Small businesses are panicking. Facebook is fuming.

But not all is as bad (if you choose to ignore Facebook’s rants). The new update lets you prioritize key events to track instead of tracking every movement. While this may seem restrictive, we strongly believe it will help businesses retain their focus & specifically measure for what matters.

So whether you’re a small business or an Indiegogo funded campaign, you can turn this roadblock into an opportunity by taking key actions recommended by Facebook.

Here’s how.

Understand What the iOS 14 Policy Update is About

Specifically, Apple will require apps in the App Store to show a prompt to iOS 14 users, asking if they allow “app” to track their activities across other companies’ apps and websites. Users who opt out of tracking will no longer have ads following them across the internet.

The new feature will keep users’ online life more private by giving them the option to turn off ad tracking within the apps they use. This means apps cannot use data for targeted ads, share location data with advertisers or advertising ID with any other third parties.

How Does this Impact Facebook Ads?

Facebook ads thrive on aggregated data. The impact however is not limited to just ads visibility. It affects web conversions, ad personalization, performance reporting & more importantly, reduced effectiveness as more and more people opt out of tracking.

Pixel actions like form submission, click to download, add to cart, purchase completion will have less numbers reported.

As a result, less pixel tracking activity means there will be less data to work with when optimizing ads.

Lastly, Lookalike Audiences will be the most impacted as users who opted out of the iOS 14 updates won’t be included in retargeting or lookalike audiences.

Facebook objectives affected by this change are:

Traffic, App Installs, Conversions, Catalog Sales.

Another critical change is the limiting of Event Tracking.

For each domain, there will now be only a limit of 8 events that can be tracked – and these 8 events will be automatically assigned by Facebook based on what it believes is the most relevant to your business.

Users who opt out of the tracking will only be logged for one event if they click on a Facebook ad.

Aggregated Event Measurement – Facebook’s Solution to the Changes

In response to the new update where user privacy is preserved & small business can still run campaigns, Facebook launched the Aggregated Event Measurement – a solution that allows for measurement of web events from iOS 14 or later device.

Under this solution, there are several actions that businesses must implement to be able to continue running & measuring campaign performance.

A quick summary of the update:

1. If you deliver ads for conversion events that occur in your business’s app then you need to update to Facebook’s SDK for iOS 14.
2. If you deliver ads for conversion events that occur in your business’s website, then you need to verify your website’s domain. You can learn how to verify your domain here.
3. Configure 8 web conversion events per domain in the Events Manager. Facebook will automatically configure the conversion events relevant to your business based on your activity.
4. You can continue using existing ad accounts to advertise to iOS 14 users, but if it’s for app install campaigns, you’ll need to create separate campaigns due to the reporting limitations from Apple’s SKAdNetwork API.
5. Data reporting may be delayed for up to 3 days. Real-time reporting will no longer be supported.
6. Use broad audience and targeting expansion for audience targeting.

It’s too early to predict how these changes will impact sales & ROI but considering that iOS 14 is now installed on 85 per cent of all iPhones, of which there are 1 billion people, businesses need to up their advertising game.

How Does the New Policy Impact Indiegogo Campaigns?

The new policy & update has created a ripple affect across industries. Third-party platforms that allow for Facebook Pixel integration such as Indiegogo will have to create new solution layers to meet the changes.

Indiegogo, being a crowdfunding platform allows campaigners to optimize Facebook ad campaigns through web event data as well as Indiegogo campaign page traffic insights.

With the AEM protocol, Indiegogo has had to create a solution which it called the Conversions API (CAPI) to continue to allow Facebook Pixel to function optimally on Indiegogo campaign pages.

Why the Need for CAPI & How to Set it Up for Your Campaign

It’s important to mention that domain ownership is the most important point in the AEM protocol. This means advertisers have to verify their domains with their Facebook Business Manager to continue running campaigns.

