How to Use Paid Ads
Digital advertising can be effective at certain points of a Community Round. However, it’s important to only use paid media at key points in the raise. Relying heavily on paid media is a poor strategy to reach your overall funding goal.
The two main types of ads to run are:
- Prospecting: Bringing new viewers to your campaign page. Best run early and mid stages of your campaign.
- Retargeting: Bringing past page viewers back onto your page. Best run in the mid to late stages of your campaign.
If you plan on running ads, you may want to consider hiring an ads specialist to help you unless you already have experience with paid media. Please reach out to fundraising@wefunder.com if you would like to be introduced to vetted ads partners.
Disclaimer: If you choose to run social media ads during your campaign, only do so once you are raising publicly, the Form C has been filed, and you’ve raised a significant amount of your goal.
How do Publishers Work?
The Community Round space is filled with publishers and outlets that focus on investment opportunities. A few of the better known ones are KingsCrowd and Angels & Entrepreneurs.
This document contains templated press releases, emails, and pitches for founders to craft their own marketing campaigns with publishers.
Some publishers offer paid placement, but mileage may vary based on the distribution, niche, and deals that individual publishers work with.
For companies with strong ties to their local area, whether it's through their product, physical location, or hometown, reach out to local press and newsletters.
Companies in the tech space should identify publishers in their vertical and reach out. For example, CleanTechnica publishes exclusively in the cleantech vertical.
How do Content Partners Work?
For founder who need a pitch deck, video, or marketing collateral, we recommend working with a content partner. Feel free to reach out to our preferred partners, a selection of which are listed below:
- Slidebean (this link give you 10% off!)
- Renga (Contact: Jared Henriques)
- 1821 Studio (Contact: Ashley Smith)
- Interview Agency (Contact: Sam Freeman)
- PrimeScale (Contact: Alvaro Wong)
- Rally On Media (Contact: Alex Portera)
How to Leverage Campaign Managers and Strategists
Running community rounds can be a challenging process for founders, especially if it’s your first one. Hiring a fundraising manager who’s done it before can be tremendously helpful, as they can leverage their knowledge of the market, industry trends, and regulatory requirements to help you create a more efficient campaign that resonates with potential investors.
Fundraising experts help design compelling campaigns, manage investor relations, and navigate the legal and regulatory landscape. Ultimately, working with a fundraising manager can help you save time, minimize risks, and maximize the chances of success for your campaign.
Wefunder has an in-house Fundraising Strategy team that can help you quarterback your campaign, as well as a network of vetted external partners. Please reach out to fundraising@wefunder.com for introductions.
