How to fix SaaS ad conversion problems with Understory

The old playbook was simple: Launch → run social ads → scale. But that’s getting tougher: CPMs keep rising, tracking is weaker, and CAC has jumped 50-100% in many sectors. Paid ads still work, but you can’t rely on them alone. Here are organic or low-cost platforms that help new brands get in front of real customers, generate leads, or close sales: 1. PartnerStack.com — B2B partner marketplace that brings qualified referred sign-ups. 2. RewardClan.com — Rewards, offers & discounts to close sales or generate leads via reward styles, built-in commerce & marketplace. 3. Proofiit.com — Validate ideas/features; build demand via access + waitlist. 4. Refersion.com — Recruit affiliates; pay only on confirmed sales. 5. Impact.com — Large partner network that drives tracked referrals & revenue-share. 6. Collabstr.com — Hire creators to post your product to buying audiences. 7. Grin.co — Seed products with micro-creators who review & convert. 8. Creator.co — Run targeted creator seeding campaigns to drive sales. 9. LTK.com — Creator-led shoppable posts that push real product sales. 10. Trellis.co — List products inside creator-run social-commerce shops. 11. Carro.io — Cross-store selling with other brands to share traffic. 12. CommentSold.com — Host live-shopping streams with built-in checkout. 13. Buywith.com — Creator-hosted live-shopping events that convert viewers. 14. AppSumo.com — Deals marketplace with millions of ready-to-buy SMBs. 15. ProductHunt.com — Launch-day visibility to 100K+ tech-savvy early adopters. 16. Gleam.io — Run giveaways that capture emails & reward referrals. 17. Viral-Loops.com — Plug-and-play referral funnels for SaaS & e-commerce. 18. Gatsby.ai — Reward your top social fans for referring friends. 19. PostPilot.com — Automated postcards that retarget visitors & win them back. 20. Klaviyo.com — Email/SMS flows that recover carts & re-sell customers. 21. Insense.pro — Source UGC creators whose content drives clicks & sales. 22. Gleap.io — In-app pop-ups that capture leads or feedback right inside your product. 23. Faire.com — Online wholesale marketplace to reach thousands of retailers. 24. Abound.com — Wholesale network that connects you with boutique shops. 25. CJ.com — Access a global network of affiliate publishers to push your offers. 26. ShareASale.com — Join Awin’s affiliate network to reach new customers. 27. PressHunt.co — Pitch founder stories straight to journalists & podcasters. 28. HARO.com / Qwoted.com — Respond to journalist requests to get featured where customers read. 29. Kickstarter.com / Indiegogo.com — Crowdfund and build paying demand before launch. These platforms help you capture market share, organically. Paid ads still have their place, but pairing them with these platforms can lower CAC, speed up growth, and give you an edge in a competitive market. If you find this useful, share it so more founders can discover these customer-getting tools.

Paid Ads 101: Google Ads & Facebook Ads Explained Let’s be honest: organic marketing is powerful… but it takes time. If you want fast visibility, targeted reach, and measurable results, paid advertising is your shortcut to success. Two of the biggest platforms? Google Ads and Facebook Ads. Here’s a crash course: 1. Google Ads which Show Up When People Search Imagine someone typing into Google: • “Best digital markerting consultant near me”  • “Affordable delivery services near me” With Google Ads, your business can appear right at the top of those search results. Why it works: • Targets high-intent users (people already searching for your solution) • Works on a pay-per-click model (you only pay when someone clicks) • Perfect for lead generation, e-commerce, and service-based businesses Think of Google Ads as a demand capture tool — it catches people already looking for what you offer. 2. Facebook Ads which Find People Before They Search Unlike Google, people don’t log onto Facebook or Instagram to look for your product. But they’re there, scrolling, relaxing, and discovering. Why it works: • Advanced audience targeting (by age, interests, location, behavior, even job title) • Visual formats (videos, carousels, stories, reels) • Great for brand awareness, product launches, and retargeting past visitors Think of Facebook Ads as demand creation — you plant the seed in people’s minds before they even realize they need you. 3. Which Should You Choose? • Google Ads - Best for businesses where people are actively searching for your solution (lawyers, delivery services, consultants, e-commerce). • Facebook Ads - Best for building awareness, growing communities, and visually showcasing products (fashion brands, events, lifestyle products, coaches). Pro tip: The most effective brands combine both — using Google for high-intent leads and Facebook for long-term awareness. ✅ Bottom line: Paid ads aren’t just about throwing money online. They’re about putting your business in front of the right people, at the right time, on the right platform. Want to explore paid ads for your brand? I help SMEs and individuals create effective, ROI-driven ad strategies on both Google and Facebook. 📩 Let’s connect and design your first winning campaign. #marketing #Digitalmarketing