Campaign pages on Indiegogo are not owned by the campaigners, instead they are hosted on Indiegogo servers. This means you won’t be able to verify your Indiegogo campaign page and hence, Facbeook Pixel will not work on the page.

CAPI is the solution to this problem.

CAPI makes it possible to deliver events from the Indiegogo campaign page directly to Facebook’s server under your domain name.

So if you’re running an Indiegogo campaign, here’s what you can do to continue running and measuring ads.

1. Register a Domain Name Relevant to Your Campaign

The purpose of this domain name will simply be to integrate CAPI in the backend therefore it doesn’t need to be an expensive name. You can even go on namecheap and just buy any domain name you like (do try to make it relevant to your campaign).

• Verify the Purchased Domain the FB Account

 Go to Your Facebook Business Manager –> Settings –> Business Settings –> Brand Safety –> Domains –> Add Your Domain

Once the domain is added, refresh the page, then click on meta-tag verification.

• Recreating the Facebook Pixel Setup with a New Pixel

The old pixel will no longer work, so you’ll have to recreate the pixel again using the API conversion method as given in the AEM protocol. To re-create the Facebook pixel simply go through the same process of creating a pixel, but just choose Conversion API for web events.

• Submit New Pixel & Domain to Indiegogo

Submit the pixel and domain to the Extra tab of the Indiegogo admin account. Once the pixel is submitted, it will be loaded at Indiegogo’s backend.

• Give Indiegogo Campaign Page Access to Pixel

Select the pixel that you want to share to your Indiegogo campaign page access, then send Indiegogo a partnership request. You can get this done by visiting Assigning Partners in your Business manager (Business Setting –> Data Sources –> Pixels à Assign Partners). For CAPI to work smoothly, be sure to grant Full Control “Manage Pixel.”

• Configure Aggregated Events Measurement (AEM)

The last step is to add events to your website domain & assign them to the designated pixel. It might take 72 hours for AEM to show up, however, it will only show up when there are event activities on the campaign page.

Now that it’s all integrated, launch your campaign and check if the data is flowing correctly.

You May Also Like to Read:

Facebook VIP Group for Crowdfunding Projects – How to Make it Work? – samitpatel

Recommended Reading for Details:

1. Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM)
2. Domain Name Verification
3. Guide for Setting Up Events
4. Guide on Setting Up CAPI Pixel
5. Guidelines for Checking CAPI Functionality  

What Does the Future Hold for Facebook Advertising in General and for Crowdfunding?

It’s really too early to be making predictions at this point. Sure the impact is heavy, but then again, it also opens up new opportunities for businesses to discover better ways to advertise rather than to rely solely on one social media channel. More importantly, it allows you to track only metrics that matter, helping you retain focus & monitoring key events over a hundred different events.

The post How the New IOS 14 Update Affects facebook ads for your indiegogo campaign & what you can do about it. appeared first on samitpatel.

Got an idea of how to create and start your Indiegogo campaigns? Let’s go through a basic Indiegogo marketing & strategy GUIDE to see how to do exactly that.

Quick Overview Video ⬇️

Preparation

You already have a Indiegogo campaigns in mind. Be it a charitable cause or a commercial project, Indiegogo makes it possible to put your plan out there and connect you with backers who believe in your goals.

To get started, visit Indiegogo and register your account. Remember to fill all details correctly, especially the payment ones so that your pledges end up where they’re meant to be. Make sure you go through their rules and list of prohibited items.

Once done with your account registration, simply click the ‘Start a Campaign’ area on the main website to get started. This assumes you are already logged in as a registered user.

To get started, Indiegogo will offer you to choose between funding a project or a cause. Select the appropriate option, and you will be required to fill in some basic information regarding your initiative.

