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WHY do people sell solo ads?

by footbag_man
21 replies
So I have started buying some solo ads and it just has me thinking "why would anyone sell solo ads?" Arn't they just diluting their list?

Surely they could do an affiliate email broadcast and make more money or maybe create a product and email out.

I know adswaps are excellent but someone with a list of 300k subs selling solo ads just seems crazy to me.
#ads #people #sell #solo
  • Profile picture of the author Mr. Ken Russell
    Because the quality of their list and traffic is below minimal.
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    • Profile picture of the author samjaynz
      Because it's guaranteed and easy money. If you can earn $500 mailing out to your list, or you MIGHT earn $500 from affiliate offers - why not take the guaranteed money and run?
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  • Profile picture of the author IMSince2003
    Because it's guaranteed money. Think about it. You have affiliate offers that may or may not convert. Why not send out emails that you will get paid for guaranteed?
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    • Profile picture of the author stan22
      Originally Posted by IMSince2003 View Post

      Because it's guaranteed money. Think about it. You have affiliate offers that may or may not convert. Why not send out emails that you will get paid for guaranteed?
      The trouble with the term "guaranteed money."
      Yes, when you sell ads you get (somebody else's) money. The poor sod who bought it will get a questionable exposure to the crowd that:
      1. is bombarded by the same kind of stuff daily,
      2. buys and sells ads themselves

      Solo ads are one of the latest fads; the system works for newbies and naivees...
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      • Profile picture of the author fghaegele
        Originally Posted by stan22 View Post

        The trouble with the term "guaranteed money."
        Yes, when you sell ads you get (somebody else's) money. The poor sod who bought it will get a questionable exposure to the crowd that:
        1. is bombarded by the same kind of stuff daily,
        2. buys and sells ads themselves

        Solo ads are one of the latest fads; the system works for newbies and naivees...
        EXACTLY!! Another scheme that doesn't add any value to the internet.
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    • Profile picture of the author entry
      Originally Posted by IMSince2003 View Post

      Because it's guaranteed money. Think about it. You have affiliate offers that may or may not convert. Why not send out emails that you will get paid for guaranteed?

      Guaranteed clicks are not guaranteed money, but solo ads can help build your list
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      • Profile picture of the author MariusPrice
        What's the point to just have a list of free seekers ? Better 40 buyers list than 2k free seekers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Baadier Sydow
    More people will react to the free offer than the paid offfer. He could easily "guarantee" 1000 clicks to you for whatever carrot he is offering his list, but will probably get less for a a paid offer.
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    Baadier Sydow
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  • Profile picture of the author Baadier Sydow
    Don't forget that lists are partial to decay too. The overall amount of active users are slowly dropping over time as they succumb to life, disinterest, spam, disillusionment etc
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    Baadier Sydow
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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    Because they can provide a service which is in demand and get paid well for doing it

    I am more than happy to pay people so that i can build my list because they are doing the hard work of getting buyers and subscribers and i just leverage there had work so i can build my business bigger :-)

    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author retsced
    Originally Posted by footbag_man View Post

    So I have started buying some solo ads and it just has me thinking "why would anyone sell solo ads?" Arn't they just diluting their list?

    Surely they could do an affiliate email broadcast and make more money or maybe create a product and email out.

    I know adswaps are excellent but someone with a list of 300k subs selling solo ads just seems crazy to me.
    They wouldn't make much cash with their lists if they were promoting paid offers to them. If their lists were responsive and they have segmented the buyers, believe me, they wouldn't be selling you those clicks. They'd abuse that portion of their list until they also became freebie seekers. That's when they sell them to YOU - and that's why they send clicks to free offers too.

    I'm not the expert on solo ads. I know some who make a good living building their lists via solo ads. Inevitably, converting solo ad leads into buyers can be far more difficult to do than with other forms of advertising like PPC and banner ads.

    Not much thinking is necessary when it comes to determining whether they are as effective as other methods though. Common sense is all that's needed.
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  • Profile picture of the author wootimosee
    i think it's a good way to build a list especially if you've just started.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
    Solo ads are simply another way to monetize your list. I make money from my list selling solo ads (in the cooking market) as well as from affiliate offers and my own products. Sometimes I earn more from affiliates ads than I do solo ads and sometimes I do not, but with solo ads the amount you make is predetermined.

    The key is to be selective with the ads you run and to reinvest a percentage of the money into getting new subscribers.

    I find that as long as you offer something that keeps subscribers looking forward to your emails, your list won't depreciate all that much.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tayman
      If you provide value to your list by suggesting GOOD products that can help them, you are being paid to provide a needed service.

      Your leveraging the time of others and making a profit in the process.
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  • Profile picture of the author OmarNegron
    They want to be able to make some money off of their list by letting others email them...

    I hear solo ads work great for some people. I tried ADSWAPS, it went ok. But the thought of having to continue to email my list didn't really sit well with me, especially different offer and offer.

    -Omar
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  • Profile picture of the author brentb
    I have tested out SOLO ads and similar types of automated email services where the lists are provided. Quality is in the basement.

    Don't take my word for it, just get 1000 sign ups through these types of email methods and compare the activity/revenue from 1000 PPC sign ups.
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  • Profile picture of the author CTonline09
    Well do you see the top performing affiliates selling solo ads?

    Generally solo ad sellers have mailed there list to death meaning if you're going to buy a solo ad then you need to have a great sales funnel to make some money.

    I started with solo ads but quickly turned to paid fresh search engine traffic that is way more profitable in my opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author DubDubDubDot
    As with any type of traffic that is being sold, it comes down to the seller's inability to monetize the traffic right that instant. Viewers have a certain amount of ads they will tolerate and if you can't fill those spots yourself, then it makes some sense to sell them.

    Just beware that some traffic can't be converted and that's why it's being sold. If you experience pathetic results somewhere, it's good to get the word out so others know what's going on.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
      Part of it depends on the market, like Ron is saying. He sells solo ads using his cooking list, and I find it difficult to believe that he would be a person who is deliberately trying to mess over someone who bought an ad from him.

      I do not know Ron personally, but only by his excellent reputation.

      I have had solo ads mailed for me, not in IM but in personal development, and they brought back great results. I suspect it really depends on the quality of the relationship the list owner has with his list, the offer that is being made and the conversion process.

      I also think that PPC works great too. For my big training course which is just under 900 dollars, PPC works well, I have not tested a solo ad with that yet. But with my smaller course, both work great.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    A lot of list builders have their own products.

    Meaning, as buyers purchase their products, they're added to their buyers list.

    People don't offer their buyer lists to solos. (or swaps)

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  • Profile picture of the author mattjay
    i know there are "gurus" who would disagree, but I agree with above about buyers list versus freebie lists. Freebie lists are garbage in my estimation. I hear people talking about 5 and 10% open rates being great or something. I tried freebie lists from different traffic sources and solo ads. I really didn't wear them out with offers either. It was just useless.

    A buyers list, even a buyers list full of $9 wso purchases is much more worthwhile. Once you start getting buyers in the higher amounts it gets even better. I have a small offline buyers list that is excellent with open rates and response rates.

    I just think too many people waste time with freebie lists. Maybe if you have like a million opt ins and were getting 10% open rates and an actual response rate you get somewhere i don't know. just seems like way too much trouble to me.
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