Episode: 302

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.

Episode 302 – 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:

• Crdfunding Nerds Community: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/
• Bod Game Design Lab: https://boardgamedesignlab.com/
• Hi Interactive / Hive Pledge Manager: https://www.hiveinteractive.net/pledgemanager
• Me Ads Library: https://transparency.meta.com/researchtools/ad-library-tools/
• Me Ads: https://www.facebookblueprint.com/student/path/219703-ads-manager-basics
• Kistarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/
• Gafound: https://gamefound.com/en
• Reit / Subreddits & Facebook Groups
• BodGameGeek: https://boardgamegeek.com/
• Gole Ads: https://business.google.com/us/google-ads/

Chapters For YouTube:

00:00 – Is Performance-Based Marketing a Scam?
00:54 – What Is Performance-Based Marketing?
02:14 – Who Actually Controls Your Ads?
03:39 – The Problem With Tracking Sales
06:24 – Are the Incentives Really Aligned?
09:01 – The Hidden Cost of “No Upfront Fee”
11:19 – Why Owning Your Pixel Matters
13:31 – Are Agencies Taking Credit for Your Backers?
16:35 – Your Marketing Data Is Valuable
18:01 – When You Can’t Turn Off Your Ads
20:21 – Alternatives for Funding Your Ad Spend
22:47 – Understanding the True Marketing Fees
24:30 – Are You Competing Against Your Own Ads?
26:53 – Flat Fees vs. Commission Marketing
28:46 – The Advantage of Performance Marketing
32:04 – Why Pre-Launch Advertising Matters
34:29 – Why Your Email List Is So Valuable
37:33 – Building Beyond Kickstarter
39:24 – How to Choose a Marketing Agency
42:54 – Why Crowdfunding Nerds Turns Projects Away

Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds:

Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast
Must Watch Episodes 👀 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNUl_AIQk_sIXD4K7-44maiK3hfFMg7Gl

Thank you to our sponsors!

Use Our Pledge Manager Powered By Hive Interactive – 2% Late Pledge Fee + 0% Setup Fee / 0% Campaign Fee: https://pledgemanager.crowdfundingnerds.com/services
https://bridgedist.com/ – We recommend Bridge Distribution & Fulfillment for US fulfillment and Amazon fulfillment. We use them for our own projects, too!
https://crowdfundingnerds.com/hive – Hive Interactive Pledge Manager –
https://www.mailerlite.com/a/6K95GNejWHMV – We recommend Mailerlite for building your community [Affiliate]
https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/ – If you are looking to DIY your crowdfunding, we have highly impactful courses that teach you how to build, excite, and prepare a crowd to fund you on Launch Day!
Official Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ and join our bustling Crowdfunding Nerds Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/

Stay Nerdy!