You will have to fill out data related to:

• The Recipient: Choose between Individual or Business/Non-Profit. This is an important step that determines how your funds will be disbursed at the conclusion of your campaign. Be aware that this option cannot be changed later, so choose the right one.
• Country: Select the country where your firm or residence is located. You will also have to specify where your bank is located. Please consult the list of countries where Indiegogo is supported in order to avoid problems later on. Please also keep in mind that this information cannot be changed later.

Once everything is in order, submit the information on this page and click Start My Campaign.

But hold on. Your Indiegogo campaigns details are only saved in Draft mode right now. This essentially means that the campaign is not yet public. Please note that campaigns in Draft mode are deleted after 6 months and removed from your account.

Creating your campaign

Now we come to the meat of the process – your campaign creation. You will be taken to Indiegogo’s Create/Edit Campaign Tool.

You will be greeted with options like this:

It is time to fill out all the information the best way you can.

Some tips that can help you put your best foot forward and leave a great impression on your backers:

• Choose an amazing yet relevant image for your campaign. People will be seeing this image as the first thing on your Indiegogo campaign landing page. Make sure it is attractive enough for people to click on it.
• Come up with a catchy campaign title and short description. These elements can be best described as the headline and subheading for your project.

Make it work with Good Content

Now its time to put up some seriously compelling content. This essentially means coming up with a viral Indiegogo campaigns video, and a story that resonates with your target audience. Let’s tackle these two things one by one.

Video

They say video killed the radio star, and for good reason. Videos are the most consumed content type on the internet, so getting it right boosts your chances to resonate with fans and backers.

Tips on making a killer video:

• Short and sweet. Anything within 1-3 minutes is good. Make sure you get your point across by mentioning your Indiegogo campaigns goals and intentions within the video.
• Hook them in the first 10 seconds. You know what they say about first impressions.
• This video can also be used as a YouTube banner ad if done right.
• Give your video a personal touch by appearing in it yourself.
• Your backers want to see what your project is all about, so make sure you give them a sneak peek.
• Ask your audience to join you on this incredible journey in making a difference.
• Give a clear-cut call of action at the end of the video.
• Upload it to YouTube and/or Vimeo. Make sure you add the video URL so that your campaign grows organically.

Tips on getting your story out there exactly right:

• Vital information first, the rest is secondary.
• Be compelling but don’t drag on.
• People want to know why you need the money. Convince them.
• Talk about yourself, your team and any events/experiences that made you embark on this journey.
• Proofread everything.
• Create a FAQ section.
• Break your long text content with images and videos in between.

Funding

You will have to choose what sort of funding you’re opting for – fixed or flexible. You can read all about these two types of funding here.

Once you select the option that works best for you, Indiegogo will finally ask where you want your funds to be disbursed. Assuming you chose from the list of supported countries, Indiegogo will ask for your bank account information.

You May Also Like to Read:

Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign – A Complete Step by Step Guide
What is the Best Time and Day to Launch Indiegogo Campaign?
10 Game-Changing Factors For Crowdfunding Success

Last but not the least, Indiegogo campaigns will ask you which currency and funding goal you want. Please be aware that these options can’t be changed later.

Add Team Members

If you have any other people who are part of your project, you can simply enter their email addresses in the ‘New Team Member Email’ field. You can also designate them as editors if you like. Editors can access your Indiegogo dashboard and edit campaign details.

You also have the option of sharing your draft campaign with others via the ‘Generate Link’ option under Extras.

Tip: Make sure you create a short link to your campaign. It’s easier to share and remember with your audience.

InDemand

If you want your campaign to keep raising funds even after reaching your funding goals or passing the deadline, you can do so by selecting ‘InDemand’ option.

It’s launch time!

Now that you are done with everything, it is time for you to move your Indiegogo campaign from draft to reality.

It is a good idea to check everything is in order before hitting the ‘Launch Campaign’ button. Indiegogo will prompt you if any important information is missing. By launching your campaign, you will be liable to Indiegogo’s Terms of Use.

And that’s it. Good luck raising funds for your project.