Meta Ads vs Google Ads — Which Works Better? Most business owners waste money choosing the wrong one. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Which ads are better for my business Meta or Google?” You’re not alone. Every business owner faces this confusion before investing in marketing. And here’s the truth: Both platforms can be powerful, but only if you understand how and when to use them. Let’s break this down simply 👇 1️⃣ Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram): Meta Ads are part of social media marketing. People come to these platforms to connect, scroll, and relax — not to buy immediately. So when you advertise here, you’re interrupting their scroll. That means your goal isn’t “instant sales.” It’s to build awareness, trust, and recognition. Think of it like this: Every time your ad appears, you’re planting a seed. You show them your brand, your story, your value — again and again — until they finally say, “I’ve seen this brand before... let me check them out.” That’s why Meta Ads are great for: ✅ Building brand awareness ✅ Growing followers and engagement ✅ Retargeting past visitors ✅ Nurturing cold audiences into warm leads But remember — Meta Ads need time. You don’t just run one campaign and expect results overnight. It’s a long-term trust-building strategy. 2️⃣ Google Ads: Google Ads work completely differently. Here, people aren’t scrolling for fun — they’re searching with intent. Someone types “best plumber near me” or “affordable web design services,” and your ad shows up right in front of them. That means they already have a problem — and you’re presenting the solution at the right moment. This is called intent-based marketing — and it’s incredibly powerful for driving direct sales or inquiries. Google Ads are best for: ✅ High-intent audiences ready to buy ✅ Local services (plumbers, salons, contractors, etc.) ✅ Search-based products or services ✅ Businesses that want quick leads or bookings The results are often faster than Meta — but also more expensive per click. That’s the trade-off. 3️⃣ The Smart Strategy — Combine Both: If you want real results, don’t choose one — use both strategically. Here’s how: Run Meta Ads to build awareness and attract cold audiences. Then use Google Ads to capture the same people when they search for your service. Add retargeting on both platforms to stay visible across the buyer’s journey. That’s how big brands dominate. And yes — it works for small businesses too, if you plan it smartly. Meta builds attention. Google converts intention. Together — they build unstoppable growth. If you’re a business owner still unsure which ad platform fits your goals — let’s fix that. 💬 Drop your business type below, and I’ll tell you which strategy I’d start with. Or DM me if you’d like me to break down your personalized plan. #digitalmarketing #metaads #googleads #paidadvertising #marketingstrategy #businessgrowth #facebookads #instagramads #onlinemarketing #marketingtips

PPC marketing is a powerful tool that many businesses overlook. It’s not about random clicks; it’s about connecting with your target audience effectively to drive real leads. 🎯 To get started, identify your audience clearly and set specific goals. Make sure to choose the right keywords that align with what you're offering. Regularly analyze your campaign's performance to refine your strategy. Why is this important? The right PPC approach can lead to a more substantial return on investment and increased customer engagement. 💰 What tips do you have for making PPC work? Share your experiences in the comments below! #PPCMarketing #BusinessGrowth #DigitalMarketing #LeadGeneration #SocialSellinator https://lnkd.in/gNFaefmn

