How to turn a DISASTER into Cash: Steal my Facebook Campaign that made me $180/day (22)
How to turn a DISASTER into Cash: Steal my Facebook Campaign that made me $180/day
Want to see a Quick and Easy Case-Study on how I turned a COMPLETE disaster into a simple, profitable set-and-forget $180/Day Campaign?
Then read on…
Disclaimer: This is a campaign I did a few months back. I still think it can be made to work, but you shouldn’t simply copy this idea anyway. I know the headline says you can steal it, but that’s probably not very smart. Why? Because that’s not how you evolve, learn and become an independent marketer. This case-study is meant to serve as an inspiration source and give you a small insight how to create winning campaigns yourself.
If you’re looking for a quick copy/paste method of earning some money, you’re in the very wrong place, fellow traveler.
I always say an angle will make or break your campaign. Let me show you.
Here is the offer we'll be promoting: Wizard 101 – Browser game about Wizards, spells and magic, aimed at kids.
Been around forever and been done to death, but still, to this day, I'm pretty sure it can be profitable.
TRAFFIC SOURCE: Facebook
After split testing the offer across networks I decided the offer could be made profitable, simply because it was converting without much effort (albeit at a -80% ROI).
Step 1 - Brainstorm the offer. Time for a mind map (warning: Norwegian text)
Step 2 - Determine your target audience
After checking out the data, and actually playing the Wizard-game, I went with something that may seem very obvious: Harry Potter fans. They have a huge following on FB, and they are passionate. The golden rule: If you reach out to passionate people, applying and using their passion to the fullest, they'll get their wallets out.
Step 3 - Settle on an angle
… and here comes the disaster...
I did NOT think very hard on the angle, it sort of just «appeared». Mind-maps can have this effect, for the better or worse.
Let me get straight to it. This is where the fun begins. Here’s the intial copy I launched:
Real Wizard DON’T Go To Hogwarts!
… they Play Wizard101. [… ]
And here's one of the ads:
I don't remember how well or bad this one in particular did, but that's besides the point
Can you spot something OBVIOUSLY wrong here? If not, read on, and you'll soon discover a big «secret» about Harry Potter fans.
Well, I fired up the campaigns and spent some $. After a while I went back to gather data, and I found tons of comments and shares on the posts (I did news feed ads).
Well, but that’s fantastic, I hear you say?
And yes, usually you would be right. A high engagement factor is a great indicator; it shows you are doing something that people like and respond to. It shows people are passionate about whatever you are doing.
But in this case…
Well, let me just show you some memorable shares.
The Harry Potter fans raged. They were freaking furious – OF COURSE REAL WIZARDS GO TO HOGWARTS!
Some fans even shared the newsfeed ad on her own FB-profile, proclaiming to all their friends how messed up in the head this ad was (<- tried to find the screenshot of this, but it's lost somewhere in the digital abyss)
How do you even DREAM of advertising this angle – to the most loyal Harry Potter fans, that have spent the better half of their childhood DREAMING of going to this magical wizard school?
Man oh man did I get a little laugh out of this. But also a reminder of the true importance of angles.
But here comes the flip-switch and why I think – despite its great flaws and expensive clicks – Facebook can do some real wingardium leviosa Hogwarts-style-magic as an advertising platform. Facebook is a social & living breathing thing. You get ACTUAL user feedback on your ads. This feedback is worth its weight in gold.
Check out this response from another user (who didn’t get as offended as many others, bless people with a sense of humour)
Do you notice it? You muggle? Now that's some TRUE Harry Potter lingo I wouldn’t have dreamed of without re-watching the movie or even reading one of books.
I killed the campaign.
And relaunched.
Ka-bo-boom, ~$180/day profit from the first day and it would stay profitable for the next 6-7 weeks, without me doing anything besides slight optimisation and rotating in new pictures. Yes, it was that simple.
And there you have it. This is why FEEDBACK is so important! This is why, if you’re new and inexperienced, you should start a follow-along here. Because you get real feedback. Don’t be afraid of keeping to yourself!
Thanks for reading!
PS:
Always looking for like-minded to work with. Shoot me a PM if you've ever done anything similar (except for you Zeno 
)
"The Harry Potter fans raged." 
Nice share!
That's an awesome study!
What do you use for mindmaps? It looks like Coggle, but more advanced.
You're Norwegian? 
Originally Posted by alexlion
What do you use for mindmaps? It looks like Coggle, but more advanced.
You're Norwegian?
EDIT:
yep – read this: http://charlesngo.com/mindmaps-my-fa...tion-overload/
Always speak the language of your audience!
A great case study on this eternal marketing truth!
Originally Posted by cmdeal
This is how you want your users to feel:
^ That's an actual screenshot from the one of the campaigns after it was relaunched; re-muggled.
I love this case study, very good process that can be replicated to so many other fields.
Your process was amazing.
Well done, I noticed in your original angle you wrote "REAL WIZZARDS DON'T GO TO HOG WARTS"
Here you are going against the 'word on the street', the belief of the harry potter fan - that real wizzards are created at hog warts.
This is a major no no in advertising, and you realized it thanks to that user's feedback great.
In my experience giving people what they want to hear, and speaking their lingo is the way to always go.
Never swim against the tide 
That was brilliant. This is the kind of creativity that leads to $10k/day campaigns.
This is really useful and hilarious.
People take their HP so seriously!
Awesome case study
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing your mind map tool as well.
Haha nice share man! This is the kind of thinking that keeps me stimulated even after launching thousands and thousands of campaigns.
Top job!
Originally Posted by equadox
And Charles' blog is very good. Will check that article.
Great to know that there are brilliant marketers from Northern countries too.
Thanks man. Im motivated already!!!
Great case study and thanks for sharing.
Niceeeee!
And who says gaming on FB is dead or too hard these days? Come on... $180/day on young muggles in what I can assume is a decently broad audience.
Note the vibrant colours used and the striking contrast on the button CTA that is well within the ol' 20% rule.
Good stuff man.
Awesome Case study!! I am trying something similar at the moment
What do you think about Right-Side Ads for that Offer? Do you think it should've worked the same way?
Originally Posted by flyhigh
I did around $150-200/day by promoting gaming app couple months ago (I missed the feeling back then)
And yes, my ads were engaging, a lot of comments, likes, few shares, and it leads me to CPC below $0.01
I had different experience back then. I targeted certain game fans, they got angry with my ads, but the conversions never stop. That was crazy hahaha
Too bad, I left gaming vertical because I never made any profits after that $150-200/day campaign end.
Now, after saw equadox thread, I really want re-play this vertical, I got my mojo back
Maybe, I was giving up too fast, and limiting myself back then
Thanks equadox for such an inspiring case study ... it opens my mind, there are a lot of approaches to kills this vertical
Awesome!
Nice observation buddy! Looking at different angles while observing the traffic and feedback always helps to earn more
Hello
thanks for a great share .Its time to go to game niche
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