Selecting a traffic source and sticking with it - help! (8)
Hi STM folks! I just joined yesterday and am very impressed by all the useful content here. I am just getting started and could use some guidance. Here's my situation:
I heard that one of the most important things to do when you first start out is to not jump around to different traffic sources. Pick one, learn it, stick it out until you create something successful with it. That's exactly what I planned to do. I did some research and ultimately chose to go with PPV and 50onRed. Paid my $500 initial deposit and began launching campaigns. I really just wanted to get a feel for how the traffic source performed and wasn't that concerned with the offer.
I am a member of just one network: MaxBounty. I was denied by clickbooth and neverblue. I have applied to peerfly and hoping to get in there.
So far on 50onRed I tried out FTDFlowers, CBS total access free trial, and a few dating offers.
I have
It was at this point I started thinking to myself: "hey if I'm going to stick it out with just one traffic source why not choose one that already has massive volume?" That way when I create a campaign that is profitable I'll already be on a scalable traffic source. That line of reasoning (good or bad) lead me to eventually deciding to go with sitescout as my one traffic source to stick it out with!
I just got my initial $500 deposited into my account there and was planning on launching my first campaign with them early next week when they are open/responsive.
I've read some posts on here that have me thinking that SS was a bad choice:
* Slow to approve/disapprove creatives - up to 2 days (50onRed takes only an hour or so) I think with me being so new it's going to be super useful for me to make changes to my campaign and not have to wait for 2 days to know if they will be accepted or not. A slow response time is almost a deal breaker for me I think. I can see the 2 day wait time less worrisome on a campaign that was already successful I guess, but in the beginning when you don't have anything going at all, I feel like I'm better off not going down that path.
* Lots of bot traffic
* can burn money quickly without learning much
So for those reasons I have pretty much decided that SS is probably not the best place for a newbie like me to stick it out while learning the ropes/taking my beatings and progressing towards a successful campaign.
So now I've got about $200 left in 50onRed and $500 untouched on SS. I'm thinking the wisest course of action for me to take at this point would be to request a refund of the $500 on SS and put that back into 50onRed and just stick it out there for the next few months.
I really don't want to jump around to different traffic sources as I've read many places that's not a good strategy for a beginner, but at the same time I don't want to choose one that is going to put me at an extreme disadvantage right from the start either!
So I would greatly appreciate some advice here. I want to pick just one traffic source and stick with it. At the same time I want to be on a source that has decent volume so that when I create a profitable campaign I can scale it up a little without moving off the source.
What do you think, should I stick with 50onRed, SS, or look for something else? I have a budget of $1,500.00/month to work with and am really looking forward to digging in, learning lots, having fun, and working my way to a profitable campaign. I am still looking for my first conversion so the profitable campaign part I know is still a ways off!
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Hey man, welcome to the forum.
I can totally relate to you, I have been in your place, just with smaller budgets. I am a mobile guy, so I cannot really comment on the traffic sources you have, but I have a few comments:
I think you should find a average traffic source that is known to be proven and newbie friendly and is not THAT strict with angles. That way you can test your crazy ideas and learn more about AM. Faster approval times is always a bonus, you will be launching a lot when you are new. You should be and waiting 12-24 hours for approval is just time wasted.
Good luck man
Actually, I think a more important question to ask would be: which vertical are you wanting to promote?
Different types of traffic will convert better or worse for a particular type of offer vertical. From your post it sounds like you haven't settled on a vertical yet. In that case, perhaps it would be wise to try traffic sources that have low minimum deposit requirements, until you're more certain on choice of vertical and which traffic sources will convert well for that vertical.
Also - PPV means different things to different people, but if you'd consider pop traffic to be under the "PPV" category, I'd recommend PopAds as a traffic source to get your feet wet with. It may not have as much traffic as the bigger sources, but performance is consistent and quality is good. If you do decide to give them a try, do consider implementing the PopAds blacklist which you can get from this post.
Regarding SS - if you've found all those downsides you listed, I'd say ask for your money back. Trying to work with a traffic source you feel so negatively about is a recipe for disaster.
If you feel that you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket, there's nothing wrong with experimenting with multiple traffic sources. You've managed to find out so much about SS - just do the same with all the major PPV sources and pick your top 2 favorites and just dig in. Nothing's 100% especially in AM, so don't wait until you're 100% sure about anything, or you'll never start taking action. Just start somewhere - you can always change direction as you gain more insight and experience.
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post222603
Good luck!
Amy
Thanks, arunbasillal and vortex for the help/advice!
I will definitely take it and put it to use. I don't want to be spending more money than is necessary at this stage (and it sounds like I am doing just that!) so this is most helpful to me. I have decided to ask for a refund for SiteScout. I know I can't get it all back since they have a I think it was 15% fee that they keep but I'll get most of it back hopefully :-)
Then it sounds like I need to:
* Select a vertical and concentrate on that while I'm learning
* Choose a lower barrier to entry traffic source to get my feet wet (will try out PopAds, thanks!)
* Try to get into some networks that are more newbie friendly
Thanks again for the very useful information and advice! It's a big help to a newbie like me :-)
If you email their support and tell them that you are a newbie and that you understand that they have a 15% fee, but if they could make an exception for you, they just MIGHT do it. They are people too.
Tell them that you will definitely come back to them at a later stage and will be forever grateful for that help because they have no idea how big of a help that would be.
Negotiating is a skill that you need to
Btw, if you are going for PopAds, feel free to use my referral link. You know the deal, makes no difference to you, so why not. Unless Amy wants to give you hers. 
Originally Posted by tawamudu
Thanks, I did request the refund this morning. In my request I did say that I understood that there was a 15% fee and that I would be back at a later date. The support person said I'd get the full amount back so I'm good there.
Ah, man, sorry I signed up with PopAds last night. I should have asked if anyone wanted to give me a referral link to use. newbie mistake!
Nah, don't be sorry. Its not a mistake, no one does that. Glad you got your full refund, that's kind of them.
ZeroPark gave me a full refund once when I was having cash flow troubles and just that made me go back to them. Which would have been my loss if I hadn't.
Good luck with PopAds. Check this out: http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-net-Blacklist
Thanks for the help everyone! Just a quick update: I finally made my first conversion! http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-be-more-happy!
Home > General > Affiliate Marketing Forum