Help a newbie: budget and method

[wisher2good]

Hey guys,

I really need your opinions, as I'm trying to start out as an affiliate in CPA (as I know the basics about how it works), but I'm not sure about 2 things:
- what is the recommended budget to start with (enough to cover all the tests and expenses until money should start rolling in)
- which is more profitable in the mid term: media buying or direct affiliate?

 

[badboy_nick]

Hey dude - let me chip in here:

1) I would recommend to have at least a few hundred bucks for testing a product, around 300-500 USD would be the minimum to give it a good run

2) Direct CPA, hands down.

Hope that helps young pilgrim

Nick

 

[wisher2good]

How many mistakes can you afford to make?


'a' as in singular (1);

buying advertising spots is not media buying -- it is buying ads.

ad buys and direct affiliation are not mutually exclusive IMHO. So, I am not sure what you really mean?

If I go to a traffic source that has multiple publishers and I pay them CPC or CPM to promote my ad, isn't that media buying? That's the explanation I got for it...

What I was asking was: should I start by paying for traffic and only creating prelanders/sending the traffic directly to the offer LP, or as an affiliate webmaster/social media influencer/etc?

 

[wisher2good]

'social media influencer' means a person who established with large following in some social media -- does that describe you? *social media influencers* are well known persons in some business segment usually. Making social media posts about some offer is not influencing that is 'promoting' in it's kindest terms.

Do you have a website now that you could use as a reference point as an affiliate webmaster. Different affiliate programs have different requirements.

Buying traffic is not so cut and dry. You could spend $1,000 on traffic if you are inexperienced just to "learn the ropes." Hopefully, you get lucky and earn a break-even or a small profit starting out. Most advertising is wasted money -- don't plan on *winning* more than 1% of the time with display ads (CPM) at least inexperienced starting out.

A lot depends on your background what you would be qualified to do well at this point. You always can learn as you go, and we all do to some extent, but don't quit your day job yet --unless you have enough set aside to capitalize your business and live a reasonable existence on what you have saved.

This is what I've heard from a lot of other affiliates or experienced people in the affiliate industry, but I still can't get it (from your answer and theirs) if I should focus on becoming an "ad buyer/media buyer" or if I should focus on becoming a content creator (either via blog, website, social media account, etc) for good results in the mid term.

 

[wisher2good]

Content creation is a *buzz* word that is overused. The problem is what content you can create that will get attention and the traffic that comes with it?

If you do not have a strategy your tactics are meaningless.

Take a man stranded in the sea; he has a strategy to make it to land or he will drown. His possible tactics are to float and drift with the current or to try to swim to where he thinks there might be land. Which tactic will save his life? The unknown is hope. He hopes he will be found somehow ... The pitfall is that he is in shark infested waters.

1. How much money and time do you have to keep yourself in the game?
   
2. You need capital or a continual source of income -- or you will be looking for a job soon.

I would concentrate on finding products or a service (offer) you think you can sell (monetize) -- have you done that?

Any path you take will be directed with your end-game strategy of what you want to monetize or accomplish. So there is no general answer to your question.

My friend, I am asking a very simple question to which you are giving extremely complicated answers (which are not even to address the superficial question that I am asking).
I am in the beginning, well employed, with a high paying job and with no short term plans to leave the job.
My plan is to go through a learning curve with medium investments and no ROI until I get the hang of it.
I know there's a lot to learn and I'm not trying to shortcut my way into success.

To me it seems that you are not so much trying to help me, but more like trying to put a lot of roadblocks on the path which, right now, is only focused on answering this question: should I start as a media buyer or as a webmaster/content creator? I would appreciate less going into details (which I'm 100% sure I'll meet down the road and which will make me suffer - as a natural part of the learning curve) and more straight answers to my question

 

[Sanshez]

hello wisher2good , honestly, you should gather around 500$, to help you starting something smoothly, but also with some security to handle tests, and the aspects of the campaign. Depending on what type of campaign you should run, it really depends on the budget you will have mostly. You should also think about merging some tools to help you out avoiding mistakes, and i bet everything will be good. I'm talking about tools as trackers: Voluum, and spy-tools: Admobispy. Good luck dude.

 

[wisher2good]

hello wisher2good , honestly, you should gather around 500$, to help you starting something smoothly, but also with some security to handle tests, and the aspects of the campaign. Depending on what type of campaign you should run, it really depends on the budget you will have mostly. You should also think about merging some tools to help you out avoiding mistakes, and i bet everything will be good. I'm talking about tools as trackers: Voluum, and spy-tools: Admobispy. Good luck dude.

