Media Buying Strategy
Creative-First Performance Marketing
Systematic approach to media buying that treats creative as the primary variable, combining strategic platform selection with rigorous creative testing to maximize ROAS
Campaign Performance Overview
Below are the key performance indicators (KPIs) from recent campaigns. These metrics demonstrate real-world results across different channels, creative concepts, and optimization strategies, showing how systematic testing and data-driven decisions drive measurable growth.
Performance Trend (30 Days)
Channel Performance
Concept Performance Comparison
Creative Testing Flow
Use Case Specs
Focus
Activation + subscription efficiency
Channels
Creative Testing
High velocity on hooks and feature/benefit angles. Focus on reducing onboarding friction.
KPIs
- CPA to trial
- Trial-to-paid conversion rate
- CAC payback period
- Qualified trial starts (engagement-based)
Governance
- CPA guardrails prevent overspending on low-quality volume
- Daily budget caps by campaign type
- Negative keyword expansion weekly
- PMax asset group testing isolated from core search
Scaling Thresholds
- Scale winners when CPA ≤ target AND trial quality ≥ baseline
- Pause concepts if trial-to-paid rate drops >15%
- Reallocate budget weekly based on payback data
Creative Experimentation Engine
Value / Offer-Driven
Lead with pricing, trial, or specific feature benefit
- •Clear trial offer with strong feature hook
- •Minimal friction messaging aligned with activation goal
- •Overly specific time-saving claims created skepticism
- •Pricing anchors without context confused intent
- •"Built for [specific role]" personalization
- •Social proof headline variations
- •Direct competitor displacement messaging
Problem–Solution
Start with pain point, transition to solution
- •Vague pain points failed to qualify properly
- •Generic solutions didn't differentiate from competitors
- •Objection handling in second headline
- •Specificity test (manual data entry vs spreadsheet chaos)
- •Before/after framing
Lifestyle / Emotional
Aspirational messaging or emotional hook
- •Aspirational messaging didn't match search intent
- •Poor qualification led to low trial-to-paid rate
- •Wrong funnel stage for brand-focused creative
- •Pause lifestyle testing for this funnel stage
- •Revisit for retargeting or brand campaigns only
Social Proof / UGC
Testimonials, ratings, user-generated content
- •Credibility signals reduced friction without diluting CTA
- •Maintained strong intent alignment
- •Role-specific testimonials ("Perfect for marketing teams")
- •G2/Capterra badge integration
- •Customer logo strips (if allowed by platform)
Campaign Outcome
Use Case
Digital Product
Result
More efficient growth without CAC drift
What Changes
- Creative concepts focus on activation over brand
- Campaign mix weighted toward search control
- Testing velocity prioritizes friction reduction
- Scaling thresholds tied to trial quality, not just volume
What Stays
- Signal-based audience strategy
- Measurement discipline (trial-to-paid tracking)
- Budget governance with guardrails
- Iterative testing approach
Ready to Scale Your Media Buying?
Let's discuss how a creative-first media strategy can transform your performance marketing results