We are seeing a huge demand for virtual cards, and they are becoming an indispensable tool for businesses, advertisers, and influencers who want to maximize their efficiency, have a better view of their spending and ROI, and avoid many pitfalls that traditional payment methods brought to the table.
Not only that, virtual cards also give you more control and protection, which is something you want in today’s digital world.
The growth of online businesses is staggering. But as we move into the digital era, we need a new payment method that will simplify things, not make them worse.
It is important to mention that these virtual cards are not only designed for marketing expenses. They can also bring you more money. How?
Well, let’s say you are an influencer, and have an online shop, or a YouTube channel, there are certain places in the world where the lack of payment options limits people’s earnings. The result? People have no monetization options, and that’s a shame! All that good work is going down the drain.
However, this can be easily avoided by getting a virtual card. A card that supports various payment options, and will allow you to receive money in various currencies. Sounds like a dream come true, right?
On top of that, some of these virtual cards also have cashback options, which means that you can save a certain percentage of your ad spending.
Remember, it’s all about balance and maximizing your revenue.
Why Use Virtual Cards for Advertising?
First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. Why do people use virtual cards instead of traditional cards for online advertising? Well, ad cards offer a more streamlined and secure approach, when it comes to managing multiple campaigns.
Have you ever been in the ad space?
It’s hectic! We are talking about different campaigns, on various platforms, and many ad sets, and each day multiple transactions are being made. In other words, it is quite easy to lose track of things, especially if you mix online ad spending with everyday business expenses. So, why should you care?
Control
First of all, virtual cards for ads are designed just so you can have better control over your ad spending. Running multiple campaigns, which is usually the case in every business can be a real nightmare. That’s why businesses assign a separate virtual card for every platform.
Security
Since you are making online payments, and add your credit card details on many online sites, it shouldn’t be connected to your bank account.
Why? Well, cybercrime is on the rise and we are constantly seeing data leaks, so you wouldn’t want to be a victim. And if you are one, it is better if they get your burner (ads card) than your entire bank account.
Flexibility
Virtual cards can be used across various advertising platforms like Facebook, Google, TikTok, and others. The flexibility allows you to scale campaigns without worrying about managing physical cards or banks freezing your accounts due to “unusual activity.”
No more awkward calls with customer service asking why your card was suspended in the middle of a high-stakes campaign.
How Do Virtual Cards Help Monetize Platforms?
Virtual cards can directly impact your ability to monetize platforms by improving how you manage ad spending and increase ROI. Here’s how:
- Separate Campaigns, Separate Cards: You can set up a virtual card for each campaign or platform. For example, using a unique card for your TikTok Ads and another for your Instagram Ads helps keep your budgets separate, making it easy to track expenses and ROI on each platform.
- More Monetization Options: We mentioned that people in certain parts of the world have trouble monetizing their content just because of a lack of payment options. Remember, these virtual cards are not designed to be used only for ads. They can also receive money in different currencies, which enables them to add a payment option and monetize their content.
- Easier Media Buying: When media buyers handle various campaigns across multiple accounts, using one card can cause a headache. Virtual cards make it easy to assign a different card to each platform or client, simplifying accounting and keeping everything streamlined. For performance marketers, the ability to divide budgets by clients or campaigns offers a clearer understanding of how each project performs.
What About Cost Savings?
Let’s talk about cost for a moment. If you’re a serious marketer spending over $100,000 per month on ads, you can unlock higher cashback rates. For instance, some virtual card providers offer 2% cashback on every dollar spent on ads. When you’re working with massive budgets, this translates into thousands of dollars in savings each month, which could then be reinvested into other campaigns.
- Cashback & Rewards: Virtual cards often come with perks such as cashback or bonus points for every transaction. You can earn 2-5% cashback on ad spend, which might seem small, but it adds up significantly, especially if you’re running large campaigns.
Flexibility and Control Across Platforms
Virtual cards offer full control over how much is spent and where. If you’re someone who manages a team, you can issue different cards to different departments or clients, each with its own spending limits.
This way, no one accidentally burns through the budget on one campaign while leaving others underfunded. Imagine running a big campaign for Black Friday and having all your funds drained unexpectedly—it’s a disaster waiting to happen!
- Real-Time Spending Analytics: With virtual cards, you can track spending in real time across all platforms. This means if one platform (say Facebook) is outperforming another (like Google), you can easily adjust budgets and funnel more resources where they’re needed most