How I Scaled Big + Little press from $35K to $250K Through digital marketing: A Case Study
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Quick Background Info
My writing partner and I self-publish mystery novels directly to Amazon using the pseudonym "Chelsea Thomas." We have made it onto the USA Today best seller list, our books have been read by over 1 million readers, and the film and TV rights have been optioned.
In addition to writing the stories, I oversee cover design and branding, and I execute all digital marketing and copywriting efforts.
The below case study demonstrates how I used Facebook ads to scale our business over 500% in a year.
Scroll to the bottom for images of the actual Facebook ads I used, along with "backend" images showing my spend, reach, and Cost Per Click (CPC).
The Starting Point
I was spending $100 per day on Facebook ads to make $200 in revenue. Not bad, but I knew there was room for more. The frustrating part? I couldn't scale it. When I tried pushing to $500 in ad spend hoping for $1,000 in revenue, the numbers fell apart. That's when I knew I needed a systematic approach to testing.
The Testing Process
Phase 1: Image Testing
I started with my best-performing audience and ran 50 image variations, keeping copy and headlines constant. Each ad ran to 400 impressions to ensure fair testing.
The results surprised me:
- Natural, non-professional photos dramatically outperformed stock images
- Clean images without text overlay worked best
- Personal photos beat professional shots consistently
Phases 2 and 3: Headline and Copy Optimization
Building on the winning images, I tested 50 headline variations, then 50 copy variations. Through rigorous testing, I'd discovered some crucial parameters:
- Headlines perform best at 6-8 words
- Copy sweet spot is 30-40 words
- Each variation needed 400 impressions for reliable data
The Copy Strategy That Worked
My readers want books they won't forget, stories they'll wish they could read again for the first time. Instead of focusing on logical benefits, I crafted copy that promised these emotional experiences.
Language choice proved crucial. I used Amazon search data to match reader vocabulary exactly:
- "cozy mysteries with food" not "culinary cozies"
- "female sleuths" not "female detectives"
The Scaling Strategy
With optimized creative elements in hand, I ran each top-performing combination at $50 daily across different audiences. This methodical testing revealed about ten high-performing ad variations that maintained remarkably low costs:
- New CPC: Under $0.10 (often as low as $0.08-$.09)
- Previous CPC: $0.12-0.15 or higher
- Successfully scaled from $100 to $500 daily spend
Because of the way the Facebook algorithm works, ads "lose steam" after a certain amount of spend, so I monitored each ad daily to make sure it was healthy and performing well. Typically, I'd need to turn an ad off after anywhere from $500-$5,000 in spend, refresh the campaign or change an element or two, and then re-launch that ad to keep CPC low.
Building Long-Term Success
The immediate sales increase was just the beginning. By maintaining consistent messaging and building an authentic brand that matched both my books and reader expectations, I developed a passionate reader base that's stuck around. While the ad testing got them in the door, it's this community that's made the success sustainable.
The Results
The transformation was significant:
- Annual income: $35K → $250K
- ROI: Maintained greater than 2x return while scaling 5x in spend
- Systematic testing approach
- Deep understanding of audience preferences
- Matching reader language patterns
- Focus on emotional connection
- Building long-term community alongside sales
The Receipts
Below you'll find snapshots of two of the ads I created using the above process. On the far left, you see reach and impressions (how many accounts saw your ad, and then how many times the ad was shown on screen). On the far right you see CPC and total spend.
The Ads
Below you'll see a small sampling of the ads created using this process. I ran these ads from my "fan page" account, "Cozy Mystery Goodness," because testing showed a lower CPC when the ads didn't come directly from my author account.
You'll notice copy that generates the emotions my readers want to feel—nostalgia, excitement, the warmth of spending time in a universe where the characters feel like old friends. You'll also get a sneak peak at my mediocre photography of upstate New York—the highest performing images I could find.
Below you'll see a small sampling of the ads created using this process. I ran these ads from my "fan page" account, "Cozy Mystery Goodness," because testing showed a lower CPC when the ads didn't come directly from my author account.
You'll notice copy that generates the emotions my readers want to feel—nostalgia, excitement, the warmth of spending time in a universe where the characters feel like old friends. You'll also get a sneak peak at my mediocre photography of upstate New York—the highest performing images I could find.
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