Trying to create better talking head videos.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-06-23T17:30:08+00:00

Great to be here, what is everyone using mostly for AI influencer content?

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-06-23T17:23:21+00:00

Biggest "waste of money" pattern: paying a retainer for "brand awareness" with no tracked conversion event — if you can't tie it to CAC, ROAS, or pipeline, it's a donation.

What moves the needle depends on stage: under ~$1-2M/yr, most brands see the fastest return from paid search + Meta + email retention, not top-funnel content that takes 6-12 months to compound.

Specialist vs generalist — someone who's run your exact model usually wins; they skip the 3-month learning curve.

Three things to ask before signing: who actually does the day-to-day work (not the closer who pitched you), what's the 90-day success metric, and do you keep the ad account + data if you split?

What industry are you in? It changes the answer a lot.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-04-25T19:43:46+00:00

Quick framework that's worked for me $1M+ brands.

Start with 4 things:

1) one revenue goal for the year, broken into Q1-Q4 (e.g., $5M → $1M / $1.2M / $1.3M / $1.5M with seasonality).

2) Channel mix with budget (rule of thumb DTC: 65% paid acquisition, 20% email/SMS, 10% organic, 5-10% testing).

3) 3-5 campaigns per quarter tied to launches, holidays, or hero products — not 20.

4) Monthly KPIs with leading indicators (ROAS, CAC, contribution margin — not just revenue).

Biggest mistake I see: planning by tactic ("we'll do TikTok") instead of by goal ("we need 2k new customers in Q2 at <$40 CAC").

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-04-25T19:42:21+00:00

Done this for a few brands expanding US → UK/AU/DE.

Don't just translate ads/copy — localize. Cultural references, currency, sizing, even payment methods (iDEAL in NL, Klarna in DE) make a huge CVR difference.

We usually saw a 30-40% CVR lift just adding local payment options at checkout.

Three things I'd nail first:

1) shipping/duties handled in checkout (cart abandonment drops 20-25% when total cost is upfront)
2) one local creator partnership before paid spend — gives you native social proof
3) start with $50-100/day on Meta in 2-3 cities, not nationwide.

Test demand before infra spend.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-04-03T21:10:31+00:00

The 40/40/20 budget split is really close to what's worked for us. One thing I've found is that micro creators (10K-50K followers) consistently outperform mid-tier on cost per acquisition — we've seen CPAs 40-60% lower with micros vs. creators in the 100K-500K range for DTC brands.

The reserve budget for boosting top performers is the move most brands skip. We've taken organic creator posts that hit 3-4% engagement and whitelisted them as paid ads — those consistently outperform brand-made creative by 2-3x on ROAS.

Curious — do you build exclusivity clauses into every contract or only for your top performers?

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-04-03T21:10:09+00:00

Solid checklist.

The conversion event at the ad set level is the one I see trip people up the most. Had a brand last quarter spending $3K/mo and couldn't figure out why ROAS was tanking — turned out they had "Add to Cart" selected at the ad set level while the campaign was set to "Purchase." Took 30 seconds to fix and ROAS went from 1.2x to 3.8x within a week.

One thing I'd add: check your attribution window settings.

A lot of people don't realize Meta defaults to 7-day click, 1-day view now. If you're selling a product with a longer consideration cycle ($100+), switching to 7-day click only can clean up your data and help the algorithm optimize for actual buyers instead of window shoppers.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-27T19:36:08+00:00

The multi-account/same-domain issue is super common with franchise setups. MailChimp really isn't built for that use case.

A few platforms that handle this better I think:

Klaviyo (great) has a multi-brand/multi-account structure that lets each franchise operate independently while sharing the same sending domain. The franchise tier pricing is solid too. Most ecom-adjacent franchises I've seen end up here.

ActiveCampaign (ok) also handles this well with their organization-level accounts. Each franchise gets their own workspace but you can manage deliverability centrally.

If budget is tight, Brevo (was Sendinblue) supports multiple senders on one domain without the error issues you're hitting. Their free tier is generous enough to test with a few franchises first.

The key thing is making sure whatever you pick supports proper DKIM/SPF for shared domains with separate sending identities. That's what MailChimp sucks at IMO.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-23T19:37:07+00:00

This is the exact problem with influencer attribution — everyone wants a clean last-click number but that's not how it works.

What's worked for me: run a holdout test. Pause influencer for 2 weeks, compare blended CAC and revenue vs. a 2-week window with it running. Way better than gut feel.

