# MyCPANetwork

> How to start an affiliate network: a free, ten-lesson beginner course on planning, setting up, testing, and running a CPA network.

MyCPANetwork is an educational project by the team behind OfferDaemon. An affiliate network connects advertisers and their offers with publishers who promote them. This course focuses on CPA networks, where partners agree on a payable action. The lessons are free to read without an account. Examples are illustrative, and commercial results depend on real partners, terms, traffic, and operations. Lessons 6-9 use OfferDaemon for practical setup examples.

To start an affiliate or CPA network, choose one niche and define the action an advertiser will pay for. Agree on one offer's rate, traffic rules, validation window, and payment timing with the advertiser. Recruit a few publishers whose audiences fit that offer. Check the margin and the gap between collecting from the advertiser and paying publishers. Configure the offer, tracking link, and postback, then test a click and a reported conversion before sending live traffic. Run a small pilot, review conversion quality, and reconcile reports and payouts regularly. The network operator remains responsible for partner relationships, commercial terms, compliance, and payments.

## Start here

- [How to start an affiliate network](https://mycpanetwork.com/): Course overview and links to all ten lessons.
- [Before you start](https://mycpanetwork.com/start/): Who the course is for and how to plan a small first pilot.
- [All free lessons](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/): Lessons in reading order.
- [Launch checklist](https://mycpanetwork.com/launch-checklist/): Printable steps for reviewing a first CPA network pilot.

## Lessons

- [Understand the business](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/what-is-a-cpa-network/): Advertisers, publishers, the network's role, and how money moves.
- [Choose your first niche](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/choose-your-first-niche/): Choose an audience, market, and payable action.
- [Find your first advertiser](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/find-your-first-advertiser/): Discuss an initial offer and agree on its rules.
- [Find your first publishers](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/find-your-first-publishers/): Qualify and onboard a small set of partners.
- [Plan your budget and payouts](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/plan-your-budget-and-payouts/): Review margins, commitments, and cash timing.
- [Set up your network](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/set-up-your-network-with-offerdaemon/): Configure network-wide OfferDaemon settings and domains.
- [Add your first offer](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/add-your-first-offer-with-offerdaemon/): Set rates and prepare a publisher tracking link.
- [Test your tracking](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/test-your-tracking-and-postback/): Follow a controlled click and conversion test.
- [Understand postbacks](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/understanding-postbacks/): Distinguish the advertiser-to-network message from the optional network-to-publisher callback.
- [Run it week by week](https://mycpanetwork.com/guides/run-your-network-week-by-week/): Establish a routine for quality, reporting, and payouts.

## About and help

- [About MyCPANetwork](https://mycpanetwork.com/about/): Who publishes the course and how it relates to OfferDaemon.
- [Get help with your setup](https://mycpanetwork.com/get-help/): Individually quoted launch setup or technical care; software subscription is separate.
- [Privacy notice](https://mycpanetwork.com/privacy/): How inquiries and source information are handled.