The post How to Start a Campaign on Indiegogo – A Basic Guide appeared first on samitpatel.

Given this background, a lot of aspiring game developers are hoping to get a slice of this multi-billion dollar pie. However, making a video game is quite an expensive endeavor. The vast majority of video games cost under $50 million to make. Some triple-A console and PC games have cost more than 5x to make!

What are indie game developers to do with such astronomically rising costs of making a game?

One of the most popular ways to finance your game development is by going with crowdfunding. Platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter are popular to build hype for your product, and at the same time, secure funding for your game.

Which platform should you choose to crowdfund your game development? We take a look.

Crowdfund Games with these sites

Both Kickstarter and Indiegogo have their pros and cons when it comes to crowdfunding. Comparing stats between the two is not possible, given how Indiegogo does not share data on funding. However, we do know that it has raised $1.6 billion for startups, as of January 2019. In comparison, Kickstarter has raised over $4.8 billion to date till March 2020.

Why choose Kickstarter for Gaming?

Kickstarter’s games section is its most exciting and active part. That alone speaks to how popular crowdfunding a game is. Kickstarter has 15 categories, and its most popular ones are:

• Games – $1.14 billion. 40.63% success rate
• Design – $1 billion. 38.12% success rate
• Technology – $801.73 million. 20.66% success rate

Kickstarter has been around for quite a long time. In fact, over 430 projects have broken the $1 million mark. It is simply, the biggest platform for crowdfunding at the moment.

One reason why game developers could choose Kickstarter is that veteran game designers like Yu Suzuki (SEGA) and Koji Igarashi (Konami) have successfully launched their AAA games there. Suzuki’s Shenmue III and Igarashi’s Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night projects were backed by hundreds of thousands of fans, who supported these industry veterans and their vision.

Kickstarter’s approach to gamification is super appealing to gamers. Based on the amounts you pledge to your favorite projects, backers can unlock unique bonuses and rewards as development on the games proceeds. The developers keep backers apprised of their progress and milestones every step of the way, with deliverables mentioned. In essence, Kickstarter works as a great marketing tool to build hype for upcoming titles as developers release screenshots, music snippets, digital bonuses, lore, behind the scenes information, and more. There is no limit to these rewards! For added peace of mind for backers, Kickstarter only releases funding to developers as soon as they reach their goals. This ensures that your money is safe and that projects have a high success rate.

Only projects that are related to these categories are allowed on Kickstarter: Arts, Dance, Design,  Journalism, Music, Food, Games, Photography, Publishing, Comics, Crafts, Technology, Fashion, Film & Video and Theater. It also supports 15 more subcategories.

Kickstarter also offers more detailed metrics for your projects and its funding scheme is fixed. Basically, this means that backers are only charged at the end of the campaign once the goal is reached. This gives Kickstarter a lot of credibility and coverage vs the competition.

If you are planning to choose Kickstarter for crowdfunding games, keep in mind that the platform doesn’t support revenue sharing or investment opportunities. Nor can you raise money for a charity. Furthermore, there are some prohibited items that are not allowed to be backed on the platform. These include anything related to illnesses, drinks and food, alcohol, coupons and political fundraising. Last but not the least, personal projects are not allowed.

According to reports, around 36% of Kickstart campaigners are successful. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Kickstarter’s massive organic traffic can help your project get discovered faster. The media likes to feature content from Kickstarter, thanks to its strict quality-control measures in place that ensure the only the best is out there.

Why choose Indiegogo for Gaming?

Originally launched as a project to exclusively finance indie films, Indiegogo has grown by leaps in a year. One benefit that Indiegogo enjoys over its competitors is that it supports any project or product. The platform features 3 main categories – Tech & Innovation, Creative Works and Community Projects – all of which can be broken down with 28 additional subcategories, giving project managers a lot of leeway with what sort of product they want to launch.