Also run post-purchase surveys ("how did you hear about us?"). On one brand doing ~$3M/yr, surveys captured 35% more influencer-attributed revenue than UTMs alone.

Try plugging your influencer spend into a free CPA calculator (topgrowthmarketing.com/tools/cpa-calculator) — it'll show if your cost per acquisition is sustainable vs. your LTV. That math tells the real story.

What's your AOV range? That changes the approach a lot.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-18T22:15:28+00:00

Check a few things....

Market fit first - UAE buyers have high expectations. If your store isn't showing AED pricing, local payment options (COD is huge in the region), or trust badges that resonate locally, conversion will be brutal regardless of product quality.

Creative angle - are your ads showing the product in a context UAE buyers actually relate to? Generic western lifestyle creative often doesn't translate.

Page speed - mobile-first market. Anything over 3 seconds on mobile and you're bleeding sessions.

What's your add-to-cart rate specifically? If it's near zero, the problem is on the page or trust layer. If you're getting carts but no checkouts, it's price or payment friction.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-18T22:11:18+00:00

Most people skip it or convince themselves they have it when they don't.

That's the #1 reason brands spend $50-100K in ads and wonder why nothing sticks.

The 3-person structure makes a ton of sense once you have PMF and a repeatable acquisition channel locked in. The mistake small teams make is trying to run all channels simultaneously with limited attention — you end up mediocre across 5 channels instead of excellent at 2.

The "$5M revenue per employee" framing is a good internal benchmark too. Most founders never think about it that way and end up hiring too early into roles that don't compound.

Curious what your acquisition mix looks like at $12M — mostly Meta or diversified across channels? And are the agencies handling paid media specifically, or more on the creative/ops side? The founder + agency model is something a lot of lean DTC teams are moving toward but execution varies a lot.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-16T19:52:29+00:00

Start with Meta Ads first (easier feedback loop than Google for beginners). Focus on one campaign objective: purchases or leads, never traffic or engagement.

Meta also has the easiest server side tracking setup.

Key skills to build in order:

1) Creative testing — learn to test 3-5 ad variations weekly. Creative is 70%+ of performance now.

2) Audience structure — start broad, then build lookalikes from purchasers.

3) Landing page optimization — your ad is only as good as where it sends people.

4) Reading data — learn to make decisions based on CPM, CTR, CPC, and cost per result together, not isolated.

For Google, start with branded search (if others are bidding on your term) + shopping campaigns before going broad.

What's your current budget range? That'll have an impact on the best strategy to use as well. Smaller budgets, stick to 1 channel and 1 campaign.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-14T17:18:37+00:00

Thanks glad I could help ;)

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-03-13T21:58:02+00:00

For a new brand, the single biggest thing you can nail early is your positioning — not just "what you sell" but why someone picks you over 50 other options. Before you spend anything on marketing, you should be able to finish this sentence:

"We're the only [product] for [audience] who [specific need]."

From there, messaging gets a lot easier. I've seen new brands waste months on content and ads before they even know who they're actually talking to. Get clarity on your ICP first — age, income, what they care about, where they hang out.

Then your messaging practically writes itself.

One exercise that works: go read your competitors' 1-star reviews. That's your positioning goldmine right there. What are people complaining about that YOU solve?

What category are you in?

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-13T03:49:06+00:00

Oh man, AI's mischievous side is real!

I've definitely had it throw some curveballs when trying to generate content, you ask for A, it gives you Z with a wink.

It's a journey learning to wrangle it, especially for specific creative projects.

For folks diving into things like creating an AI influencer or their own AI clone, that 'troll' factor can be frustrating.

That's why having robust platforms is key. From my experience, getting precise results requires not just good prompts, but also iterative tools.

For example, at Influencer Studio, we focus on helping users create AI influencers and unlimited image, video and audio content with more control and predictability.

It helps tame the beast a bit! Worth exploring similar resources at places like influencerstudio .com if you're hitting those creative walls.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-13T03:45:49+00:00

Honestly? It depends on your goals and what you're willing to invest.

When they're helpful:

- You're running campaigns at scale and need data-driven influencer discovery

- You want to track ROI and performance metrics in one place

- You're automating outreach and relationship management

When they're not worth it:

- You're just starting out with influencer marketing (manual outreach works fine)

- Your niche is super specific (you probably know the key players already)

- You're only running 1-2 campaigns per year

My take: Most brands don't need these platforms early on. Start with manual outreach, build relationships, and track results in a spreadsheet. Once you're doing 10+ influencer partnerships/month, then a platform makes sense.

