How to Launch and Grow Your Digital Marketing Program
By Mark Harnett
A comprehensive guide outlining strategies for establishing and scaling a digital marketing initiative to approximately $1 million monthly ad spend.
Start with the Duopoly
Begin with Google and Facebook/Instagram due to their huge amount of ad inventory and traffic, plus flexible, real-time campaign management capabilities.
Clarity on Goals and Ad Types
Different ad formats serve distinct funnel purposes. Display ads or YouTube ads are not going to get you there for direct conversions, though they build awareness and audiences for retargeting.
Realistic Budgeting
Target 100-200 conversions initially. Using benchmark data, a $10,000 budget might realistically yield 20 sales with a $500 customer acquisition cost — potentially acceptable if lifetime value substantially exceeds this figure.
Measuring and Optimization
Campaigns require six weeks minimum before major adjustments. Test keywords, creatives, and messaging, then double spend on winners while reducing underperformers.
Beyond the Duopoly
Once Google and Facebook capacity is exhausted, expand into podcasts, apps, and programmatic buying. Test at least one new channel every month.
Team Building
Scaling requires specialists: dedicated data analysts, paid search and social experts, creative resources, and a strategic consultant overseeing execution and expansion planning.
This is Part 2 of the series — Part 1 is "8 Things You Need to Win at Digital Marketing."