Indiegogo offers a more funding plans than its competition – fixed and flexible. Whereas Kickstarter is more appealing for backers, Indiegogo is more inclined to support creators.  One of the ways that it does this is by making pledges non-refundable, letting creators know how much they have raised at any point in time. Backers are charged instantly. Comparatively, Kickstarter allows backers to withdraw later.

Furthermore, Indiegogo is great if you want to support a cause while making a video game. If you want your backers to donate to a charity of your choosing, you can do so.

Furthermore, there is no limit to associated rewards that you can keep for your backers, unlike other competing platforms.

Indiegogo also supports sharing video content via YouTube and Vimeo, a boon for marketing your games to the maximum possible audience. Your campaign can run on Indiegogo while your video continues to reach higher rankings on YouTube.

However, even Indiegogo has a list of prohibited items. This includes projects related to pipes, weapons, vaporizers, alcohol, gambling and lottery.

Conclusion

Both platforms Kickstarter and Indiegogo have their big positives. Kickstarter tends to be stricter with their quality control whereas Indiegogo’s flexibility may prove to be a boon for socially-conscious game developers. It’s just a matter of seeing what works best for you and your game development journey.

Now that you know what you know, good luck crowdfunding your game!

You May Also Like to Read:

10 Game-Changing Factors For Crowdfunding Success – SAMIT PATEL

Want expert help? Get in touch with us to see how we can help you launch your game on Kickstarter & Indiegogo!

The post Indiegogo or Kickstarter for Games – Which Platform Should You Choose? appeared first on samitpatel.

If you’re struggling with adding GIFs to Indiegogo campaigns, this step-by-step guide is exactly what you need.

But before, the how, let’s talk about the why!

Why Do You Need to Add GIFs to Indiegogo Campaigns? 

Because GIFs lighten the mood and are easy on the reader. It’s the perfect balance between pictures and videos where you’d want the reader to acknowledge a certain point or feature without overwhelming them or demanding them to watch a video clip.

GIFs are also a great way to add some light humor to your landing page content. You don’t want to force the reader through 1000+ words of elaborate specifications. You want to tap into their emotions, get them to smile, lead them easily through the story narration.

This is where GIFs come in handy. And while you can easily get GIFs from GIPHY, making your own GIFs is next-level cool. Get your team to pose, make your narration interesting and increase engagement levels with custom GIFs.

For instance, this simple Facebook GIF ad by Vue Cinemas was enough to get people talk/share about the brand across the internet!

Even if you don’t have the creative resources to pull off this level of GIF creation, you can always create custom GIFs using your phone’s slow-mo recording options. There is so much you can do with GIFs – you just got to be creative about it!

How Do You Begin Adding GIFs in Indiegogo Campaigns? 

Ok so this was supposed to be simple. Just copy/paste the GIF image and you’re done. Right?

Nope.

Indiegogo decided to make it a tad bit hard to add GIFs in your campaign.

According to Indiegogo: 

‘As of August 1, 2015, users are no longer able to upload GIFs to their campaign. GIFs you currently see are on campaigns that were created prior to that date. However, you can still use animated GIFs in your campaign.’

But because GIFs are so cool, we will have to find a workaround!

So, here goes:

Step 1: Make Your GIF (Skip this if you know how to make a GIF on GIPHY)

Like I mentioned before, it’s always better to create your own GIFs. If you’ve got a high-end phones, creating a GIF is super easy. If not, you can always use a platform like GIPHY to create your own GIF.

To create a GIF on GIPHY, first create an account. Once done, click on Create.

Next upload the photo or clip you want to turn into a GIF and spend time checking out some of the coolest features on the platform. You can add stickers, backdrops, text, and a dozen other things to make amazing GIFs.

Once done, hit Upload and the GIF is ready for use!

Step 2: Upload an Existing GIF to GIPHY

If you’ve made a GIF using your phone, you can simply upload it to GIPHY.

Step 3: Copy the GIF Link

This GIF was taken from VUE Cinema

Your GIF will have a unique link in three different formats.

