AutoShorts.ai – $83.3K MRR in 6 Months with Paid Ads

How to scale your saas with paid ads

$492,000 annualized revenue. 1 SaaS. 6 months.

Strategies for acquiring, onboarding, and retaining high-value SaaS customers through paid ads—and how top marketers can replicate this success.

In this case study, we dissect how Eric Smith scaled AutoShorts.ai from $0 to $83.3K MRR in just six months using paid ads as the primary engine. More importantly, we outline the playbook for high-performing marketers to execute similar results, join an elite group, and drive explosive SaaS growth. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or an ambitious founder, here’s how to master this game.*

There are three critical stages Eric navigated to achieve this growth—and that you’ll need to master to join a high-performer marketing group:

Validation and Initial Traction ($0 - $1K MRR)

Optimization and Acceleration ($1K - $30K MRR)

Scaling to $83.3K MRR and Beyond

Each stage demands specific skills, strategies, and mindsets. Let’s break it down.

Stage 1: Validation and Initial Traction ($0 - $1K MRR)

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If you’re starting from scratch, you need to solve two things:

Finding a scalable market with high demand.

Acquiring early adopters who’ll pay.

Finding a Scalable Market

Eric pinpointed a goldmine: short-form, faceless videos for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Creators and marketers were drowning in content demands, and AutoShorts.ai automated the process—generation, scheduling, posting.

Criteria Top Marketers Use:

Massive Audience: Millions of creators needing short-form content daily.

Acute Pain: Manual creation eats time and money.

Global Reach: No geo-limits—serve anyone, anywhere.

Premium Pricing Power: High willingness to pay for automation.

Eric sidestepped crowded niches like general video editing tools and zeroed in on an underserved segment. Mistake to avoid: Chasing tiny, hyper-competitive markets where you’re stuck with low-margin clients. Pick a vertical where demand outpaces supply, and you can charge real money.

Acquiring Early Adopters

Eric leaned hard into Facebook ads, targeting creators desperate to scale content production.

Execution Playbook:

Laser Targeting: Hit creators overwhelmed by short-form demands.

Low CAC: Early ads scored a $20 CAC with a $120 LTV—a 6:1 ratio.

Free Tier Hook: A no-risk entry point to prove value fast.

Milestones:

February 1, 2024: First paying user.

February 28, 2024: $1K MRR—proof of concept locked in.

For Top Marketers: This is about speed and precision. Test markets fast, nail product-market fit, and don’t waste time on lukewarm leads.

Stage 2: Optimization and Acceleration ($1K - $30K MRR)

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Once you hit $1K, shift gears:

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