Ashvin Melwani’s Post

I decided to share updates (weekly if I manage to do it) of anything I find interesting across the digital marketing field. So this week: 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 - Microsoft Bing and Advertising Leadership Change: transition for the company: https://lnkd.in/eJ7er__r - Google has introduced 3D model markup for product structured data, enabling a more interactive and engaging search experience for users: https://lnkd.in/e6SGwfDU - ChatGPT has updated its format to make links more prominent, enhancing the visibility and accessibility of external content: https://lnkd.in/epKTsDjY - The B2B sector is increasingly acknowledging the importance of brand strategy as a cornerstone of business success https://lnkd.in/ecJ-fFv7 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 - YouTube advises creators against deleting videos, highlighting the importance of content preservation for channel growth: https://lnkd.in/ezzQgWP2 - Pinterest is sharing insights into its algorithm, shifting focus towards non-engagement signals to better curate user feeds:https://lnkd.in/ehHprbQW - The EU Commission has initiated investigations into Apple, Meta, and Google for potential breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), signaling increased regulatory scrutiny: https://lnkd.in/e7atJtqu 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 - LinkedIn Ads now offers dynamic UTMs for more effective campaign tracking, enhancing the ability to measure and analyse performance: https://lnkd.in/enykba78 - In 2023, Google suspended 12.7 million ad accounts and blocked 5.5 billion ads: https://lnkd.in/e_QZXjcu - Google has updated its definition of 'top ads': https://lnkd.in/epzTHBGp - Amazon is required to publicly disclose details of the ads it serves within the EU: https://lnkd.in/equUk63E - Advertisers have filed a $7 billion lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company inflated ad viewership metrics: https://lnkd.in/eDXeK8Ye - Perplexity plans to sell ads, entering the competitive advertising space: https://lnkd.in/eJzJ2G3U - Meta has announced a significant update to its audience targeting and insights tools: https://lnkd.in/e2Wwm5Xp

Why Facebook's incredible financial performance means more pain for advertisers... Facebook just posted an eye-watering set of results, doubling its operating margin from 20% to 41%. So a strong Facebook means better Ads products, right? Facebook's average revenue per user has increased by an incredible 63% in just 5 quarters in the EU. Their monthly average users in the EU went up by the grand figure of zero. So if you are struggling to grow your Return on Ad Spend and finding your profit is plummeting, there's bad news. Google will do the same this year. We all piled into Facebook for cheap ads and leads and sales. Now the cost is rising. TikTok took some of the slack. But we'll pile a ton more money into Google and increase the cost there too. But you don't have to 'beat' Facebook or Google. Your job is to grab more sales than your competition, so that means getting your own house in order. If you can outperform your competitors in financial metrics, you'll win in the Ads auction, whether that's competing for a few local sales or internationally in a VC-backed SaaS business. Here's my to-do list for advertisers: 1. Fundamentals. Are you advertising the right things, to the right audience and do they care? 2. Research: Are you having regular conversations with customers, suppliers and your team without a 'sales' agenda. How can we do this better? 3. Are you wasting your cash? Optimise your advertising to profit, not turnover. (Unless you are the VC-backed SaaS ) Otherwise 'ROAS' targeting will eat your margin. Hint: Low margin products sell really well. 4. Focus: Fewer Metrics: laser in on the key bridges between the stages in your customer journey. 3 or 4 KPIs max. Test and learn what moves the needle. 5. Tracking and reporting. Why pass bad data to Google and Meta brands and expect good results? There's a lot of margin in the messy middle. Get good at Google Analytics 4 or fail. 5. Less is more. Do what your business is good at, rather than chasing the latest shiny thing. And sell more of it. 7. Move further up the funnel and generate demand. Use the money you save on unprofitable campaigns to invest in your brand. Video/content/social/events. Tell the story. Plant some seeds and let them grow until you can harvest them. 8. And repeat. 🔝 Once you have the basics right, your creative team can build momentum. ↗ Your sales team can build traction. 🚀 Momentum is a wonderful thing, but it has to be earned by doing the basics right over an extended period.