Pick the MEDIA link because as per Indiegogo’s guidelines, the GIF URL MUST end in .gif.

Step 4: Launch Indiegogo Campaign Editor

Hah! Here’s where it gets interesting 🧐.

Go to the Campaign Editor of your Indiegogo page and click on the Content Tab. 

Next, launch the HTML view of the Story by selecting the Source button on the far right of your editing toolbar.

Scroll to the section you want to insert the GIF and add the URL within this code:

Step 5: Save Changes

Select Source again to return to the regular editing view and then Save Changes.

The GIF will not be visible on your campaign page.

PRO TIP 1 : Use the CTRL + F to find the words or section where you want to add the GIF. A best practice would be to have the HTML editor view launched in a new tab.

PRO TIP 2: Don’t do this as you go. Make a GIF collection. Take screenshots of areas where you want the GIF to appear and when you make all your GIFs, simply place the links exactly where you need to. You won’t have to waste time going to and fro.

Some Key Things to Remember 

While you can easily copy/paste GIFs into WordPress, you can’t do the same for the Indiegogo Campaign Editor. Additionally, platforms like GIPHY do not easily allow for third-party integrations, so you will have to make sure you get the links right to have GIFs appear.

Some key things to remember:

• The GIF link must end in a .gif extension or the image won’t load.
• You can only add links in the HTML view
• Make sure you get the code correct and there is a space between img and src in your code
• Click Source to return to the regular, non-HTML editing view before you save or your changes will be lost.

And that’s it!

You May Also Like to Read:

How to Use Facebook Marketing to Boost Your Indiegogo Campaign – A Beginner’s Guide, Part 1

Don’t be afraid of adding GIFs to Indiegogo campaigns. With just a little effort, you’ll make it easier for readers/backers to understand your product enough for them to pledge!

The post How to Add GIFs to Indiegogo Campaign – A Step by Step Guide appeared first on samitpatel.

I was pleasantly surprised he was concerned with the trust factor because founders usually think much of it. It’s the backers who are mostly concerned (rightfully so) and so it prompted me to give up an answer that I’ll share with you today.

Here goes.

Why Trust is an Issue with Indiegogo

Unlike Kickstarter, Indiegogo does not have a rigorous approval process. This means it’s an open platform where anyone can start a project and there is no manual review process.

Indiegogo is more of a crowdfunding marketplace. And when there’s a marketplace, there are all types of people coming in.

Backers are generally warier of Indiegogo than they are of Kickstarter, however, that does not mean Indiegogo does not make an effective crowdfunding platform.

In fact, it is often preferred by campaigners who want an easy entry and do not want to go through an approval process for whatever reason.

The only caveat though is you got to put in the extra work to earn customer trust. There have been many scams on the platform so unless you have strong evidence (in the form of verifiable reviews, prototypes, reports or influencer backup), you’ll have a hard time gaining backers trust.

What are Indiegogo’s Trust Policies?

Simply put, evaluating the feasibility of a project is on backers. While the team does not manually review every project, it does investigate feedback and concerns from community and partners.

Indiegogo also keeps it realistic by stating, ‘With crowdfunding, there are always risks, so Indiegogo does not guarantee that contributions will be used as promised, that campaign owners will deliver perks, or that campaigns will achieve their goals…. To that end, Indiegogo does not resolve disputes, nor do we offer refunds once the funds have been disbursed.’

While Indiegogo should have a review mechanism to fight off spam, it’s not a sustainable model for a platform that aims to be an open marketplace.

So for entrepreneurs as well as for backers, you will need to work extra hard to be successful on Indiegogo.

The point is, should you?

Is it worth it to spend so much time and effort on Indiegogo?

Why Choose Indiegogo for Your Crowdfunding?

For some people, Indiegogo’s model has a few benefits that do make it worth it.

