Scaling Campaigns: 3 Case Studies on ROAS Success

Scaling ad campaigns without losing profitability is tough but achievable. This article highlights three case studies showing how brands maintained or improved their Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) while scaling. Key takeaways include:

• Data-Driven Targeting: Identify high-value customers and expand to similar audiences gradually.

• Short-Form Video & UGC: Use engaging, user-generated video content to keep ads relevant and prevent fatigue.

• Cross-Platform Attribution: Track customer journeys across platforms to allocate budgets effectively.

From boosting ticket sales with mobile-first ads to leveraging TikTok and Facebook for conversions, these examples reveal actionable strategies for profitable growth. Let’s dive into the details.

Real Facebook Ad Accounts Scaling - 3 Months Case Study!

Core Principles for Scaling Campaigns Without Losing ROAS

Scaling campaigns while keeping profitability intact requires a solid strategy rooted in three essential principles. These approaches provide a practical roadmap to avoid common missteps that can drain your budget and hurt your return on ad spend (ROAS).

Data-Driven Audience Segmentation and Targeting

Scaling successfully begins with knowing your most valuable customers and figuring out how to reach more people like them. One common mistake brands make is casting too wide a net, assuming that a larger audience will automatically lead to better results. This often dilutes performance and drives down ROAS.

Start by digging into your customer data - metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV), purchase frequency, and average order value can help you build detailed customer profiles. Use these insights to create lookalike audiences on platforms like Facebook and Google. Expand gradually by targeting similar high-performing segments. For geographic scaling, identify regions with the highest ROAS and branch out to areas with comparable economic conditions and consumer behavior. This careful, data-driven approach helps maintain consistent performance as you scale.

Once you’ve locked in on your best audience segments, shift your focus to keeping them engaged with fresh, compelling creative content.

Creative Testing Using Short-Form Video and UGC Content

Ad fatigue is a reality in today’s fast-paced digital world, which makes constant creative testing and refreshing a must for sustained success. The rise of short-form video on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts has changed how brands connect with audiences.

User-generated content (UGC) has emerged as a powerful way to scale campaigns. It’s cost-effective, feels authentic, and provides social proof that resonates with viewers. UGC often outperforms traditional brand-created content because it feels more relatable. To make the most of it, develop a structured system for producing UGC that aligns with your scaling goals.

Short-form videos should grab attention within seconds, offer immediate value, and include clear calls-to-action. Successful campaigns leverage a mix of creative formats, such as product demos, customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes footage, and educational content. Testing these formats is key - introduce new concepts regularly while identifying what works best and doubling down on those elements in future campaigns. The goal is to maintain a steady flow of fresh content that prevents ad fatigue and keeps engagement and conversion rates strong as you increase your ad spend.

But creative strategies alone aren’t enough. You’ll need robust measurement tools to track performance across the entire customer journey.

Cross-Platform Attribution and Unified Measurement

To safeguard ROAS during scaling, you need a unified measurement strategy that tracks every customer interaction. People engage with brands across multiple channels before making a purchase, and relying solely on last-click attribution won’t give you the full picture.

Implement a unified measurement framework that provides real-time insights to guide budget allocation across channels. This ensures you’re investing in platforms that deliver genuine, incremental value. Track both online and offline conversions across devices to evaluate campaign performance accurately. Modern attribution models use statistical methods to assign credit to each touchpoint in the customer journey. This comprehensive view allows you to make smarter decisions about where to allocate your budget. Automated alerts for critical metrics and clear adjustment protocols further enhance your ability to scale effectively without losing sight of profitability.

Case Study 1: Driving Ticket Sales with Mobile-First Video Ads

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta found a way to boost ticket sales during slower periods by tapping into mobile-first video ads and closely monitoring performance. By focusing on data-driven targeting and adaptable creative strategies, they crafted a campaign that delivered measurable results.

With a large portion of their website traffic coming from mobile devices, the aquarium partnered with a creative team to produce short-form video content designed specifically for vertical and square formats. These videos highlighted captivating footage of key exhibits, behind-the-scenes moments, and visitor testimonials - all designed to grab attention quickly. This mobile-first strategy laid the groundwork for real-time adjustments throughout the campaign.

Daily Performance Monitoring and Quick Adjustments

Every morning, the team reviewed key performance metrics, such as audience engagement and cost efficiency. This daily analysis allowed them to reallocate budgets to the best-performing ad formats almost immediately. When certain formats underperformed, they adjusted their bidding strategies, particularly during high-traffic viewing times. These swift changes helped maximize the campaign's effectiveness as the budget scaled. Beyond these adjustments, refining the creative elements of the ads was just as crucial.

Creative Swaps to Boost Conversions

Initial testing revealed that behind-the-scenes content resonated better with viewers than traditional promotional videos. Acting on this insight, the team replaced earlier assets with user-generated content, educational clips featuring marine experts, and dynamic footage of the aquarium's daily operations.

One standout discovery was the impact of adding captions to videos. Since many users watch videos without sound, captions significantly improved engagement. This, combined with the shift to UGC-style videos, drove higher conversions. These deliberate creative tweaks not only improved viewer interaction but also allowed the campaign to scale more effectively.

Case Study 2: Scaling a DTC Product Launch with Cross-Platform Attribution

This case study dives into how a skincare startup successfully used cross-platform attribution to scale their product launch while maintaining a solid return on ad spend (ROAS). By focusing on tracking customer journeys across multiple platforms, the brand achieved growth without losing sight of efficiency.

The challenge? Launching their first retinol serum and reaching the right audience across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. The startup knew that customers rarely follow a straight path to purchase. For example, someone might first see a TikTok video, then research ingredients on YouTube, and finally make a purchase after seeing a Facebook ad. Without a clear attribution system, they risked overspending on channels that only seemed to drive conversions while neglecting the influence of other platforms.

To tackle this, they mapped every customer touchpoint and implemented unified tracking across the three platforms. This approach revealed which channels were best for building awareness, nurturing interest, and driving purchases. Armed with these insights, the team confidently increased their daily ad spend over three months, knowing where to allocate their budget for maximum impact.

Multi-Touch Attribution Across YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok

The startup’s attribution model assigned weighted credit to each platform based on its role in the customer journey. YouTube videos built awareness with in-depth content, TikTok clips provided viral social proof, and Facebook ads optimized for direct response sealed the deal with conversions.

This layered approach uncovered some key findings. YouTube played a critical role in building trust, TikTok boosted brand visibility, and Facebook delivered final conversions. TikTok, in particular, created viral moments that significantly expanded their audience, even though many conversions required multiple interactions across platforms.

The data also revealed that customers who engaged with content on multiple platforms had a higher lifetime value compared to those who interacted with just one. This insight led the team to adjust their strategy, putting more emphasis on YouTube’s informative content to build trust - even if it didn’t lead to immediate sales. Initially, they had relied heavily on last-click attribution, which skewed their budget toward Facebook. But with this multi-touch approach, they shifted to a more balanced strategy, allowing each platform to play to its strengths.

Real-Time Feedback for Spend and Creative Adjustments

The attribution system provided ongoing updates, enabling the team to make quick adjustments to both budget and creative assets. For instance, when YouTube videos showed strong engagement but low immediate conversions, they launched retargeting campaigns on Facebook and TikTok to re-engage those viewers. This tactic quickly boosted conversion rates.

The team also repurposed successful YouTube content, like ingredient breakdowns, into TikTok clips and Facebook carousel ads. This cross-channel reuse not only improved campaign performance but also cut down on production costs.

Real-time feedback allowed the team to respond to trends as they happened. For example, during a TikTok-driven viral moment that increased brand searches, they immediately shifted resources to Facebook and YouTube to capture the heightened interest. This quick pivot ensured they didn’t miss out on the surge in demand.

Another key finding was that customers who engaged with user-generated content (UGC) on TikTok were more likely to convert when retargeted on Facebook shortly after. This insight led to automated workflows that adjusted Facebook ad spend based on TikTok engagement levels. By fine-tuning touchpoint frequencies and retargeting schedules, the brand improved efficiency while maintaining a strong ROAS as their campaign scaled.

This agile, data-driven approach highlights how real-time adjustments can drive scalable success without sacrificing performance.

Case Study 3: Boosting Revenue with TikTok and Facebook Ads

An online apparel and accessories store faced the challenge of scaling its campaigns during a competitive holiday season while keeping profitability intact. By strategically testing creative content and expanding their audience focus, they achieved notable revenue growth and improved ROAS.

