## The Performance Marketing Shift
Historically, independent publishers sold 'Billboards.' They charged a flat $3,000 for a logo placement in an email, completely offloading the risk of poor performance onto the brand. Today, aggressive B2B SaaS marketing teams refuse flat rates.
### FAQ
**Q: Should a creator ever accept a CPC (Cost Per Click) deal?**
A: Yes, if their audience is hyper-engaged. If you write a generic AI news summary, your Click-Through Rate (CTR) will be 0.4%, and a CPC deal will bankrupt you. However, if you write a deeply technical DevOps newsletter, readers trust your recommendations. A 2.5% CTR paid at $4.00 per click will mathematically dwarf any flat CPM rate the sponsor originally offered.