The short answer: No, you can't.
Let's delve into the reasons why.
REASON 1: Instantaneous Traffic Start
Our traffic providers dispatch traffic through various channels, and each click is tagged based on its source.
You have the option to select pure email clicks or any other type of traffic available in the campaign settings. Opting for email clicks means your traffic begins immediately, just like with any other traffic tag, eliminating the wait for a provider to draft a custom email swipe.
But how does this work?
This leads us to the second reason why providing your own email swipe isn't an option.
REASON 2: The Dark Secret The Solo Ad Industry Doesn't Want You To Know
Decades ago, the solo ad industry operated differently. Originally, solo ads involved sending your custom ad to a provider's email list. However, the pricing was based on CPM (cost per thousand subscribers), not on the number of clicks received.
This model favored vendors but often left buyers at a disadvantage. For instance, consider a scenario where you pay $200 for a solo ad sent to 10,000 subscribers at a $20 CPM rate. If the ad poorly resonates with the audience, resulting in a low open and click-through rate (say, 10% open, 5% click from the opens), you could end up paying $4 per click for just 50 clicks.
This was common.
To mitigate these issues, vendors began using their own swipes, as they knew what their subscribers were responsive to, and switched to charging per click, not per subscriber count.
This change meant that when you request to use your swipe, most vendors will agree in principle, but in reality, it never happens.
Even platforms with swipe editors, like Udimi, face this challenge.
The reason is simple: when selling on a cost-per-click basis, traffic providers do not want to use your swipe due to the complications it creates.
Let's illustrate this with an example:
Imagine you order 200 clicks and provide your own swipe. Here's what could happen:
- The traffic vendor sends your swipe with your link to a segment of their email list.
- The first send generates 100 clicks, but you're still short of the 200-click target.
- The vendor sends the same email to another segment of similar size, but this time it only yields 30 clicks. Now you're 70 clicks short.
- The vendor sends the email yet again to a different segment. This time, it overperforms and brings in 150 clicks. Now, you've received 80 extra clicks that you didn't pay for, and which the vendor could have allocated to another client.
This scenario leads to a logistical headache for the vendor. They have to constantly adjust and micro-manage the campaign to meet the exact click count, while also ensuring not to overdeliver at their own expense. It's a delicate balancing act that most vendors absolutely want to avoid.
To streamline the process and avoid these complexities, vendors typically use their own tested email swipes and rely on a controlled distribution system that ensures a predictable number of clicks for you, the advertiser, and a more manageable campaign for them.
Not convinced? Try this experiment: Order a solo ad run from a solo ad vendor. After your solo ad ends, ask your provider for a video proof (like a Loom recording) showing the email they sent with your copy, the send date, and the engagement stats. It's unlikely you'll get this proof because the solo ad process no longer operates this way.
Solo ad vendors now send multiple daily emails linked to a private rotator with their customers' links, each set to receive a specific number of clicks.
This method ensures controlled click delivery and satisfaction for both parties.
At TrafficZest, we value transparency. We don't want to give you false expectations about using your email swipe, which is why we don't offer an email editor for this purpose.
Further Reading: Curious about how TrafficZest can start delivering traffic to your campaigns instantly? Check out this knowledge base article.