Adproval
Adproval was a marketplace connecting bloggers and influencers with brands, founded by Matthew Anderson in 2011. Despite raising $300k and eventually generating over $200k in annual revenue through consulting services, the company failed after 6 years due to poor revenue model focusing on small commissions, lack of focus on the advertiser side, and founder burnout from depression and anxiety.
Key Takeaways
- •Used word of mouth as primary growth channel
- •Got first customer via Sponsored a blogging conference with 300 attendees
- •Most effective channel: Live customer support chat and word-of-mouth referrals
- •Monetizes with usage-based pricing
- •Built initial product in 6 years
Revenue
Traction
Tech
Why They Built It
To provide a marketplace connecting blogging and social media influencers with brands, giving influencers enough choice to only collaborate with brands aligned with their values.
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