Some of those are:

• Flexible Funding: Unlike Kickstarter, Indiegogo does not operate under an All or Nothing model. This means even if you don’t fulfill your funding goal, you can still withdraw the funding you’ve received.
• A Chance to Stand Out of the Crowd: Because most campaigns on Indiegogo are incomplete or poorly executed, those with a strong execution plan can find plenty of success. The only condition? You need to convince the audience that you’re legitimate & will deliver on your promise.
• Other Additional Benefits: Indiegogo allows you to continue to raise money even after you’ve done a successful fundraiser. With the Indiegogo InDemand option, you’ll be able to continue to raise money from website visitors. Most Kickstarter campaigns transition over to Indiegogo after their successful fund.
• A True Marketplace: Almost anyone can launch an Indiegogo campaign for any purpose. Charity, business, tech, films, innovative projects, personal projects, creative projects – it’s like a shopping place for those interested in cool stuff. The chances of succeeding in a marketplace is far more than in a controlled platform.

Check out this video to know more about Kickstarter vs Indiegogo. 

How Can Campaign Founders Build Trust on Indiegogo

There are three simple things you can do.

1. Give them Accurate Information: Don’t hold back on information. Let them know how your product works. Share research reports. Share beta user feedback. Share testimonials. Share videos of your teams at work. Share insights. Share prototypes. The more information you give, the higher the legitimacy of your project.
2. Engage with the audience: Communicate. Communicate. I can’t stress this enough. Answer questions. Share updates. Tell them what you’re working on. Show that you’re actively involved in your project. Engaging with the audience and keeping their interest will help your post-campaign too, especially if you’re planning to continue fundraising.

   
   You May Also Like to Read:

   How Does Indiegogo Work?

   Is Crowdfunding the Right Choice for You? Here are Five Questions to Help You Decide

3. Build a community: Whether you’re crowdfunding on Indiegogo or Kickstarter, you need the power of a community to succeed with your funding goal. It takes building a strong community and email list for your campaign to see success. Without a community, your campaign will not come off as trustworthy.

To Conclude – You Can Trust Indiegogo But You Got to Do the Work

Entrepreneurs must put in the work to earn trust. Backers are rightfully wary of Indiegogo, but they know the nature of the platform and are also able to detect campaigns that are not trustworthy. Once you earn the audience’s trust, it’s easier to succeed on Indiegogo even after a successful fund-raiser.

Get in touch and see how we can help you succeed on Indiegogo. 

The post Can Indiegogo Be Trusted? How Trust Affects Campaigns & Backer Confidence appeared first on samitpatel.

Many campaigners will forget how important it is to decide on the best time to launch their campaign and may end up recklessly launching it at the wrong time and day, hurting their chances for success.

A rule of thumb is to plan the month, date, day, and time of launch at least 6 months in advance of the launch. This planning is crucial to the success of your campaign. If you don’t know which month or season to avoid and which to bank on, you’ll have a hard time gaining traction, laying waste to your months of hard work.

Here’s a quick guide on how you can decide on the best time and day for a crowdfunding campaign launch on Indiegogo.

Understand your audience and their spending behaviors

Most crowdfunding campaigns target US audiences, but if your audience is not from the US, you will have to understand their psyche and spending habits. For instance, if your audience is based in the EU, people may not be as responsive during the winter season when they are busy with Christmas and holidays.

If your audience is based in Asia, they may not be responsive during the Lunar New Year Festival usually held between January and February.

It’s important to understand your audience and their spending behaviors according to the events in your region or country.

If you are catering to the US audience, then you might want to avoid winters and midsummers, seasons when people don’t have the money to support anything because of Christmas or vacations with the kids.

The key to crowdfunding success is understanding exactly when your customers are available, active online, and are willing to support your project.

Planning for the Campaign 6 Months in Advance

Being random is a classic mistake in crowdfunding. You can’t just decide to launch on any day or month without being adequately prepared for it.

