Hey all,
My main question is: Is it worth it to start with the mobile cookbook appetizer? I understand that it may be good for "learning the ropes" concerning setting up campaigns, creating banners, and optimizing placements.
However, is it actually feasible for creating profits? Because it's hard to locate any follow alongs of people who use this method and get in the green. It seems like that in 2016 it's unlikely to see any profits without using custom tracking and landing pages. Or, maybe i'm wrong, and it's still very possible to promote mobile offers with direct linking.
I'm asking because I have $1000 to start testing campaigns, plus whatever needed for software/hosting. Should I place all my efforts on making the appetizer work, or should I go straight for the "main course"?
What do you think?
-E
Honestly, it's very unlikely that your first few campaigns with the Appetiser will make a profit.
The twist: it's very unlikely that your first few campaigns will make a profit. Period.
And trying to learn too much at once isn't a good idea. It's very easy to get things confused, get demoralised, and so on.
However, once you have learned the basics, there's no question that the Main Course is more likely to produce profitable campaigns. Appetiser-style campaigns can be profitable, but adding landers significantly improves your chances.
That's why I'd still recommend you start with the Appetiser. However, in your situation I'd recommend the following:
1) Test offers with low payouts. Finding decent low-payout offers - ideally sub-$1 but that's harder than it used to be - should be your top priority, as you need as much data as possible for as little cost as possible.
2) Move to the Main Course as soon as you are comfortable with the Appetiser - and I mean all aspects of the Appetiser, not just setting up but cutting and optimising too.
3) Read everything you can about statistical significance as soon as possible, and be ruthless in making sure you're not wasting money testing past statistical significance.
4) Start a Follow-Along and update it in detail - including creatives, landers, and so on. You can start hiding things a bit once you've had some success, but initially you want all of the feedback you can possibly get to make your learning cycle as fast as possible.
$1000 is a very low budget to get started. It can be done, but you will have to be very disciplined, and have a bit of luck to boot.
Good luck! I'll look for your follow-along and comment as much as possible!
Thanks so much for your advice - I'm going to try and get some more testing money as I go. Currently my application is in review at Go2Mobi - but once I'm approved my follow along will be up.
I am nee and going to start with '' The Mobile Cookbook: The Appetizer'', thank you very much