Case Study · Meta Ads · E-commerce (Scale)
A turnover of 750,597 BGN from an advertising budget of 112,985 BGN over 8 months
A large-scale e-commerce campaign in the technology sector — resulting in a 34.4% increase in turnover with a budget increase of just 10%, achieved through an optimal mix of niche and broad targeting across product categories.
Starting point
As with every client, I began by analysing the products on offer, the profit margins by product and category, and their competitiveness in relation to end-customer prices. I produced an audit with recommendations for improving the customer experience: streamlining the checkout process and optimising the main landing pages, with the aim of achieving a better conversion rate based on tried-and-tested best practices.
The approach — step by step
Audit and CRO
Analysis of margins and prices, plus an audit with recommendations — shortening the checkout process and improving key landing pages to boost the conversion rate.
Targeting mix
Niche (interest-based) and broad Advantage+ targeting yielded different results across categories. Over a period of 60 days, I identified the combinations that worked and used an optimal mix of the two types.
Catalogue + carousels
Mostly automated catalogues with a wide variety of layouts and intro pages. Some custom-designed carousels have surpassed the automated catalogues and remain the primary advertisements for certain categories.
Daily analysis
The varying results from the numerous ad creatives and targeting strategies necessitated in-depth analysis on a daily basis and timely optimisations — to maximise return on investment.
The strategy behind the figure — efficiency at scale
On a scale of this magnitude, the standard approach is simply to increase the budget to generate further turnover. The real challenge is to grow effectively — more revenue without a corresponding increase in expenditure.
During this period, I achieved A 34.4% increase in turnover compared with last year, with only a 10% increase in the advertising budget. This came to light during monitoring: for certain product categories, niche targeting works, whilst for others, broad Adv+ is more effective. Within 60 days, I identified the combinations that worked and used an optimal mix, rather than relying on a single approach for the entire catalogue.
Growth without a commensurate increase in expenditure
34.4% more turnover with just 10% more budget — efficiency through scale, not just increased spending.
Mixed targeting by category
Niche targeting for some categories, broad Adv+ for others — an optimal mix established in under 60 days, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Why did the scale remain profitable?
A different approach for different categories
Niche targeting for some categories, broad Adv+ for others — the results varied, so the mix is optimal, not uniform.
CRO prior to scaling
A streamlined checkout process and improved landing pages boosted the conversion rate — achieving more from the same traffic before the budget was increased.
Carousels above the catalogues
Some of the carousels created outperformed the automatic catalogues in terms of results and remained the main advertisements for certain categories.
Daily in-depth analysis
With volumes of this size, small differences add up — daily analysis and timely optimisations safeguard returns.
A large budget requires its own management approach. A 34.4% increase with expenditure rising by just 10% is the result of efficiency — an optimal mix of category-based targeting and day-to-day monitoring of every expenditure line.
Hristiyan Panov · Founder & Managing Consultant
