Back to Business: Ad:tech and the Return of the Dark Knight

Well,

It was another wild and eventful Ad:tech.

Where as, most bloggers have already been posting up their party pics, who they met, where they ate.  etc. etc.

I have been deep in the trenches and getting the REAL speak on what is and is not in the Internet Marketing World.

And Folks… ITS CRAP!!!

The amount of stuff going on that is costing you money and the lack of recourse is startling.

I have posted many reasons why you may be suffering in online marketing or maybe you succeeded and then got ‘swat’ back down and now finding it harder and harder to get back on top.

I feel you.

And I am here to tell you the landmines out there (remember: landsmines are meant to be NOT seen and to cripple & maim, as well, as kill you!)

The 1st one I am going to tell you. Is your enemy is NOT the tracking, traffic, networks, banks, IRS, or FTC.

IT’s the damn offers you are promoting !!!

You would think they would want you to be successful.

Sorry, only in Berkley and Cuba does socialism exist.

They want to make money and if they can keep more to them-self.

THEY WILL!!!

How did we discover this ?

Well, After out great idea of the ‘PERFECT NETWORK’ (3rd party accounting verification & hardened credit card & bank wire level tracking)

We took the idea to the floor of Ad:tech.

Like we assumed.

Affiliates loved it and wanted to sign up right away. Even Networks wanted to know what and how and jump on.

Want to know who told us to F*off ???

The offers!!! ( I wont name names, since there is no way in hell I will go toe-to-toe in a slander suit with them)

They had no issue with hardened tracking, BUT when we mentioned 3rd party accounting so that affiliate, network AND offers knew that everything was legit.

They kindly told us to F*off.

There was no way they were going to let the outside world know what their real numbers were.

So Yes, networks scrub and shave.

Know why ?

Because offers, even well know brands, WONT PAY THEM !!!

I know 3 top name affiliate companies owed not thousands but multi-millions from offers that never paid them, BUT they paid their affiliates. (Thank You Azoogle, ads4dough, Neverblue, AKMG, Rev202, C2M, ECM, MaxBounty, Market Leverage, EWANET and anyone else still in business that has gotten screwed by your offers. They paid us EVEN WHEN THEY WERE NOT!)

So, the next time you want blame someone.

Start at the top!!!

I’m going to post all the info I discovered and verified at Ad:tech.

Hold onto your wallets and if your traffic isn’t profitable. Scale back or pause it. You WILL want to know these, BEFORE you spend more money and watch it go down the drain.

IMV

Another reason you failure or succeed.

I read again today that the biggest difference between those who make money and those don’t.

Is whether they are tracking and optimizing and how  Accurate and Constant they are at it.

On the internet you can track anything and everything.

Government, institutions and high school students do it all the time.

So, who doesn’t track ?

Most online marketers at the beginning level?

Sometimes is technical. Many times is ignorance and laziness.

There is not one successful advertising company in the world that does not track every possible variable they can.

Some even come up with new ways and add to the field of statistics and analytical research.

If the super big boys are tracking and crunching numbers.

Why aren’t you ?

IMV

FaceBook Slap! We called it first !

While kinda.

If you look in our pages section. We did post about the changes at FB and how now the people have spoken and don’t like the current ads.

The last few days the blogs on AFFBUZZ (we mentioned them  a long time ago) are full of  the new policy’s and I am hearing of the bloodshed.

5 figure incomes shredded.

Well, what did you expect ?

Google did it, AOL online before them. Now, FaceBook!

Sorry guys.

I have said this since my 1st month in PPC.

That we need to look at the past and learn.

Apply the lessons of the Columbia Record club, CAN-SPAM, Infor-mercials.

All the ‘grey’ and ‘black’ hat marketing and lawsuits that have happened from them.

I have read some marketers whining about how FaceBook and Google should NOT dictate policy and that people can make their own choices.

Sorry, industry and government disagree and they are larger then you.

I have always said and will always say.

Get the lawyers, marketers, accountants and consumers all working together.

You don’t need to screw people over to make money and fast money is no good if you leave pissed people you cant go back to.

No one likes to be screwed or conned AND we all love a great deal and getting more then we paid for.

I dont like censorship. I also do not like ‘crap’ and FB and Google are just trying to keep what they think is ‘crap’ by level of complaints ‘off their porch’

I dont like it, but if it was your network. Would you really be any different if a group of advertisers were pissing off your customer base ?

Easy to point fingers when its not your “house” people are “defacing”

Anyway, Lets find out what the consumers want and FTC and traffic sources will allow and make all sides happy.

That’s GOOD business!

IMV

Better than Money ? The TRUTH of What WORKS!!!

