Struggling with agency performance in your Meta ads campaigns? You’re not alone. Many businesses hit a plateau after onboarding an external agency, only to witness disappointing results despite their promises. The transition can be bumpy, and understanding why your initial months may not reflect the expected growth is critical.
When working with an agency, it’s common to experience fluctuations in performance. In your case, stable sales around $30-$50k and a 1.5 Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) baseline indicate you’re in the right ballpark, but there’s certainly room for improvement.
The Reality of Agency Partnerships
This problem matters because a poorly performing agency can drain your marketing budget without delivering tangible results. Poor initial performance leads to frustration, potential financial loss, and anxiety about whether to revert to in-house management.
Issues can usually be traced back to the following common misalignments:
- Strategy Misfit: The agency may not fully understand your brand or market.
- Execution Gaps: Changes like shifting from Ad Set Budget Optimization (ABO) to Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) can take time to yield results.
- Monitoring and Adjustment: If the agency isn’t regularly reviewing and adjusting strategy based on performance data, you may miss critical opportunities.
How to Address these Challenges
First, it’s essential to set clear expectations and establish a roadmap for results with your agency. Regular communication is key. Make sure you understand what metrics they’re using to assess performance and adjust strategies.
Here’s how to tackle this:
1. Set Clear KPIs
Define what success looks like. Whether it’s ROAS, Cost per Acquisition (CPA), or customer lifetime value, having concrete metrics helps both you and the agency stay aligned.
2. Demand Regular Performance Reports
Get weekly or bi-weekly updates to monitor the shifts and trajectory of your ad campaigns. This helps in making timely decisions rather than waiting a full month.
3. Evaluate Agency Fit
Assess whether the agency’s strategies align with your long-term goals. If feasible, leverage their expertise but also consider the opportunity in keeping specific elements of your marketing in-house.
4. Be Patient, but Not Too Patient
While adjustments and optimizations take time, be active in requesting insights and be prepared to pivot if negative trends continue beyond a reasonable period.
5. Consider a Hybrid Approach
Take what works best from agency performance and combine it with your internal resources to maximize benefits.
Key Takeaways
Finding the right agency partnership is essential for driving growth through Meta ads. Stay proactive, set clear goals, and communicate frequently. If the partnership does not yield improvements, assess for misalignments and be willing to adjust your strategy.
This is a journey. Experiment, learn, and adapt.