Discover how Facebook Conversions API helps businesses overcome data collection modifications, as well as the integrations to do this automatically ➡️ https://ow.ly/1Ux650TqEkL #activeprospect #consentbasedmarketing #leadsbridge #meta #facebook #capi #conversions #api #advertising #marketingautomation

So, Google Wants You to Run Performance Max Campaigns? Hold My Coffee ☕ Hey marketers! Remember when Meta dropped CBO and we all rushed like it was the last slice of pizza? Well, Google's at it with Performance Max campaigns—P Max. Before you dive in, here's a quick guide: First Things First: Landing Page Swagger: Ensure your landing page is rich and directly relates to your service. No one wants to land on a page as empty as my fridge on a Sunday night. Seasoned Ad Account: Your ad account should have solid conversion data. If it's fresh, P Max might treat you like a stranger at a family reunion. Setting Up P Max: Set Goal: Choose "Submit Lead Form". We're collecting leads here, not Pokémon. Bidding Strategy: Select "Maximize Conversions" without a Target CPA yet. Let the campaign stretch its legs first. Select Specific URLs Only: Direct traffic to desired pages. This isn't a scavenger hunt. Plan Asset Groups & Keywords: 15 per signal using Google's suggestions. Audience Signals: All Visitors Converters Customer Lists: Separate Customers and Prospects. In-Market Segments Brand Visitors Separate Each Audience Signal by Asset Group: Think of it as sorting socks—no mismatches. Set Generous Budget: Aim for $100/day or more. Don't be stingy. That's It! Let me know how it works out. If it's as satisfying as finding an extra fry at the bottom of the bag, I'd love to hear! P.S. Ready to scale your P Max campaigns? Stay tuned. Happy campaigning! 🚀 #GoogleAds #Advertising #MarketingStrategy #LeadGeneration #OnlineMarketing

Pumpkin-spice lattes. Orange leaves. Thousands of biz owners playing the meta ad slot machine... Just trying to get something cooking for black Friday. Who doesn't love Autumn? November gets close... you dump every dollar you have on Facebook ads. It's just what you do. But if that's your only strategy... This may be a rough Thanksgiving for you. Meta ads are kind of mid these days: 1. Costs keep rising, ROI keeps falling 2. You're building someone else's platform 3. Traffic stops the moment you stop spending 4. Algorithm changes can tank your campaigns overnight 5. It's getting harder to stand out in a crowded feed You know what's actually working right now? SEO: • It compounds over time • You own the traffic • It's more resistant to algorithm changes • Higher intent = better conversion rates Get off the meta ads hampster wheel. Because if you can rank #1 on Google... every day is Black Friday.

🍕🍕🍕 There’s Always a FREE Lunch…right? I’m offering a FREE audit to ambitious brands, those that are serious about looking to scale further on Google, Microsoft, or Meta but feel like there’s untapped potential. Think this is the case? I told a good friend and top agency owner to put his money where his mouth was, and he’s accepted the challenge of offering FREE Paid Ads Health Checks. He then said IF the Health Check showed no potential for improvement, he’d take me and the brand for FREE lunch as a consolation prize 👀 So here’s the value you’ll be getting: 🎯 Performance Alignment: Making sure your CPA, ROAS, and budget drive real results—no wasted spend 🔍 Tracking: Could you do with fine-tuning conversion tracking so it captures every stage of the buyer’s journey? 🔧 Better Structure, Stronger Results: Building an organised, optimised campaign structure for clarity, control, and maximum impact. 🛒 Product Feed Perfection: A diagnostic of your product feed for error-free attributes that could boost more visibility and ad performance. 📈 Get Insights You Can Use: Flagging high and under-performers with steps to increase your ROI. This sort of MOT can seriously increase ROAS by up to 30%. DM me if you’re serious about gearing up your paid channels for 2025 or anything last minute before we hit BFCM 😎 PS: My daughter didn’t want anyone to see her eat her free lunch, so I’m showing it to millions of people 😂😂😂😂 #eCommerce #PaidMedia #PPC #GoogleAds #MetaAds #DigitalMarketing

What changes in PPC strategies do you foresee with Google's new generative AI features? As the landscape of digital advertising continues to evolve, this month's updates bring significant shifts that marketers should review. Google now offers real-time shopping trends and AI-powered insights, empowering retailers to adapt quickly as consumer behavior changes. The potential for enhanced local inventory ads also means consumers can find what they need more efficiently. With TikTok's partnership with Amazon for seamless in-app shopping and Perplexity's plans for Q4 advertising, there's a lot to digest. Now more than ever, businesses must balance innovative advertising with ethical considerations, especially regarding younger audiences. What are your thoughts on these changes? Let's discuss! 🚀 #PPC #DigitalMarketing #GoogleAds #AdvertisingTrends #SocialMediaStrategy https://lnkd.in/gcsxqhRe