So, the other forum I posted my strategy on is now on fire.

You would think no one had ever posted anything of detail that works.

The truth is few have.

The forum owner comes closest and maybe 3 members, but even I have noticed exact details and long descriptions are now lacking and posts about favorite movies and stupid sh*t is now popping up.

Who pays money each month to hear about stupid sh*t?

I DONT!!!

I pay to make back at least $5 dollars for every $1 I spend (and you should too!)

So, here is the complete step-by-step Money making plan:

15 Minutes to Fame: How to Make Money from 1000′s of targets in CPV/PPV and not Lose TONS of Money!!!

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU BLOW YOUR CASH OR SERVER DONT BLAME ME !!!

THIS IS FOR HIGH VOLUME & HIGH BUCK. IF YOU CANT AFFORD TO LOSE $100′s

DONT DO THIS !!! IF YOU DONT HAVE TRACKING DOWN. DONT DO THIS!!!

END DISCLAIMER:

1) find a trend. go to google insight and type in any CPA/CPS offer vertical or offer and you will see certain days, months, years are better.

2) use a scrapper and pull all the keywords and urls related 10 deep (yes that will be a few thousand) Remove any that obviously are not specific and have high volume traffic IE: diet and facebook.com

3) set-up tracking whatever traffic source you are using

4) pause your creatives NOT campaign while you  get your links and keywords approved

5) set your caps for minium. I set mine for $10. Set your bids for 1-3 positions. (you need steady traffic to test effectively)

6) once you have everything approved. UNpause your creative.

7) watch the traffic very 15min. Get rid of any targets that are more expensive than your payout.

after 15min. to 1hr you will see what targets have volume and maybe even conversions.

9) pause ALL other targets you have and let this block of performing targets run for 2hrs.

10) pause and optimize. then run optimized targets in next 2hr-3hr block of daily traffic.

IE: 8-10am, 11am-1pm, 3pm-6pm, 7pm-10pm

11) once you have a block of targets optimized you can run them at different time blocks and see if you can get a better ROI on time targeting segmentation.

12) repeat process for each traffic source to scale.

This Method maximizes targeting  for consistant volume targets and saving capital for actual performers!!!

You find what has volume, what is making you money and stop wasting money on what doesnt convert or get traffic.

You can set up 1000′s of these. Since, there are 1000′s of offers and 1,000,000′s of targets.

There are some nuances I will have in the members section to make you more money.

This should be a BIG START!!!

Now, go get testing methodically

IMV

Gone for 7 Days.

I was taking action what were you doing ?

In the last 7 days I have put up 36 campaigns, posted (on another blog…never again)  over 20 helpful messages and 3 complete methods (dont worry. I have more detail here and it was a private blog) and have been 1st run noted in 2 newsletters not once but 2x!

Not bad for 7days.

Oh, and ROI for the week was 31%

So, I am back with alot more to post and I will be posting exclusively here.

I might give a small tip on other forums, but ALL the best will be here free for general information and details in the membership side. Plus, anything I post elsewhere. I will post here to in the proper section.

Which, will be launching before July 4th.

People want their freedom NOW not later and I AGREE!

So, posting and helping others on more advanced forums, as well as, my own testing and running  my own campaigns. Continues to give me unique insight that I dont see posted anywhere else and I will get that information out here as fast as I can.

Sometimes in drips, sometimes in burst. ALL the time real and legit information.

If you have not read all the pages and posts on here.

Do it!

The blog is small but is wont be for long and I am not putting any fluff on here.

If it is on here. I wish someone had told me earlier or someone has told me. They wish they knew this sooner for all the time and money it saves them.

I am, also, not going to be greedy at all.

In the membership side I will be posting actual campaigns you can do.

Why? Because we are always testing and diversify. The pool is massive in size!

There is sooo much money and people and desire and opportunity and traffic and platforms…and..and.. You get the point.

As one of my mentors said, “Its not about getting a slice of the pie and none left for some-one else. The pie just keeps getting bigger and bigger. There IS enough for everyone!”

I havent seen anyone stop having babies !!! (cept china tried to slow down) and we all know children and teens and young adults and parents and grandparents… ALL CONSUME and will continue too.

So, Im back.

Im here ONLY and I think I have abused the word ‘and’ enough, but you get the point.

Look for how things can work NOT how they cant or be fair and do both. Leaning towards the 1st.

IMV

Keep a Log or Lose your cash

Simple thing, but something I find few do.

When you start a campaign or offer or ad platform.

Type the information into excel or some spreadsheet.

If you have a project management software I highly recommend that. But at least a spreadsheet.

