Is My Funnel Broken?
I'm launching an open source sci-fi book and im doing it through my typical SAAS channels, but it's not working (yet).
The funnel goes like this:
1 => Reddit + FB Ads (targeted at developers
2 => Github landing page (where I post the book)
3 => From there, there are 4 places they could land (website, gumroad, amazon, substack)
I'm getting decent traffic from 1 going to 2 (bc I'm paying for it)
But I'm not getting a good landing page (github) to action (star the repo, visit site, sign up on substack, and 0 purchases)
any ideas?
- is it ad copy ?
- is it too soon (been running for 4 days) ?
- is it the audience?
the github page is here
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Hey Andrew. Tbh when I read that your funnel involved sending people to Github I assumed "sci-fi" must have some different meaning in the developer world that I as a non-tech person was unaware of. (your use of "open-source" didn't help either)
But then I clicked your link and realized it's actually an honest-to-god science fiction novel! Not gonna lie, I was shocked.
And I think therein lies your problem pal- you're probably thinking like a developer and not an author.
Here's what I mean.
A lot of people who enjoy sci-fi (myself included) are in no way tech savvy. So, putting your book on a platform like Github (where many of them might have never visited) is likely to turn them off.
I'm with @GeorgeDinmore on this. I for one would assume I must have been directed to the wrong place if I clicked a book ad that took me to Github.
So here's what I suggest- Switch github for a good ol fashion landing page.
My second suggestion would be kinda related to the first -
Moving forward try to see things (your marketing channels, funnels, copy, etc) through the eyes of an indie author and not a developer.
Now that said, keep testing and see what happens. No feedback anyone could randomly give beats actual real data.
Hope this helped in some way.
Thanks man appreciate it. love that you were shocked haha.
My marketing / ads is targeted at developers only for now. If they don't know what github is god help them haha.
But your point is well taken. Truthfully, I couldn't figure out a good way to stand out against all the other books and thought this would be a unique angle, I think I was wrong and will be testing some other channels, messaging, and audience.
Appreciate your thoughts!
Me personally, if i saw an ad, and i clicked it. And saw it went to Github, i would just click off and go somewhere else. There are loads of reasons for that. Here are a few:
If i am on mobile, depending on your targetting options regarding that. I would see nothing about the book, so i would click off it.
If on desktop, most people look from the top down. People do not have an attention span to look all the way down, if they see nothing for the first 50% of the page.
No real CTAs at all.
Where is the book? I know it is further down, but i know to look for it as you have asked here about it.
Simply, people are lazy. If they do not see it straight away, they will leave.
My advice, stop the ads, put it onto a simple one page site. Put a sign up form there, saying get the first chapter into your inbox. At the end of that chapter, put a CTA saying about the Github, with the other chapters.
Within that first email with the first chapter, you can explain about the book and you have it for sale at this date. Do not mention the other chapters until the end of the first chapter. Or they probably won't even click the link to download the first chapter.
Just my 2 cents, wish you luck.
Hey Andrew
Is https://wrannaman.com/ your landing page (it looks like you linked to the source on GitHub)?
In my case I'd expect a little bit more information about the novel. What is the story about? Who are the characters? Is there an example chapter I can read without subscribing? What are other saying (social proof)...
Other than that you might want to use something like HotJar to look your potential customer over the shoulder.
Thanks for your thoughts. I can throw that on the GitHub read me.
But you can read the whole thing on GitHub without subscribing to anything. Maybe that’s not clear?
Sure 👍
May I ask you why you want people to go to GitHub and then to the other places such as Gumroad? Is it because of your audience?
Why don't you use https://wrannaman.com/ as step 2 in your funnel and put a "Read for free on GitHub" button on there?
I thought it would be "cool" to read on github.
You might be right though, it's too many steps. I'll give it a round 7 days and then try that next and see if it helps.
Hey, just a quick note - have you considered using something like https://www.gitbook.com/ for the github repo?
I don't work there or anything, just thought that the format might lend itself to a novel and it has a free plan so it might be of interest.
no not really. I thought the github thing would be interesting, but I don't think it's as
coolas I thought.I started posting on traditional channels for sci fi books and will see if that yields better results. Thanks for your thoughts!
I think you came to the wrong sub :)
For a q on a sales funnel?
yeah this is more like B2B sales, I think you're looking for marketing funnels more than sales
that's the point. I live and breathe b2b saas. Wanted to try using the same channels to sell a sci fi book.
yes it's odd, probably why you were confused.
also you're right, I was generous with the term "sales"
@andrewpierno no worries ! And yeah I love the approach, mixing it all, curious to see the return you'll get!