliate media buying. It allows you to:

• Enter virtually any GEO, including Tier 1 countries, without the high CPMs seen on more competitive formats;
  
• Scale globally without heavy infrastructure or compliance bottlenecks;
  
• Run tests across dozens of regions to identify profitable pockets of traffic with minimal upfront investment.
  

This makes it especially attractive for gambling verticals, where ROI often depends on testing multiple markets rapidly and efficiently.

Real-World Example: Online Casino Campaign

Imagine you’re running a CPA offer for an online casino targeting LATAM. Using popunder traffic, you could:

• Serve a dynamic pre-lander featuring a spinning wheel or scratch card;
  
• Trigger the popunder upon a user’s click on a non-related site (e.g., torrent or streaming);
  
• Drive the user to the casino landing page in a separate tab that they’ll revisit once their main activity is complete.
  

This “background engagement” strategy often results in better attention and lower bounce rates than aggressive in-your-face ad formats.

Benefits of Popunder Ads on TrafficStars

When it comes to performance marketing in the adult vertical, TrafficStars stands out as one of the most reliable self-serve DSP platforms, offering advanced tools, premium inventory, and campaign flexibility. Among its many ad formats, popunders ads continues to deliver exceptional results — especially when paired with TrafficStars’ robust targeting and bidding capabilities.

Here’s a breakdown of the key advantages of running popunder campaigns on TrafficStars:

1. Self-Serve DSP with Advanced Targeting Capabilities

TrafficStars gives media buyers full control through a self-serve DSP (Demand-Side Platform) that combines ease of use with granular campaign customization. Popunder campaigns benefit greatly from the platform’s precise targeting features, including:

• GEO, device, OS, and browser segmentation
  
• Carrier and connection type targeting
  
• Frequency capping and dayparting
  
• Language and zone ID targeting for pinpoint ad placement
  

This level of control allows advertisers to tailor their popunder ads to high-intent segments, maximize engagement, and minimize wasted impressions.

2. Multiple Payment Models: CPM, SmartCPM, CPA

TrafficStars supports various bidding models, giving affiliates and advertisers flexibility to match their strategy and goals:

• CPM (Cost Per Mille): Fixed bidding for predictable budgeting and impression control
  
• SmartCPM: Dynamic bidding algorithm that automatically optimizes for the lowest possible price while maintaining position and volume — ideal for scaling efficiently
  
• CPA (Cost Per Action): Performance-based model for advertisers who prefer paying only when conversions happen
  

This variety allows both newbies testing campaigns and veteran media buyers scaling ROI to operate with confidence, optimizing spend according to performance.

3. Global Reach with Premium Adult Inventory

TrafficStars offers access to a vast pool of global traffic, including premium placements across the world’s top adult publishers. This means:

• Massive daily volumes of traffic across all major GEOs
  
• High-quality inventory from trusted sites with engaged, returning users
  
• The ability to reach niche and mainstream audiences alike
  

Popunder ads, in particular, perform well in this environment because of their non-intrusive visibility and high exposure rates. Combined with premium traffic sources, they can drive volume at scale while maintaining strong conversion potential.

Why Popunders on TrafficStars Work So Well

In performance marketing, especially within the adult space, success is built on scalable, affordable, and controllable traffic. TrafficStars delivers on all fronts:

• A powerful DSP for campaign control and optimization
  
• Flexible bidding that supports ROI-driven decision-making
  
• Access to global, high-converting traffic in the adult niche
  

Whether you’re promoting dating offers, adult games, cams, or high-ticket eCommerce, popunders on TrafficStars provide a high-ROI, low-barrier entry point for testing and scaling fast.

Best Practices for Popunder Campaigns

Popunder advertising remains a powerful tool in the digital marketer’s arsenal—especially when used strategically. While this format is known for its scalability and cost-efficiency, running profitable popunder campaigns requires more than just traffic volume. To truly maximize ROI, you need to apply data-driven practices in targeting, frequency control, creative testing, and budget strategy.

Below are the best practices for optimizing popunder campaigns to ensure consistent performance and sustainable scaling.

1. Smart Targeting: GEOs, Devices, and Operating Systems

Popunder traffic is only as effective as the targeting behind it. One of the key advantages of this format is the ability to fine-tune your reach across multiple dimensions:

• GEO Targeting: Start with a few high-performing GEOs where your vertical is proven (e.g., Tier 2 countries for adult dating or gambling). Analyze EPC, CTR, and conversion rates by region to decide where to scale.
  
• Device Targeting: Understand user behavior across devices. For example, adult games may convert better on desktop due to screen size and game UX, while mobile might outperform in VAS or 1-click flows.
  