A Complete Guide to Facebook Marketing: Part- 01 Introduction In today’s digital-first world, businesses can’t rely only on traditional marketing channels like TV, radio, or print. Social media has become the new marketplace, and among all platforms, Facebook remains the most powerful tool for business growth. With more than 3 billion active users worldwide, Facebook offers unmatched opportunities to reach, engage, and convert audiences into loyal customers. This article explores everything you need to know about Facebook Marketing—from the basics to advanced strategies. What is Facebook Marketing? Facebook Marketing refers to the use of the Facebook platform to promote products, services, or brands. It combines: - Organic Marketing → Free methods such as posts, stories, reels, groups, and community engagement. - Paid Marketing (Facebook Ads) → Advanced advertising campaigns targeting specific demographics, interests, or behaviors. Together, these two approaches make Facebook a complete ecosystem for customer acquisition, retention, and brand building. Why is Facebook Marketing Important? 1. Massive Audience Reach – With billions of active users, Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform. 2. Advanced Targeting – Businesses can target users by age, gender, location, job title, interests, and even behavior. 3. Cost-Effective Advertising – Campaigns can start with as little as a few dollars, making it accessible for small and medium-sized businesses. 4. Measurable Results – Facebook Ads Manager provides detailed analytics, helping marketers optimize campaigns in real time. 5. Customer Engagement – Unlike traditional media, Facebook allows two-way communication, strengthening customer relationships. Key Components of Facebook Marketing: 1. Facebook Business Page A professional, optimized page acts as the foundation of all marketing efforts. It should include: - Clear profile and cover photo - Complete About section - Call-to-action (CTA) button - Regular, engaging content 2. Content Marketing Consistent posting of valuable content is essential. Content types include: - Text posts - Images & infographics - Videos & reels - Live sessions - Polls and interactive posts 3. Facebook Ads Paid ads are the powerhouse of Facebook Marketing. Formats include: - Image ads - Video ads - Carousel ads - Collection ads - Lead generation ads 4. Audience Targeting This is where Facebook outperforms traditional media. You can target by: - Demographics (age, gender, education) - Location - Interests - Behaviors - Custom audiences (e.g., website visitors, email list) - Lookalike audiences 5. Facebook Pixel A tracking tool that monitors user behavior on your website, enabling retargeting and better ad optimization. 6. Facebook Groups & Communities Groups help businesses build loyal communities and nurture customer relationships organically.

We hit $600K+ ARR with zero paid ads - here's the unsexy truth about organic growth. For context, I've never run a Facebook ad, Google ad, or any paid campaign for ContentSmash. Not once. When I started, I had a simple approach: • Start with content AND cold outreach (you need both at the beginning) • Post consistently every single day • Stick to the plan even when it feels like nothing's working    Those first 8 months were brutal. Cold outreach kept the lights on while my content felt like shouting into the void. But around month 9, something shifted. Prospects started mentioning my posts in sales calls. Cold outreach got easier because people recognized my name. Now after posting almost daily for 12 months: • $600K+ ARR • 4,500+ inbound leads generated • Content does most of the heavy lifting in my sales process Here's what most founders get wrong about organic growth: They think it's either content OR outbound. It's actually content AND outbound until content takes over. Your early posts won't generate leads. They build familiarity. That familiarity makes your outreach work better. Better outreach results give you better case studies. Better case studies make better content. It's a flywheel, not a magic button. A word of caution though: This approach tests your patience. I questioned everything for the first 8 months. Revenue was inconsistent. I wondered if I was wasting time. Most founders quit right before it starts working. I also had the luxury of time. No investors demanding quick growth. No family depending on immediate results. But even if you're running paid ads or have a sales team, your founder brand is what separates you from every other option in the market. The compound effect is real - you just have to survive long enough to see it. PS - Want to see exactly how I built this system? I'll show you how to add $118K+ to your B2B pipeline organically. Like this post + comment "PIPELINE" and I'll send it over.

