How Do I Choose a Solo Ads Provider?
Here are a few tips to help you sort the wheat from the chaff when finding a Solo Ads provider.
#1 Be Wary
When searching for your preferred Solo Ads partner, you must take your time and research your options. There are so many providers online, and you'll get mixed results from them. However, they all claim their ads are the best available – so who do you trust with your campaign budget?
Make sure you follow the rest of the steps on this list to prevent a waste of your time and marketing budget.
#2 Avoid Providers with Wild Claims about Customer Results
As mentioned, every vendor will say that their Solo Ads offer you the best value for your ad campaign. However, the reality is that you might not receive such traffic at all. Avoid companies that make wild claims and statements about using their services.
The critical thing about Solo Ad providers is their social reputation. Look at the provider's social account you're interested in using and check what people are saying about the service. If providers make wild claims and don't deliver on the promise, users will moan about it on Twitter and Facebook.
#3 Start with a Small Campaign to Test the Provider
Start slow, and don't blow your entire marketing budget for the next quarter on your first campaign. Don't make the silly mistake of dropping serious cash on your first experience with a provider. We recommend you spend a few hundred dollars at most.
If the provider is legit, and the claims are true, you'll see results regardless of the amount you spend. Remember to monitor your traffic sources to see the origin of your leads. Getting a whole bunch of traffic from emerging markets isn't going to do your website any favors.
#4 Take Testimonials with a Grain of Salt
Unfortunately, many Solo Ads providers use fake testimonials on their site. Don't think you're going to have a successful campaign with the provider because they have 50 glowing testimonials from satisfied customers. Unless there's some way to verify the client's identity, assume it's a fake testimonial.
#5 Ask the Owner How They Built the List
Most providers won't tell you the truth, but you can get a gist of their methods from their answers. For instance, the owner could tell you they built the list through marketing an ad on social that leads to a squeeze page.
Make sure you ask the owner if you can see the squeeze page and that they comply with your request. If the owner gives you a vague answer and pushes you to try a campaign, avoid the service.
#6 Ask the Owner How Often They Mail the List
Some providers might tell you they use the lost every day. That's not too concerning, especially if they are mailing quality offers. However, we think the ideal mailing frequency for a Solo Ads list is two to three times a week.
#7 Ask the Owner about the Best Niches for the List
Your provider should have accurate data about the previous campaigns they ran with Solo Ads. Ask them about similar companies or products in your niche, and how they performed with an ad campaign. Some lists have different outcomes than others. For instance, one list might be good for capturing email addresses, while another suits the selling of high-ticket items.
Do the prospects on the list like signing up for e-books? Do they prefer video media or blogs? These kinds of questions are important for building your campaign strategy.
#8 Ask the Owner How They Deal with Hard Bounces
Most well-managed lists will remove prospects after a hard bounce. Some providers stretch that to two bounces, but make sure you ask the provider about their list management. If the provider gives you an answer stating they don't track hard bounces, find another service.
#9 Ask the Owner About the Spam Complaint Rate
If the provider states they have a spam complaint rate above 0.2%, don't bother signing up; they'll do your business more harm than good. The average spam complaint rate is 0.1% and no more.
#10 Ask the Owner about the Average Response Rate from the List
The provider should be trans[parent with the average click-through rates and open rates on the list. The provider should have information about conversion rates on certain actions, such as the conversion rate for an email opt-in lead page.
Take the information the provider gives you with a pinch of salt, especially if there's no way to verify the results.
