Are You Churning Through Performance Marketing Shops Like Donald Trump Through Lawyers?

If so, you are far from alone. Here’s our quick take on how brands and agencies can break out of this cycle and work better together.

First, understand digital marketing is facing real headwinds. Low barriers to entry mean there’s more brands competing for consumer eyeballs, driving up costs and lowering ad effectiveness. Add iOS14 to iOS17 making it harder to target consumers, and GA4 complicating performance tracking and even the best brands and performance marketing agencies have their hands full.

Second, tear down the Tower of Marketing Babble. Today no one speaks the same language, and this lack of shared understanding makes measuring success difficult, let alone managing a campaign day-to-day. Here’s what running our ClientSpeak to AgencySpeak translator revealed about a few key terms:

ClientSpeak: Optimization
A rational progressive process using google, Meta and other platforms to predictably improve ad performance. Ideally daily.

AgencySpeak: Optimization

An incremental process using black box platforms to feel your way in the dark to better performance over a period of months.

ClientSpeak: Strategy

A data-driven approach to meeting goals via a planned media spend to reach targeted Customer Acquisition Cost goals.

AgencySpeak: Strategy

An initial plan based on limited data which will inevitably require significant changes to find the most efficient channels.

ClientSpeak: Creative

The great, on-point, expensive work we shared just two weeks ago!

AgencySpeak: Creative

Weak, static, unemotional assets that aren’t converting!

Our next steps will help overcome this language barrier!

Third, establish a clear and simple plan with your agency partner. Brands tend to look for too much detail and predictability around KPIs. Agencies favor more general recommendations. Neither is right. Brands and agencies need to work together to set realistic goals and timelines specific to each campaign.

Fourth, insist on a dedicated account and project manager who understands your goals from the inside out. Brands too often fail to put in the time to educate the day-to-day account leads. Agencies too often are rushed and think only about meeting the next deliverables. Put in the effort to build a joint team and results will follow.

Fifth, stick with your plan for a minimum 12 weeks. Again, brands want results right away. Agencies recommend patience for algorithms to optimize and the right creative to find its way. Both sides are right. The solution: agree on a set timeline before making meaningful changes and optimizations.

If you take these steps, you’ll have a much better chance of developing a long-term, productive relationship with a good agency partner to drive good results. At the very least, you’ll know exactly why you’re moving on and what you’re looking for in the next firm!