Hi! I’m Viviana Moran, a seasoned PPC (Pay Per Click) media buyer who recently had the thrilling opportunity to be part of Hit Point Press’s million-dollar Kickstarter campaign. The experience did not only challenge my skills but also expanded my horizons into the enchanting world of Dungeons & Dragons (DnD) and Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPG).
This journey began with a simple yet transformative invitation from Ricardo Evangelho, the owner and founder of Hit Point Press…
Chapter 1: A Magical Invitation
Last fall, Ricardo Evangelho reached out to me. As the creative force behind Hit Point Press, a well-known publisher specializing in making gaming accessories for Tabletop Roleplaying Games, he invited me to partake in a groundbreaking project with my tabletop Marketing agency BeeMedia. My first task was to conduct a detailed PPC audit, which introduced me to a vibrant industry where art, creativity, and imagination fuse into an impressive $1.2 billion market.
I proposed this audit in the form of a checklist I developed over the next couple of months, which offers an in-depth analysis and opportunities this market offers, as well as an understanding of the buyer persona.
As I explored the TTRPG industry, I discovered a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. While major players like Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of the toy giant Hasbro, seemingly dominate the market, there’s a thriving indie scene that contributes to the industry’s unique culture of community and creativity. From innovative game designs by companies like Free League and Chaosium to the storytelling focus of indie publishers on platforms like DriveThruRPG and itch.io, the TTRPG world is a fascinating combination of art, imagination, and business. Despite challenges such as the need for continuous innovation and issues of diversity and inclusion, the industry’s shift towards digital platforms and technologies like augmented and virtual reality opens up exciting avenues for growth and innovation. This enchanting world captivated me, and I knew I was embarking on a journey that would not only test my skills as a PPC media buyer but also allow me to contribute to the magic that happens when you roll dice and immerse yourself into a fantasy roleplaying world with other adults.
Chapter 2: The Dawn of a New Campaign
Ever since then, I started to collaborate with them as their PPC Media Buyer for their e-commerce, and most recently my first Kickstarter campaign. April 2nd, 2024 was a pivotal moment in my career. At 10 AM, we launched the first ads for “The Field Guide to Floral Dragons,” a project brought to life by the brilliant Kin Wald. Little did I know that I was at the beginning of a campaign that would blow away everyone’s expectations.
One of my favorite moments, was the initial meeting where I got the meet everyone else from HPP’s team, while we shared our estimates and dreams for the campaign’s results.
Guess who got the closest, yet still very far from our estimations *wink*
Chapter 3: The Magic of Floral Dragons
“The Field Guide to Floral Dragons” is an innovative exploration that combines the mystique of dragons with the natural beauty of flowers. Illustrated by Kin Wald, this 200+ page book serves as a comprehensive guide to mythical, floral-inspired dragons, weaving rich narratives and intricate details into a canvas of magic and flora.
The Field Guide to Floral Dragons Kickstarter Video
Kin Wald’s illustrations are the heart and soul of the Floral Dragons series. Her hand-drawn creations capture the essence of each of these unique dragons. Just look at the designs of the vibrant Amaranth Dragon or the ethereal Wisteria Dragon. These works have intricate details and evocative colors that deliver a rare vision of something truly unique and fantastical. Kin’s passion for the project shines through her Instagram account, where she shares glimpses of her creative process and the inspiration behind each dragon.
More than just a collection of stunning artwork, The Field Guide to Floral Dragons is a comprehensive guide that delves into the origins, habitats, and behaviors of these magical creatures. The detailed entries and stat blocks provided in the publications offer a wealth of information for TTRPG enthusiasts, allowing them to incorporate Floral Dragons into their campaigns and adventures. In a way, these entries channel that old-school D&D focus on monsters as existing within a complex ecosystem. Oftentimes this lore is delivered by in-universe field notes by adventurers who have encountered these dragons, adding depth and immersion to the already captivating world.
As I dove myself into the enchanting world of Floral Dragons, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the magic and wonder that Kin Wald and the Hit Point Press team had created. I was part of something truly special and did my small part to contribute to the ever-growing mythos of TTRPGs.
Chapter 4: Forging the Campaign Strategy
Under the leadership of Ricardo and the strategic marketing guidance of Allie MacAllister utilizing LaunchBoom’s platform, we embarked on a meticulous pre-launch strategy in March.
First, we built a Reservation Funnel using LaunchKit tools, which allowed us to collect $1 reservations and convert them into dedicated backers. This step was crucial for validating market demand and fine-tuning our product positioning. We then launched a series of targeted ads to build an audience quickly and profitably, ensuring each ad dollar spent was an investment toward a tremendous return.
During this prelaunch, PPC ads collected over 3,000 $1 leads, which later during the Kickstarter campaign converted into approximately $280,000, making ‘The Field Guide of Floral Dragons’ the second million-dollar campaign this year for Tabletop RPG.
Chapter 5: The Magic of Launch Day
Launch day was a spectacle of success and excitement. Within just 8 minutes of going live, “The Field Guide of Floral Dragons” was fully funded, shooting up in the Kickstarter rankings and gaining immediate visibility. This rapid funding allowed us to leverage social proof and scale our advertising efforts, attracting further PR and influencer attention while positioning ourselves on the Discover page on Kickstarter. The strategic pre-launch activities and powerful PPC tactics proved their worth spectacularly on this day.
Chapter 6: The Science of PPC
My PPC approach is highly analytical and responsive. Starting from the prelaunch phase, I focused on building and saving audiences and then creating broader lookalike audiences to maximize our reach. By continuously monitoring the performance of our campaigns—adjusting bids, testing new creatives, and refining our targeting—I ensured we maintained a return on ad spend (ROAS) of 3x or above. This diligent process resembled a scientific experiment where hypotheses were constantly tested and optimized.
I set daily clock alarms three times a day—morning, afternoon, and late night—to ensure I kept the best campaigns on, changed creatives or copies, created new audiences, or scaled campaigns based on conversion results.
I studied all previous Kickstarter campaigns from Hit Point Press and noticed from which countries the backers were coming. Additionally, I had over 50 ads running with different angles and copies. I’m grateful for Kin Wald’s gorgeous ads and HPP’s creatives.
Despite only running ads on Meta, I was able to obtain over 900 pledges with a ROAS of 4.09x, raising $229,500 for the campaign at a CPA of $28.13, which is truly spectacular considering none of us expected this much from the floral campaign.
My best advice to anyone running ads is to keep daily control of the budget and results; you will start noticing insightful patterns that will help you scale some campaigns.
Chapter 7: Lessons Learned and Magic Created
This campaign underscored the critical importance of synergy between creative content and strategic advertising. Regular interactions with the creative team led to innovative ad ideas and enhancements, keeping our campaign and ads fresh and engaging. The lessons learned here have not only shaped my PPC strategies but also highlighted the dynamic capabilities of integrated marketing efforts.
Conclusion
This journey from a simple PPC audit to being part of a million-dollar Kickstarter campaign has been nothing short of a professional renaissance. It underscored the transformative potential of PPC in the dynamic world of crowdfunding. I’m especially thankful to Rico, Allie, and Hit Point Press team for all the trust and opportunity given to a small but mighty agency. Also, Kin Wald, you’re such a talented artist.
I can’t wait to get my copy of your wonderful art!
For those intrigued by the power of PPC and the dynamic world of crowdfunding, consider diving into this magical junction of creativity and analytics.
Who knows? The next big campaign could be yours to lead, and ours to promote.