There’s a reason why crowdfunding experts recommend spending 6 months in advance. You need to plan for the right time to send out email blasts, the right day to start and end the campaign, the right time to run ads, or to send out press releases.

Timing is key to succeeding in crowdfunding on Indiegogo. For almost every activity you perform, you need to make sure it is launched at the right time and day.

How to Find the Right Day and Time for Your Indiegogo Campaign?

There are several ways you can use to determine the best time to launch your campaign. These are:

1. Observing common launch dates/months of popular products in your niche: The data is everywhere. You just need to know how to look for it! As part of your competitor analysis, make sure you cover the months and days that campaigns were launched.You can use a tool as KickTraq, analytics tool for crowdfunding to also see which days gain the most traction for different campaigns.
2. Study the data on Google Analytics: Google Analytics is the most valuable tool you have to measure metrics. With GA, you can find out the days your audience is most active and interacting with your page.
3. Follow Indiegogo reports: The easy way is to go by Indiegogo reports. According to Indiegogo, Monday or Tuesday are good days to launch especially since backers are more engaged with their email early in the week.You can play it safe and launch on popular days or you can identify truly what works for you depending on the target audience and region.

Whichever day or time you choose to launch your Indiegogo campaign, you should avoid holiday months and national holiday days. People are more likely to donate during a workweek when they are at their workstations.

What is the Best Time to Launch the Campaign?

As much as the month and day is important, so is the time. You need to know what time your audience is most likely to be active.

Don’t launch at 2 am just because you want to hit send before you sleep.

Don’t launch early at 6 am just because it’s the time you wake up.

Don’t launch at 7 in the evening just because you came back from work.

Choose the right time based on region & audience behavior. For instance, 12 pm to 1 pm is usually the best time to launch a campaign when people are prepping for lunch and may probably be browsing their emails or social media over lunch. If you can catch them at the right moment, you can get that last-minute pledge. If you time the campaign incorrectly, your emails will get lost in the spam folders.

You can also target 8 to 10 am, times when people are probably traveling to work using the subway or have reached work and are busy sipping their coffee before hauling themselves into the workday.

Whichever time you choose, make sure you are available to handle queries and manage updates. Nothing is more off-putting than for a backer to back out just because you weren’t available to respond to a question.

Your launch day will be hectic. You’ll need to be present at all times, so if you’re a working employee, you might want to take the day off to focus on your campaign. \

Times and Days to Avoid

To wrap this up, try avoiding the following days.

Weekends: These are the slowest days for Indiegogo campaigns. People like to take the weekend off to focus on friends and family, so it’s highly unlikely they’ll be checking emails or clicking on social media ads.

Thursday and Friday: Being the latter half of the week, you’ll miss the momentum because of the weekend. If you launch on a Monday, you have the whole week to drive for traction.

End of the Year: November through Feb are the slowest months of the year. People simply can’t pay for anything else.

End of the Month: People are usually broke by the end of the month. It’s better to launch a campaign in the first few days of the payday cycle so people can afford to send in a donation. You’ll be more likely to get smaller donations at the start of the month than at the end.

To Conclude – Your Crowdfunding Success Depends On the Time, Day and Month You Launch

Ask anyone with a failed campaign and you’ll see that they did not include the right time, day, and month into campaign launch. Timing is literally of the essence when it comes to crowdfunding.

You May Also Like to Read:

10 Game-Changing Factors For Crowdfunding Success
How to Start a Campaign on Indiegogo – A Basic Guide
Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign – A Complete Step by Step Guide

It’s like a party – organize it at the wrong time and no one’s going to attend. Organize it on the right day, time, and month and you’ll have an amazing time! So don’t let your crowdfunding party get lost in the crowd. Choose the right time and shine!

Need help in launching your campaign? Get in touch with us to see how we can help!

The post What is the Best Time and Day to Launch Indiegogo Campaign? appeared first on samitpatel.