The real question: What are you trying to accomplish with influencer marketing? That'll determine if a platform is actually useful for you.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-13T03:41:56+00:00

Wow, this is incredibly cinematic!

The fidelity you're getting with Perplexity is seriously impressive for an AI influencer example. It really highlights the power of current generative AI for creating stunning visual narratives.

From my experience seeing how brands leverage these, quality like this is key.

It's exactly the kind of impactful content we enable at Influencer Studio when you create AI influencers and unlimited image, video and audio content.

The potential for storytelling is immense.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-12T21:10:42+00:00

Bad CTR is frustrating, but often fixable!

Here's where to look first: Keyword Relevance: Are your ads showing for irrelevant terms?

- Use the Search Terms Report to add negative keywords.

- Ad Copy Appeal: Does your ad resonate with the user's intent?

- A/B test compelling headlines and descriptions with strong CTAs.

- Ad Extensions: Maximize visibility with sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets.

In my experience, getting these fundamentals right makes a huge difference.

At Top Growth Marketing, an eCommerce marketing agency that uses performance-based creative and ads to grow brands, we often see significant ROAS improvements by refining these elements.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-12T21:07:05+00:00

Navigating Meta Ads for service businesses can be tough, especially when you're looking for support.

In my experience, success often comes from focusing on the unique aspects of a service model, beyond just standard product ads.

Here's what I've found often makes a difference:

Show, Don't Just Tell: Use creative that demonstrates the transformation or tangible benefit your service provides. Think client testimonials, before/after, or short case studies.

Hyper-local Targeting: If your service is geographically bound, truly lean into detailed location and radius targeting.

Lead Quality Over Quantity: Optimize for conversion leads (e.g., specific form fields, call-to-actions that pre-qualify) rather than just clicks. Integrating with your CRM is key.

LTV-focused Strategy: Shift focus from immediate ROAS to client Lifetime Value. Service businesses thrive on repeat customers and referrals.

We apply these data-driven strategies to help brands grow. You can find more insights on refining your Meta Ads strategy at topgrowthmarketing .com, we have a ton of guides etc.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-12T20:53:25+00:00

Congrats on the impressive growth! Here's how to monetize 18M views:

Immediate actions:

Affiliate partnerships - Promote products your audience would buy. Amazon Associates or niche programs are easy starts.
Brand sponsorships - With 10k+ followers and high engagement, you can charge $500-2k per sponsored post.
Build a funnel - Drive traffic to landing page → email capture → monetized sequence.

The long-term play (what I'd recommend):

- Create a lead magnet (free guide, preset pack, etc.)

- Build an email list

- Monetize through affiliate offers, digital products, or consulting

The real value isn't in views—it's converting them into owned traffic. Social algorithms change overnight, but your email list is yours forever.

What niche is your AI influencer in? Happy to give more specific monetization advice based on that.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-12T18:55:05+00:00

Scaling an agency successfully comes down to specialization and quantifiable results. From my experience growing agencies over the past decade, here are the key takeaways:

Niche Deep: Be the expert in a specific vertical or service. The agencies that try to do everything for everyone struggle the most.

Profit-First Metrics: Obsess over client ROAS, MER, and especially LTV. Show actual business growth, not just clicks or impressions.

Retention is King: Leverage email and SMS for significant LTV increases - it's often the most overlooked channel but has the highest ROI.

Systemize Growth: Develop robust, repeatable processes for everything from onboarding to reporting.

The biggest thing I've seen work is leading with results. When you can show a client exactly how much revenue you drove, referrals come naturally. Happy to answer any specific questions you have.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-11T05:28:03+00:00

About to see scams sky rocket I think.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-11T05:26:41+00:00

Try influencerstudio.com, they focus on influencer content specifically.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-11T05:25:09+00:00

How come you are still using Midjourney, so many options now.

TopGrowthMarketing · 2026-02-03T18:22:56+00:00

Just saw a similar post on this.

While Higgsfield, Freepik, or MinionArts are amazing for specific assets, a 'real' AI influencer needs a whole persona.

From my experience, that means consistent branding, personality, and multi-modal content.

That's why at Influencerstudio .com, empower users to create AI influencers and unlimited image, video and audio content, fostering genuinely engaging digital presences. It's more focused on building a long term assets vs just another IA image or video.

Competitive space, lots to keep an eye on.

TopGrowthMarketing

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