• Operating Systems: Tailor your pre-landers and landing pages to OS-specific behaviors. Android traffic often converts differently than iOS, especially with billing flows and redirect mechanics.
  

Tip: Use smart zone and sub-ID tracking to identify high-converting segments early and double down on them.

2. Frequency Capping

Popunders are highly visible, but without control, they can quickly become annoying or redundant to users. That’s where frequency capping becomes crucial.

• Limit the number of impressions per user within a set time frame (e.g., 1 per 6 hours or 3 per day).
  
• Reduce ad fatigue and preserve your brand reputation.
  
• Improve overall campaign efficiency by avoiding wasted impressions.
  

Proper frequency capping not only improves user experience, but it also stretches your budget further by prioritizing quality over brute-force exposure.

3. Creative Optimization

While popunders don’t rely on traditional banners, your landing page is effectively your “creative.” That makes testing and optimizing it absolutely essential.

Best practices include:

• A/B testing pre-landers with different CTAs, color schemes, or offers.
  
• Optimizing load times—slow landing pages = high bounce rates.
  
• Using attention-grabbing elements (e.g., interactive elements like spin wheels or scratch cards in gambling/lead-gen).
  
• Localizing creatives by language and currency based on GEO.
  

Also, consider rotating offers in the same vertical to reduce creative fatigue and extend campaign lifespan.

4. Budget Allocation

Popunder is a high-volume format, which makes budget management critical—especially during the testing phase.

• Start with a modest daily budget and a limited number of GEOs to gather meaningful data.
  
• Analyze KPIs (CPC, CR, EPC, ROI) at the zone and sub-ID level before scaling.
  
• Gradually increase spend on winning placements, while blacklisting underperforming sources.
  

Avoid the trap of overcommitting early. Let your data dictate scaling decisions, not assumptions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While popunder advertising can deliver exceptional results, many media buyers fall into common traps that severely limit performance. Whether you’re new to the format or looking to optimize existing campaigns, here are the key mistakes to watch out for:

1. Excessive Frequency

One of the biggest mistakes is overexposing users to the same ad by not applying proper frequency capping. This leads to:

• User fatigue and banner blindness
  
• Higher bounce rates
  
• Wasted impressions and budget
  

Best Practice: Set frequency caps to limit how often a user sees your popunder. For example, 1-2 impressions per user per day is often enough to remain visible without being intrusive.

2. Poor Audience Segmentation

Targeting too broadly can dilute your traffic quality and kill ROI. Generic campaigns that don’t account for device type, operating system, GEO, or user behavior often underperform.

Best Practice: Use granular targeting to segment your audience. Tailor your landing pages to match user context—what works for Android users in Brazil won’t necessarily work for iOS users in Canada.

3. No A/B Testing

Relying on a single landing page or creative setup is a recipe for stagnation. Without A/B testing, you’re guessing instead of optimizing.

Best Practice: Continuously test:

• Different landing page layouts
  
• CTA placements and messaging
  
• Offer types and pre-landers
  

Even small tweaks can have a measurable impact on conversion rates.

Popunder traffic offers enormous scale, but without strategy, it can quickly burn through your budget. Avoiding these three common mistakes—overfrequency, poor targeting, and lack of testing—is essential for building sustainable, profitable campaigns.

Conclusion

Popunder advertising has long been a staple of digital marketing, particularly within high-volume verticals like adult, dating, and gambling. Among the various formats available, popunders stand out as one of the least intrusive yet highly effective ad types. Despite operating “in the background,” popunder ads offer substantial advantages — including ease of implementation, cross-device compatibility, and broad reach.

When executed correctly, popunders can deliver exceptional engagement without interrupting the user experience. They allow marketers to appear after the user’s primary task is complete, creating a strategic window of attention.

If you’re looking to capitalize on popunder traffic within the adult vertical, TrafficStars should be at the top of your list. As one of the most trusted and performance-driven adult ad networks, TrafficStars offers:

• A robust self-serve DSP for full campaign control
  
• Access to premium adult inventory across top global publishers
  
• Smart targeting tools and optimization features
  
• Multiple bidding models (CPM, SmartCPM, CPA)
  

TrafficStars’ platform is purpose-built to handle high-converting popunder campaigns, making it a go-to choice for both beginner and veteran media buyers.

In today’s fast-paced digital advertising landscape, popunders ads remain a high-ROI format for targeted traffic acquisition. Their ability to engage users without disrupting their primary activity makes them ideal for performance-driven campaigns.

And with a powerful platform like TrafficStars—offering premium adult traffic, precise targeting, and real-time optimization—you have all the tools needed to run scalable, profitable popunder campaigns.