Paid Media Insights

No fluff — just honest, practical content on paid advertising, tracking, and strategy. Written for business owners and marketers who want to understand what's actually going on.

Published Articles

Strategy
Strategy · 8 min read

Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Paid Media Agency

What good looks like — and the red flags that suggest an agency isn't right for your business.

Read Article →
Reporting
Reporting · 7 min read

How to Read a Paid Media Report Without Being Misled

The metrics that actually matter, the ones that don't, and why some agencies only show you the latter.

Read Article →
Google Ads
Google Ads · 9 min read

How to Structure a Google Ads Account That Actually Scales

The campaign architecture decisions that separate accounts which plateau from ones that keep growing.

Read Article →
Meta Ads
Meta Ads · 8 min read

Why Your Meta Ads Aren't Converting (And What to Do About It)

The most common reasons businesses waste budget on Meta — and how to fix them without starting from scratch.

Read Article →
Tracking
Tracking · 9 min read

GA4 for Paid Media: What You Actually Need to Track

A practical guide to setting up GA4 so your paid campaigns have the data they need to optimise properly.

Read Article →
Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads · 8 min read

Amazon Ads vs Google Shopping: Which Is Right for Your Brand?

A practical comparison to help product brands decide where their budget should go first.

Read Article →

More From the Blog

Budget
Budget · 9 min read

How to Set a Realistic Paid Media Budget (And What Happens If You Don't)

Why underspending is just as damaging as overspending — and how to work out what your campaigns actually need to perform.

Read Article →
Conversion
Conversion · 9 min read

Why Your Landing Page Is Losing You Conversions

Great ads only get people to the door. Here's why so many businesses lose the sale after the click — and the practical fixes that make the biggest difference.

Read Article →
Google Ads
Google Ads · 10 min read

Performance Max Explained: What It Does, What It Doesn't, and When to Use It

An honest look at when PMax earns its place in your account — and when it causes more problems than it solves.

Read Article →
Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads · 9 min read

Microsoft Ads: The Underused Platform That's Worth a Second Look

Lower CPCs, less competition, and a surprisingly valuable audience. Why Microsoft Ads deserves a place in more paid media strategies.

Read Article →
Creative
Creative · 9 min read

How to Write Ad Copy That Actually Converts

Most ad copy says too much and means too little. A practical framework for writing ads that earn attention, build relevance, and drive action.

Read Article →
Strategy
Strategy · 10 min read

The Right Way to Do Remarketing (And Why Most Accounts Get It Wrong)

Remarketing is one of the highest-ROI tactics in paid media — when it's done with intention. Here's how to build a strategy that actually earns conversions.

Read Article →

Recently Published

Attribution
Attribution · 11 min read

Why Attribution Is Broken (And What to Do About It)

Last-click, data-driven, view-through — unpacking how paid media platforms claim credit and why the real picture is always more complicated.

Read Article →
Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads · 11 min read

How to Structure an Amazon Ads Account That Doesn't Haemorrhage Budget

Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, DSP — the campaign architecture decisions that separate profitable Amazon accounts from expensive ones.

Read Article →
Audience & Data
Audience & Data · 10 min read

First-Party Data: Why It Matters More Than Ever and How to Build It

As third-party cookies disappear and privacy restrictions tighten, your own customer data becomes your most valuable paid media asset.

Read Article →
Meta Ads
Meta Ads · 10 min read

Meta Ads Creative Testing: A Framework That Actually Generates Insight

Most creative tests produce noise rather than signal. Here's how to structure tests that give you reliable, actionable data on what's working and why.

Read Article →
Strategy
Strategy · 10 min read

When to Scale Your Paid Media — and When to Fix It First

Scaling a campaign that isn't working doesn't fix it. Here's how to know the difference between a campaign ready to grow and one that needs structural work.

Read Article →
Tracking
Tracking · 11 min read

Server-Side Tracking Explained: What It Is and Whether You Need It

Browser-based tracking is becoming less reliable. Here's what server-side tagging actually does, when it's worth implementing, and what you gain from it.

Read Article →

Topics I'll Be Covering Next

Google Ads
Coming Soon

Smart Bidding vs Manual: When to Let Google Take the Wheel (And When to Take It Back)

Automated bidding can outperform manual — or completely blow your budget. The conditions that determine which applies to your account right now.

Shopping
Coming Soon

Google Shopping Feed Optimisation: The Unglamorous Work That Drives ROAS

Your Shopping campaigns are only as good as your product feed. What to fix, what to test, and why most brands overlook the most impactful improvements.

B2B
Coming Soon

Paid Media for B2B: Why Lead Volume Is the Wrong Metric to Chase

More leads doesn't mean better leads. How to shift your B2B paid strategy towards quality, pipeline contribution, and revenue — not just form fills.

YouTube
Coming Soon

YouTube Ads in 2026: When They Work and When They're a Distraction

YouTube can be a powerful upper-funnel channel — or an expensive awareness play with no measurable return. How to know which situation you're in.

Conversion
Coming Soon

Why Your Ads Are Working But Your Website Isn't Converting

Click-through rate is healthy but conversions are low? The problem is almost never the ad. What to look at, test, and fix on the landing page side.

Planning
Coming Soon

Seasonal Paid Media Planning: How to Not Get Caught Out

Black Friday, Christmas, January sales — most brands either over-invest or under-prepare. A practical framework for planning and pacing seasonal campaigns.

Want Advice Now Rather Than Later?

Book a free discovery call and I'll give you an honest assessment of where your paid media can improve.