Most businesses approach paid media backwards. They pick a platform, set a budget, and hope for the best. The brands that win aren't necessarily spending more—they're spending smarter with a strategy that dictates where every dollar goes and why.
Define Business Objectives#
Start with what your business needs, not platform features. Revenue growth, customer acquisition, market expansion, brand awareness, product launch, or retention—each requires different campaign approaches and KPIs.
Choose Your Channel Mix#
Meta excels at demand generation. Google captures existing intent. TikTok reaches younger audiences with native content. LinkedIn targets B2B precisely. Programmatic provides scale for awareness.
Budget Allocation#
Use 70/20/10: 70% to proven core channels, 20% to growth opportunities, 10% to experiments. By funnel: 50-70% prospecting, 15-25% consideration, 15-25% retargeting.
Measurement Framework#
Layer 1: Platform metrics for optimization. Layer 2: Blended metrics (MER, CAC) for strategy. Layer 3: Incrementality testing for validation. Don't rely solely on platform-reported data.