This way when you go to do your optimization it is very easy to see when you started a offer or maybe made a change and see in your tracking data what the result is.

The faster and more accurate you can be at finding what works and doesnt. The more money you will make and greater peace of mind.

And dont you want both ?

IMV

Advertisers and How to work with them

Keep in mind. No matter what they say.

Ad Networks want you to spend money.

They may say they care about ROI.

BUT, anyone who has worked on both sides. Knows there is an endless supply of business’s looking for customers.

You know you are dealing with a typical advertiser when they say “Oh, your campaign isnt converting? Lets add MORE keywords, targets, dollars.”

When has tossing money after a loser every worked ?

In the members forum I give specific money management rules to be used when testing, optimizing and scaling. I also point out the different metrics for different ad platforms. Mobile banners convert differently than txtlinks.  Mobile banners also have a different conversion then say Online.

So, do not let an advertiser tell you to spend more if their network has not shown a conversion on what you know to be converting targets or at least a significant sample of tight targets.

“Keep your powder dry”

IMV

How to Succeed in Banner/CPV/PPV/PPC/TXTLINK/CONTEXTUAL/SOCIAL & MEDIA BUYS

OK,

So, today is the day that the Blog diverges. You will want to start checking the pages for information posted in each section.

Some will come on a daily bases. Others in clumps. It all depends on the current research and information out there.

More detailed information will be in the membership area. Which is growing information right now and when it is of sufficient size. I will open it up to the public.

It will NOT be cheap and it will NOT BE expensive.

It will be DETAIL’S of what works and what doesnt.

The exact names and numbers that I do not post here will be in there.

Why is it paid ?

Simple, I am spending money and time to test what works and then telling you. This is almost invaluable. I am also creating more competition for myself. This helps us all succeed.

I test what works and forge the unknown (what I love to do) and you get to sit back, take what works, avoid what doesn’t and make money.

Not only are you getting what doesnt work. So, you dont waste your money doing something that “sucks cash.”

You will also find out from me and others what does work and exactly how and when it stops !!!

Plus, we will have cutting edge information on all the ways to make money that people are just getting into or are under the radar. I was one of the 1st to do banner ads in 1994 and one of the 1st to explore mobile2mobile CPA offers.

So, the blog here will be daily posts with topic information on pages and links to the members site for the detail.

A win-win for all. You will still get useful information that will make you money and save you money here for FREE and for a little more each month then a coffee a day you will get detailed information on how to make money and not lose money.

That’s better than any other publication out there. What is general is free and what is detailed costs. That’s fair!

I look forward to you stopping by daily for what ever level you want. A birds eye-view or up-close and personal.

Lets make some money

IMV

Money Management & Internet Marketing

I have mentioned it before, but it is worth mentioning again.

I am bringing this up because I was talking to some new ad platforms today that  I am about to run some offers with.

The matter came around to scaling, my ROI and how large of a campaign did I run.

From that we talked about other affiliates and how so many had short careers and how their handling of testing budgets had alot to do with their short career.

It was very interesting to hear a number of ad networks tell me what I have mentioned before.

To many people blow their money with out planning what is resonable testing investment.

Forgetting that if you lose 50% of your money. It takes 100% profit just to get back to break even and then most offers run only a short time.

The ad networks agreed you have to budget for testing, recovery and then profit.

If you are really wise.

You also plan for research.

Few offers stay profitable forever.

Talked about it before and it was interesting to hear ad networks bring this up in our discussions today.

IMV

Diversify or Die!

Happy Fools Day…

NOW DONT BE ONE !!!

If you put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t be surprised if you lose the whole hen house.

It amazes me that people still gamble with fate with their lively hood.

Time and time again I find that  ‘putting all your eggs in one basket’ is not just gambling, but plain stupid!

In the movie “Days of Thunder” Nicole Kidman’s character chastised Tom Cruises character for taking “stupid risk.” Saying, “How arrogant men are to think they can control things that are far beyond their control.” As he lays in the bed broken after a horrific crash.

Hosting, offers, traffic, networks and methods. ALL of them can go down or change and usually WITHOUT NOTICE!

I just lost 2 days, because I gambled on the 100% uptime of a leading Hosting company and they failed and failed again.

Luckily, I have spread my business out over 3 different hosts and at different levels.

But, it just goes to show that paying top dollar and having guarantees does not make up for when things go wrong and money or data or time is lost. The last 2 are hard to get back.

So, before you send everything through that one host, offer, traffic source, etc.

Ask yourself, “What will happen if this goes down” and then have at least 2-3 workable alternatives.

Make research and prevention part of how you run your business. Not hindsight and emergency’s.

IMV