Testing your target audience with paid ads? Smart. Expecting leads before you find product–market fit? Painful. I’ve seen this more times than I’d like. B2B brands expecting leads in the first three months while they’re still figuring out who their target audience even is. Still chasing product–market fit. I’m not saying paid ads can’t help. They definitely can. Just not in the “leads rolling in” way most brands expect. If you don't know who you're target audience is, think of paid as 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩. Run awareness or engagement campaigns that clearly explain your value. A/B test industries, pain points, and messaging angles. See where curiosity grows. Use that data to sharpen your ICP and refine positioning. I did this with one of my clients. We ran LinkedIn engagement campaigns and found that the target audience they were so strongly betting on wasn’t showing much engagement. It was another audience group that showed clear and strong signals of engagement. This is why you should invest in finding that product-market fit. Why initial customer research is important. You need to know whose problem your product or service helps solve, and who truly benefits from it. Before lead generation comes into play. Paid ads can help you learn faster. They just can’t replace the work of understanding your target audience. How do you use paid ads when product–market fit is still a work in progress?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱'𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 📈 The article "What Is Paid Media?" on Entrepreneur provides a clear explanation of paid media and its importance in digital marketing. It explores the concept of paid media, its various forms, and how businesses can effectively leverage it to increase brand visibility, reach target audiences, and achieve their marketing objectives. Here are some key points from the article: ▶️ Introduction to Paid Media: Introduce the concept of paid media, which involves paid promotional efforts to reach target audiences through various digital channels, such as social media advertising, search engine marketing (SEM), display ads, and sponsored content. ▶️ Differentiating Paid Media from Owned and Earned Media: Teach the distinctions between paid media, owned media (content and assets owned by the business), and earned media (media coverage and organic mentions achieved through public relations efforts and word-of-mouth). ▶️ Optimizing Paid Media Campaigns: Discuss strategies to optimize paid media campaigns, including audience targeting, budget allocation, ad creatives, and performance tracking. Highlight the importance of A/B testing and data analysis to refine and improve campaign effectiveness. ▶️ Measuring ROI and Effectiveness: Educate on measuring the return on investment (ROI) of paid media campaigns and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA) to assess the success and effectiveness of the paid media efforts. Read the rest of the article from Entrepreneur Media, written by JESSICA WONG to know more! (ctto) Share your thoughts and comment below. ⏬ ➖➖➖ During the last decade, I’ve helped 1,000’s businesses make money with advertising on YouTube - the 2nd largest search engine in the world. TV ads use proven formulas. My proven YouTube winning formula is based on 10,000’s experiments. My enterprise clients get my “rapid-fire” algorithm and optimizations. This is how you maximize your return on advertising spend. My software and tools eliminate many mistakes and create winning ads faster and easier in any market vertical. For a limited time, I'm giving you my proven **Script Profitable YouTube Ads: 6 Minute Ads Framework** ***** 👉 Type "FRAMEWORK" in the COMMENTS below, and I'll send you access - NO CHARGE! https://lnkd.in/eNjXnRpg #digitalmarketing #marketing #branding #onlineadvertising #paidmedia #marketingstrategy

If you’re a business owner, where do you spend more effort? 🔹 Social Media Marketing 🔹 SEO & Content 🔹 Paid Ads 🔹 Email Marketing --- 📌 Here’s why I’m asking: Every marketing channel works — but not all work the same way for every business. ✅ Social Media Marketing helps build awareness and engagement, but it needs consistency. ✅ SEO & Content take time but bring long-term organic traffic. ✅ Paid Ads deliver faster results, but only if your targeting and funnel are strong. ✅ Email Marketing is still one of the best for nurturing and repeat sales. 🚀 The real challenge? Balancing short-term wins (ads, social) with long-term growth (SEO, email).

Paid Ads vs. Organic Growth: Stop Choosing, Start Winning 🚀 The debate is everywhere: Paid Ads vs. Organic Growth. Here’s the hard truth: framing it as a battle is a strategic mistake. The real question isn’t: Which is better? It’s: How can they work together to create unstoppable growth? 🌱 Organic Growth: Your Brand’s Foundation Think of organic as digital real estate—your long-term investment. What it is: SEO, high-value content, community building, brand authority. In 2025, it’s all about E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness. Why it matters: Builds deep trust and consistent leads. Your audience learns to know, like, and trust you. The challenge: Slow burn. Requires patience, consistency, and resources upfront. 🚀 Paid Ads: The Growth Accelerator Paid is your engine for speed and precision. What it is: PPC, social ads, sponsored content, influencer campaigns. Modern paid isn’t just clicks—it’s data, insights, and testing. Why it matters: Instant results, scale, and audience insights. Perfect for launching campaigns, testing offers, and market validation. The challenge: Stop paying, stop results. Without a strong foundation, acquisition costs skyrocket. 🤝 The Real Magic: Paid + Organic Synergy Elite marketers don’t choose. They combine. Amplify: Turn your top-performing organic content into a paid powerhouse. Reach new, targeted audiences. Inform: Use paid data to guide SEO and content strategy. Learn fast, act faster. Convert: Build trust organically, then use paid retargeting to capture high-intent leads. Lower cost, higher conversion. 💡 Bottom Line: Stop thinking “vs.” Start thinking “and.” Organic = authority, trust, long-term growth Paid = speed, scale, actionable data Together = unstoppable marketing flywheel. 🔥 Question for you: What’s your current mix between paid and organic? Are you balancing speed with trust—or stuck on one side? Share your approach 👇 #DigitalMarketing #GrowthMarketing #SEO #PPC #ContentMarketing #PaidAds #OrganicGrowth #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth