ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Performance-based marketing sounds like an easy win: no big agency fee upfront, someone else handles the ads, and they only get paid when they generate results. But is the deal actually as aligned with publishers as it sounds?
In this episode, Sean and Donnie break down the realities of performance-based marketing for crowdfunding campaigns. They discuss the challenges of accurately attributing sales, how commission-based incentives can encourage aggressive ad spending, and why publishers need to understand exactly who owns their pixel, ad account, targeting data, and audience information.
They also explore one of the biggest long-term considerations: data ownership. Your crowdfunding campaign shouldn't just generate pledges; it should help build an audience you can reach for your next campaign, your e-commerce store, and future releases.
Guest Bio:
Donnie is part of the Crowdfunding Nerds team, where he works alongside publishers and creators navigating the marketing side of crowdfunding. Through his work with Crowdfunding Nerds, he has developed firsthand insight into advertising strategy, audience development, data ownership, and the challenges creators face when turning a great game into a sustainable business.
Resources:
- Crowdfunding Nerds Community: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/
- Board Game Design Lab: https://boardgamedesignlab.com/
- Hive Interactive / Hive Pledge Manager: https://www.hiveinteractive.net/pledgemanager
- Meta Ads Library: https://transparency.meta.com/researchtools/ad-library-tools/
- Meta Ads: https://www.facebookblueprint.com/student/path/219703-ads-manager-basics
- Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/
- Gamefound: https://gamefound.com/en
- Reddit / Subreddits & Facebook Groups
- BoardGameGeek: https://boardgamegeek.com/
- Google Ads: https://business.google.com/us/google-ads/
Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds:
Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast
