The Hidden CPM Goldmine
đŻStop chasing clicks, start buying brainspace with View-Only Campaigns, TikTok and Pinterest Roll Out New Ad Tools, and more!
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In this newsletter, youâll find:
đŻThe Hidden CPM Goldmine
đ TikTok Search Ads Surge While Pinterest Adds Direct Buying Links
đ Ad of the Day
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đŻThe Hidden CPM Goldmine
Most marketers still dismiss Video-View (VV) campaigns as vanity metrics. That blind spot leaves the cheapest, most scalable paid-social inventory on the table.
đ§ Core Reframe: Buy Brainspace, Not Clicks
VV CPMs run 70â80% cheaper than purchase-optimized ads, but the real insight is why. Meta and TikTok can predict engagement, not purchases, so youâre paying wholesale prices to enter attention streams that performance buyers ignore.
Youâre not buying traffic, youâre pre-loading memory that triggers high-intent search and direct visits 12â72 hours later.
𧩠The Adaptive Recall Stack
1ïžâŁ Isolate View Campaigns
Run stand-alone VV lanes in CBO or ABO to protect the signal.
Broad targeting (or wide LALs) worksâyour goal is scale and reach, not tight intent.
Creative: <20 seconds, emotionally sticky, brand-forward.
Optimize for resonance metrics (ThruPlays, 3-second hold), never clicks.
2ïžâŁ Engineer Branded Recall Triggers
Brand name in the first 3 secondsâspoken and shown.
Use strong contrast, repetition, and sonic markers.
Anchor the brand in the narrative arc to create a pre-conscious retrieval hook (a proven media-psychology effect).
3ïžâŁ Harvest with Search + Retargeting
Expect delayed intent: lift shows up in branded search, direct URL, and catalog retargeting.
PPS (post-purchase surveys) confirm TikTok or Meta as first-touch awareness even when ROAS dashboards show zero TOF conversions.
Youâre arbitraging Metaâs cost model by separating acquisition media from conversion attribution.
đ Operator Proof & Metrics
Beauty DTC brand ran VV lanes at $2.10 CPM, seeing 42% blended CAC drop in 6 weeks.
CPG snack startup paired VV with Google-branded search, cutting CPC 28% and doubling assisted conversions.
Expect a 20â40% lift in branded search CTR when executed for 90 days with consistent creative refresh.
đ§Ș Measurement Blueprint
Track lift with geo holdouts or clean-room MMM for accurate incrementality.
Monitor branded search spend and direct traffic in GA4 weekly.
Audit creative recall every 30 days, rotate hooks and colors to avoid fatigue.
Why It Matters
Click-obsessed buyers are losing the recall war. VV campaigns let you buy attention low and convert high, splitting the funnel between subconscious imprinting and high-intent harvesting. With disciplined testing and attribution guardrails, your cheapest campaigns can become your most profitable.
đ TikTok Search Ads Surge While Pinterest Adds Direct Buying Links
TikTokâs search activity is exploding, giving advertisers a powerful discovery channel, while Pinterest introduces flexible purchase options to convert interest into action. Together, these updates create fresh opportunities to reach high-intent audiences and drive measurable sales.
The Breakdown:
1. TikTok Search Ads Show Strong Growth - TikTok searches are up 40% year-over-year, now rivaling Google for younger users and even outpacing AI search tools. Campaigns using TikTok Search Ads see up to 2.2x higher purchase lift and stronger ROAS, making it a prime channel for product discovery.
2. High Purchase Lift with Dedicated Campaigns - WARC research shows that dedicated TikTok search campaigns deliver 2.0x higher purchase lift versus non-search initiatives. Enterprise advertisers see even larger gains, proving TikTokâs ability to turn search activity into real conversions.
3. Pinterest Adds âWhere-to-Buyâ Links - Pinterest now lets users tap a âFind retailersâ button on Pins to view multiple buying options, helping brands maintain data insights, with early tests showing stronger engagement than campaigns using external landing pages.
4. Retailer Integrations Expand Reach - New partnerships with Pear Commerce and MikMak connect Pinterest shoppers to thousands of retailers while giving brands richer analytics at no extra cost.
These updates show how social discovery and seamless purchase options are converging to capture high-intent audiences. TikTokâs fast-growing search referrals and Pinterestâs in-app buying choices give brands direct pathways from inspiration to checkout, reducing friction and amplifying return on ad spend.
đ Ad of the Day
What Works and Insights
1. Bold Contrast Hook â The bright green-to-blue gradient background and oversized â16G PROTEINâ callout grab attention fast, while the playful âShocking Sour, Surprisingly Sweetâ line sells the flavor twist. Brands can double down on this dual-flavor tension by pairing sensory words with visible product action, like a quick-cut video of the first sour bite turning into a smile.
2. Lifestyle Energy Shot â The ad shows real people mid-bite with fun expressions, making the product feel social and impulsive. Brand builders can push this further by capturing micro-moments of friends sharing or swapping bars to spark a contagious, peer-driven craving.
3. Protein as Permission â Highlighting â16G PROTEINâ gives health-conscious buyers a reason to indulge without guilt. Weaving functional stats into a playful design keeps the nutrition message clear while maintaining the candy-like vibe, key for expanding from fitness aisles to mainstream snacking.
Pairing a bold sensory hook with social energy and a functional health stat turns a niche protein snack into a mass-market treat, showing that indulgence and wellness can live in the same frame.
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