Common Mistakes to Avoid in Digital Advertising

Here are 10 strategies we tested for various clients in 2024 that didn’t deliver the expected results: 1. SEO – Digital PR for New Sites We used digital PR to boost domain authority for new websites. While we achieved a short-term increase, the topical authority and retention of these links lasted only about three months, leading to a decline in ranking for core keywords. 2. SEO – Scaling User-Generated Content We're still optimistic about this approach, but scaling it is challenging. It requires a dedicated outreach team and subject matter experts who can commit to delivering content on time. Without proper execution, the entire initiative loses effectiveness. 3. Paid – Hyper-Personalized ABM We took personalization to the extreme—customizing ads, landing pages, videos, & outreach. While this did lead to a slight increase in conversions it required 10x more effort. As long as prospects recognized our brand and were aware of their problem, response rates remained solid without excessive personalization. 4. Google Ads – Competitor Campaigns for New Brands Running competitor campaigns for emerging brands while claiming superiority over legacy players—when the only differentiator is lower pricing—doesn’t work. Unless you have strong case studies, testimonials, & brand visibility, avoid this approach. 5. LinkedIn Ads – Gift Cards for Meetings Some agencies swear by this tactic, but our survey of 50 marketing leaders suggests otherwise. Since LinkedIn introduced a dedicated inbox for conversational ads, the effectiveness of this strategy has declined significantly. 6. LinkedIn Ads – Ungated & Brand Awareness Campaigns Allocating more than 30% of your budget to these campaigns will hurt your ROI. Only ungate premium content like flagship reports or interactive demos—not generic top-of-funnel assets. 7. Google Ads – Fully Adopting Smart Broad Campaigns Never rely entirely on smart broad campaigns without a proper system for managing negative keywords and setting up target ROAS. If you’re not tracking ROAS, broad campaigns might generate leads but won’t necessarily drive revenue. 7. LinkedIn Ads – Retargeting to Irrelevant Pages Clearly segment your audience & direct them to dedicated pages or forms. This will improve conversion rates and user experience. 8. Content – Covering Too Many Topics at Once Instead of spreading efforts across multiple topics, focus on a core subject & cover it extensively before moving on. This will help you build authority faster. 9. Google Ads – Tracking Conversions on a Count Basis If you use HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar CRMs, shift to value-based conversion tracking. Optimize for the full funnel instead of focusing on a single KPI. 10.Starting Google Ads without customers is tough. People won’t pay just because they find you—build social proof/ credibility first. TAKEAWAY: We learned many of these lessons the hard way—now you don’t have to. Let me know if this makes sense or if I’ve missed anything!

These 5 mistakes are so common in paid media scaling, yet avoiding them can save your entire marketing budget. For consumer brands, 80-90% of marketing budgets are now dedicated to paid media, but most CMOs scale too aggressively without the right foundation. 1. Skipping Measurement Infrastructure - They scale before attribution, tracking, and analytics are in place. That means they can’t optimize or defend spend when results get questioned. 2. Ignoring Incrementality - They rely solely on platform ROAS, missing the bigger picture. Without proper holdout testing or MMM, it’s impossible to know what’s truly driving sales. 3. Scaling All Channels Equally - This is a tricky one. While you do want to diversify, you want to make sure your brand is ready to tackle additional channels. Double down on what's working, before you move onto what's trending. 4. Blind to Rising Acquisition Costs - Customer acquisition costs have surged between 25% to 40% depending on the channel across Meta, YouTube, and podcast advertising. Yet most CMOs keep scaling spend without adjusting their channel mix or bid strategies to account for this big shift. 5. Underestimating Creative Fatigue - They don’t refresh ads fast enough, assuming more spend = more results. But stale creative leads to rising CPAs and shrinking returns. The bottom line: Scale smart, not fast. Build the foundation first, then accelerate with confidence.

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half.” — John Wanamaker Marketing might be the most misunderstood discipline in business. Too many leaders still treat it like magic—or worse, a side hustle. But in 2025, when attention is expensive and trust is scarce, bad advice doesn’t just cost you dollars. It costs you growth, talent, and reputation. Here’s the DIRTY DOZEN WORST PIECES OF MARKETING ADVICE: 12. “Email marketing is dead.” ✘ It’s outdated. Nobody opens emails anymore. ✔ Reality: Email still delivers the highest ROI of any digital channel. One client generates 42% of revenue through automated, targeted campaigns. 11. “Let’s just do what our competitors are doing.” ✘ If it works for them, it’ll work for us. ✔ Reality: Following guarantees you’re always behind. Market leaders don’t mimic—they differentiate. 10. “Let’s hire an intern to manage social.” ✘ They’re young. They get this stuff. ✔ Reality: Social media is often your brand’s first impression. It deserves strategic oversight. 9. “We don’t need to measure brand awareness.” ✘ We just know it’s working. ✔ Reality: What gets measured gets optimized. Use tools to track sentiment, recall, and conversion lift. 8. “More content = more sales.” ✘ Just post more. Something will stick. ✔ Reality: Strategy beats volume. One high-performing asset beats 20 forgettable ones. 7. “We need to be on every platform.” ✘ We’re missing out if we’re not everywhere. ✔ Reality: Master the one where your audience lives. Focus creates traction instead of noise. 6. “Marketing is just common sense.” ✘ It’s not rocket science—just tell people what we sell. ✔ Reality: If that were true, 90% of startups wouldn’t fail. Great marketing is a blend of psychology, data, and discipline. 5. “Marketing is about selling, not storytelling.” ✘ Just close the deal. That’s what matters. ✔ Reality: Stories spark emotion. Emotion drives decisions. Do both. 4. “We don’t need a budget—just be creative.” ✘ Let’s go viral without spending money. ✔ Reality: Creativity without investment is like a car without gas. Great design but no mileage. 3. “Good marketing works instantly.” ✘ Why isn’t this working yet? It’s been two weeks. ✔ Reality: The best campaigns often take 6–9 months to reach full momentum. Patience isn’t passive—it’s disciplined execution. 2. “If the product is good, it will sell itself.” ✘ We don’t need marketing. People will just get it. ✔ Reality: Even Apple spends billions to make sure people get it. The better the product, the more it deserves to be marketed with intention. 1. “Marketing is about guessing, not science.” ✘ Just do what feels right. Trust your gut. ✔ Reality: Marketing is a test-driven, data-led discipline. Every great campaign is built on insight, not instinct. In an environment this complex, marketing must be as disciplined as finance and as strategic as operations. It’s not a cost center—it’s your growth engine.