The best campaigns fall flat. Or Without customer trust One small mistake can ruin your data. These are the lessons for y'all from my recent work on Meta Ads ( thank me later ;) In the past 4 days, I’ve had 2 accounts come in for audits. Both had minor issues that we were overlooking, focusing instead on bigger aspects and metrics. Account No. 1: Well-Known Food and Beverages Restaurant - Problem: - The system tracked both app and website orders accurately - but the event manager showed different numbers. - If the campaign showed 37 orders and the website showed 37 orders, the event manager displayed 137 orders. - Investigation: - Verified the system for app and website – everything seemed fine. - Checked for duplicate pixels – all good. - Finally discovered the client had 2 URLs (one with ‘www’ and one without), causing the pixel to merge incorrectly. - Solution: - Dead one of the pixels to fix the tracking issue. - Outcome: - After a deep dive, we solved the mystery. Phew! Account No. 2: UK Ecommerce Store (Can't reveal the Product because client's Confidentiality) - Problem: - Everything seemed perfect – good product, competitive price, high CTR, CPC, landing page views, and even add to carts, but no sales. - Investigation: - Scrutinized every metric and the creative used. - Realized that high CTR doesn’t always guarantee success. - Found that the creatives were “stock” – once trending but no longer building trust. - Solution: - Identified that the trust factor was missing due to overly perfect stock creative. - Outcome: - Realized the importance of trust in conversions. Insights - Many businesses and even marketers can get stuck or confused with seemingly minor issues. - Having a specialist look at the ad account can offer a fresh perspective and resolve problems. - There’s no shame in encountering issues in campaigns; the real shame is not addressing them. If you want your ad account audited or are stuck with any problems and need consultation, feel free to contact me. #digitalmarketing #FacebookAds #metaads #adaccount #socialmediamarketing 

As part of my weekly routine, I now film a quick results wrap up. This week because it fell at the end of the month, I looked at the whole month that was. One particular standout was a client we started working with in March this year. Obviously confidentiality is really important to my clients. But I can share some of the key details to the success. When they came to us Google ads was just an afterthought. There was no real strategy other than “we need to be on Google”. I see this a lot with ecommerce brands that are Meta or social media ads focused. The issue with this is, Google is a completely different beast. With a very different mindset, strategy and optimisation process. By approaching it like you do your social ads. You’re setting yourself up for failure. Back to our client, when they first came to us they were struggling to spend over $5k per month on Google. I knew there was potential because on Meta they were full steam ahead. They also had a great brand and business overall. The account definitely needed some work. But by implementing my system that I’ve perfected over the last 7 years we’ve achieved some great results. Last month we spent almost $28k@6x ROAS. You do the math 😛. This slow and steady scale meant we didn’t break anything. We also able to be profitable in both March, April and May. No cowboy crank and pray here 🙏 If you want me to pull together a plan to scale your brand, just reach out. #ppc #sem #googleads #google #ecommerce #shopify #dtc #advertising

Online ads are changing fast. Performance Marketing is gonna be the next big thing in the market. Some of the big platforms are working together to make new things for advertisers and consumers. - 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 + 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 = 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. Buy products from Amazon without leaving Facebook or Instagram. -𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 + 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 = 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲. Reach Pinterest users through Google Ads and Google users through Pinterest Ads. - 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐟𝐲 + 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 = 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. Browse and buy products from Shopify merchants within the Facebook app. - 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 + 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 = 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐬. Target Twitter users through Google Ads and Google users through Twitter Ads. -𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 + 𝐓𝐢𝐤𝐓𝐨𝐤 + 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 = 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡. Find more video content from TikTok and Instagram in Google search results. These collaborations are not only beneficial for the platforms themselves, but also for the advertisers and consumers who use them. Advertisers can access more audiences, more formats, and more data to optimize their campaigns. Consumers can enjoy more relevant, personalized, and convenient online shopping and entertainment experiences. Moving from third party to the first party, collaboration is the key to success. Learn & Adapt is the best way forward for the performance marketers. What do you think of these developments? How do they affect your digital marketing strategy? Let me know in the comments below. 👇 ------- #ppc #googleads #facebookads #performancemarketing #contentmarketing #metaads #amazonads #twitterads #ecommercemarketing #shopify #pinterestmarketing #tiktokads #founders