Your reply is encouraging and I thank you for it!
My max budget is at 1500$, with monthly additional inputs of 200 USD tops. But I read in some places that 3000$ is what you need to have a smooth start
I don't want to launch into expensive tools just yet (I read about CPVLabs as a good alternative for voluum), because I'd like to focus on split testing traffic sources.

Based on these aspects, would you say 1500$ is a budget that could hit breakeven (at least)? And do you know of any tools that include tracker and spy tool?

 

[awesomesauce]

If you want to do CPA marketing, I'd say you want to have at least $3k to start. This will allow you to purchase a spy tool, a tracker, and foot the bill for your testing ad spend.

IMO don't try and find cheaper tools that suck. You will waste your time and money. Get the good tools right from the start. Then, you don't need to spend time relearning these tools when you most likely switch to them later on.

I think you've confused a direct affiliate and media buying. What I think you mean is should you pay for traffic (ppv, display, search, etc.) or should you go the SEO route and write content and hope it one-day ranks high enough for you to make some money.

Personally, I'd recommend paid traffic. You can see your results almost instantly instead of waiting months.

 

[wisher2good]

If you want to do CPA marketing, I'd say you want to have at least $3k to start. This will allow you to purchase a spy tool, a tracker, and foot the bill for your testing ad spend.

IMO don't try and find cheaper tools that suck. You will waste your time and money. Get the good tools right from the start. Then, you don't need to spend time relearning these tools when you most likely switch to them later on.

I think you've confused a direct affiliate and media buying. What I think you mean is should you pay for traffic (ppv, display, search, etc.) or should you go the SEO route and write content and hope it one-day ranks high enough for you to make some money.

Personally, I'd recommend paid traffic. You can see your results almost instantly instead of waiting months.

You've defined the terms I tried to use perfectly
Would you say starting without a spy tool is a handicap?
I know a few affiliate managers I trust a lot and I know for a fact they will give me real CRs and EPCs if I ask them.

In any case - a great reply for which I'm extremely thankful

 

[Sanshez]

Your reply is encouraging and I thank you for it!
My max budget is at 1500$, with monthly additional inputs of 200 USD tops. But I read in some places that 3000$ is what you need to have a smooth start
I don't want to launch into expensive tools just yet (I read about CPVLabs as a good alternative for voluum), because I'd like to focus on split testing traffic sources.

Based on these aspects, would you say 1500$ is a budget that could hit breakeven (at least)? And do you know of any tools that include tracker and spy tool?

dude, i think $1500 could be break even, but for me to recommend you a tool that could help you out running split tests, and handle your campaign, i'll have to mention both a spy-tool, like Admobispy, but also a tracker as Voluum, that you could use at the same time, and make it good! i hope this could be helpful.

 

[awesomesauce]

Would you say starting without a spy tool is a handicap?

Absolutely. Particularly if you have no affiliate experience.

A spy tool will help you get started with something that's already working for someone else, which you just need to improve upon and you're golden.

 

[innovativelee]

Hey,

I love what Kobe Bryant said, "There are 1000 ways to skin a cat." In internet marketing, there isn't one exact method that works. Browsing through the forums, I see people offer tips and tricks but nobody will actually hold your hand and walk you step by step unless you pay for their course. Nevertheless, you still have to do the work.

If you have time and money, be patient and go slowly. As mentioned earlier, nobody's going to give you the secret sauce, the juice to succeed. It's totally up to you. That's why I love internet marketing, you can do and be whatever the heck you want.

No certifications nor degrees required.

My experience is from a brick and mortar business combined with online marketing.

I just read making sense of cents dot com's March earning's. This blogger grossed over $200K in March and it wasn't from CPA marketing. Although CPA's lucrative, you gotta have money to invest on campaigns.

Just offering my opinion. By no means am I baller, a shot caller, or have the bling bling. I learned how to make decisive decisions about money making opportunities and life events.

This is what I've done to prepare myself for this game...

1. Learned html, css, jquery, nodejs, javascript, php, sql, mysql, linux, link cloaking, bootstrap, python, JSON, XML, etc.

Not a pro coder by any means. The more you know, the better you do and not get screwed. Hence, I constantly study and research. Of course, you have to take action just like anything else in life.

In conclusion, just take your time and be patient. Take calculated risks.

To Your Success,

InnovativeLee