In the competitive eCommerce market, growth isn’t just about seeing immediate returns on individual ads. It’s about long-term sustainability, being first-order profitable, and trusting the process for incremental gains. With a focus on backend metrics and consistent creative testing, brands can build a foundation for scalable, lasting success. Here, we’re sharing insights that have driven millions in revenue for our clients, crafted to help UK brands grow strategically.

 

1. Defining Key Metrics: Backend Blended Data for Sustainable, Incremental Growth

Tracking clicks and on-platform metrics only scratches the surface. For growth that’s genuinely profitable and sustainable, you need a clear view of backend blended data that shows causality, not just attribution. By focusing on first-order profitability, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and blended return on ad spend (ROAS) across all channels, you’ll be able to grow without chasing vanity metrics.

  • Set Key Blended Metrics That Reflect Real Growth: Blended ROAS and CAC give you a clearer picture of profitability, accounting for all channels rather than attributing value to single touchpoints. One UK fashion client switched to a blended ROAS approach, which helped them double profitability by reallocating spend to channels with real incremental impact.
  • Trust the Machine: Valuing Incremental Scale over Platform ROAS: Relying solely on in-platform ROAS is limiting; it may show immediate success but often skews toward retargeting or high-frequency ads, which don’t generate new customers. Instead, focus on incremental growth by observing your backend metrics and trusting the machine to scale based on true value. This shift in focus allows you to put spend where it actually drives first-time customers, not just recycled buyers.
  • Prioritise First-Order Profitability: Achieving first-order profitability ensures that each new customer is acquired at a cost that immediately covers their purchase. This approach builds a stable foundation for growth, rather than relying on hopes of long-term retention or future purchases. Action Point: Set benchmarks for first-order profitability by analysing backend blended CAC, adjusting spend to ensure your acquisition cost aligns with immediate revenue.

Why This Works: Focusing on backend blended data and first-order profitability means you’re building a sustainable growth model that’s resilient, not reliant on short-term tactics.

 

2. High-Impact Creative Testing: Win by Testing Emotional Drivers at Scale

In the UK, where consumers are highly savvy and values-driven, brands must tap into emotional buying triggers and test them at scale. Success in eCommerce advertising isn’t about creating one perfect ad; it’s about testing volumes of creative to find the emotional drivers that resonate with your audience.

  • Develop Campaigns with Emotional Drivers in Mind: Consumers buy for emotional reasons, so build campaigns that connect with these drivers. For example, a recent wellness client focused on themes of “self-care” and “rejuvenation,” which led to a 45% increase in engagement when emphasised in creative assets.
  • Test Creatives at High Volume: The more creative variations you test, the better your chances of finding what resonates. For one fashion brand, rotating through a large volume of creatives that focused on themes of individuality and self-expression increased conversions by 60%.
  • Customise and Refine for Platform Nuances: Tailoring creatives to the specific strengths of each platform maximises reach. Use fast, visually captivating ads for Instagram Stories, storytelling formats for Facebook carousel ads, and longer, dynamic videos for YouTube.

Pro Tip: Refresh your creatives every 2-3 weeks. UK audiences see thousands of ads daily, and a constant flow of new creatives will keep engagement high and avoid ad fatigue.

 

3. Scaling Intelligently: Prioritising Incremental Scale over Short-Term ROAS

Scaling in eCommerce isn’t about chasing the highest ROAS on individual ads; it’s about achieving incremental growth that’s sustainable. Incremental scale, built on backend blended metrics, ensures you’re growing with purpose and profitability in mind. Here’s how to build a scalable approach:

  • Shift Your Focus from In-Platform ROAS to Incremental Scale: While platform ROAS can show short-term success, it often highlights low-hanging fruit—like retargeting or overly niche targeting—rather than bringing in new, high-value customers. Incremental growth means focusing on attracting new customers at scale, not just retargeting those already in your funnel. For a high-end apparel client, shifting focus from platform-specific ROAS to backend blended metrics provided a more accurate measure of profitability, helping them optimise budget for maximum first-order profit.
  • Be Intentional with Spend Allocation: Spend should be distributed across channels based on backend performance, not platform ROAS alone. By testing incremental budget increases and adjusting based on blended ROAS, you can pinpoint high-ROI channels without being misled by platform attribution.
  • Prioritise Channels that Drive First-Order Profit: Sustainable growth relies on ensuring every pound spent drives immediate profitability, not future promises. For one UK wellness client, this approach yielded a 30% increase in first-order profit by focusing spend on channels with high backend ROAS, rather than those with the highest platform-attributed conversions.

Insider Insight: Scaling isn’t about chasing short-term ROAS. Incremental scale, backed by backend metrics, is the only way to drive growth that’s both profitable and sustainable.

 

4. Cost Control Campaigns: Optimising Ad Spend with Strategic Cost Management

Rather than relying on automated rules for optimisation, cost control campaigns offer a robust approach to managing ad spend and maximising ROAS. This approach lets you control your cost structure, allowing for targeted growth without budget overruns.

  • Structure Campaigns to Cap Costs by Objective: Cost control campaigns allow you to set hard limits on spend, ensuring that ads are only served when they align with your profitability targets. This approach allows for greater predictability in ad spend and keeps costs aligned with business goals.
  • Use Cost Caps for First-Order Profitability Goals: Set cost caps that align with first-order profitability to ensure each sale covers acquisition costs. For a beauty client, implementing cost caps resulted in a 25% improvement in incremental profitability by ensuring each campaign drove sales at an acceptable acquisition cost.
  • Control Bids Based on Backend ROAS Insights: Adjust bids to optimise campaigns based on backend ROAS rather than relying on platform automation. Monitoring backend data regularly allows you to make bid adjustments that keep campaigns aligned with your profitability targets.

Pro Tip: By implementing cost control campaigns, you gain more control over your budget and can ensure spend is directly linked to incremental growth, without relying on platform-specific automation.

 

5. Customer Experience: Ensuring Profitable Long-Term Relationships

Exceptional customer experience doesn’t just convert clicks into sales; it converts sales into lifelong relationships. Brands that build a seamless, value-driven customer journey are better positioned for profitable, sustainable growth. Here’s how to elevate your customer experience:

  • Optimise for Mobile and Speed: With most UK eCommerce sales happening on mobile, a fast, seamless mobile experience is essential. A fashion client improved mobile load times, leading to a 20% conversion increase.
  • Streamline Checkout to Minimise Abandoned Carts: A simpler checkout reduces cart abandonment and boosts conversion rates. For one client, reducing form fields and offering guest checkout increased conversions by 15%.
  • Personalise Post-Purchase Engagement for Repeat Purchases: Keep customers engaged with tailored follow-up emails recommending complementary products or offering discounts for future orders.

Bonus Tip: A loyalty programme can further increase retention, building value over time and reducing the pressure on paid acquisition.

 

The Bottom Line: Building a Profitable, Sustainable Brand

In the eCommerce space, the path to success involves focusing on backend blended data, high-volume creative testing, incremental scaling, and an exceptional customer experience. These aren’t just theoretical strategies; they’re proven approaches that have driven sustainable growth for our clients.

If you’re ready to scale profitably and sustainably, reach out to us today. Our team of experts is here to help you implement these strategies and turn your brand into a long-term success story in the UK market.