The brand’s strategy revolved around TikTok’s knack for driving engaging, viral content to build awareness and Facebook’s laser-sharp targeting to convert that interest into sales. Instead of approaching each platform separately, they designed a seamless strategy where TikTok content fed directly into Facebook retargeting campaigns, forming a powerful conversion funnel.

One key takeaway? Customers who engaged with TikTok content showed a higher intent to purchase when retargeted on Facebook shortly afterward. This insight helped them balance their creative budgets and set the stage for TikTok’s role in driving engagement.

TikTok Content Creation Driving Engagement

The TikTok strategy focused on authentic, user-generated content that highlighted the products in relatable, everyday scenarios. Rather than relying on polished product photography, the brand leaned into native content like styling tutorials, behind-the-scenes clips, and customer testimonials.

One standout campaign featured “outfit transition” videos, where users showcased before-and-after styling transformations using the brand’s accessories. These videos resonated with TikTok’s younger audience, generating strong engagement and feeding new awareness into the sales funnel.

The team conducted weekly tests of various creative approaches on TikTok. Unsurprisingly, videos featuring real customers consistently outperformed studio-produced content. This led them to collaborate with micro-influencers and encourage organic content submissions, which amplified both paid and organic reach.

While TikTok succeeded in sparking initial interest, Facebook campaigns were carefully crafted to turn that interest into actual sales.

Performance-Driven Campaign Structures

On Facebook, the campaigns were structured to capture and nurture interest generated by TikTok. They used detailed audience segmentation based on engagement, website activity, and purchase history to retarget users at every stage of their buying journey.

Their funnel approach included three stages:

• Awareness: Targeting new users unfamiliar with the brand.

• Consideration: Retargeting website visitors who showed interest but hadn’t purchased yet.

• Conversion: Focusing on users with strong purchase intent, like cart abandoners or past buyers.

Conversion campaigns were especially effective, using dynamic product ads and time-sensitive offers to re-engage users. Their results showed that TikTok-engaged users were far more likely to complete purchases when retargeted on Facebook compared to those exposed only to Facebook ads.

Real-time performance data drove their budget decisions, allowing daily adjustments and scaling during peak shopping periods. This approach ensured profitability while maximizing returns. Their attribution system played a crucial role, revealing which creative and audience combinations consistently delivered results.

To prevent ad fatigue, the brand implemented a system for rotating creative content. Ads were automatically paused when performance dipped, and fresh variations were introduced. This disciplined approach allowed them to scale spending without sacrificing results. The outcome? Revenue growth directly proportional to their scaling efforts, solidifying their ROAS success.

Key Takeaways and Strategy Comparison

The three case studies clearly demonstrate that scaling ad campaigns profitably is possible when you combine data-driven targeting, rapid creative testing, and accurate measurement systems. Each case study built upon the core principles we've already covered, showing how these strategies can lead to impressive results.

Scaling doesn't have to come at the cost of profitability. For example:

• Follow Your Legend increased ad spend by an incredible 944% while improving ROAS by 40%.

• ThinSlim Foods scaled their ad spend by 2.5× while maintaining a solid 3× ROAS.

• Ando achieved a 3.5 ROAS within just 30 days of implementing their new strategy.

These brands focused on mobile-friendly creative content and leaned heavily on user-generated content (UGC). They also used robust attribution systems to track performance accurately, which allowed them to make confident, data-backed decisions as they scaled.

Here’s a quick comparison of their strategies and results:

Comparison Table of Strategies and Results

The table underscores that timing and operational readiness are just as important as strategy. For instance, Follow Your Legend hit a growth ceiling due to inventory limitations, while Ando delayed its AI-powered campaigns until it had enough conversion data to ensure success.

Key Tactics for Scalable Campaign Success

Attribution and Measurement:
Accurate attribution systems allowed these brands to allocate their budgets precisely, ensuring that every dollar spent contributed to measurable performance.

Creative Testing Velocity:
The ability to test creative quickly and frequently was a game-changer. For example, Ando’s iterative messaging approach helped them pinpoint the exact messages that resonated with their audience.

User-Generated Content and Whitelisting:
Ando’s strategy of running ads from creator handles (UGC whitelisting) instead of their brand account not only reduced cost-per-click but also boosted overall performance. This highlights how relatable, authentic content often outperforms polished, brand-produced materials.

Platform-Specific Optimization:
Each platform has its own strengths, and tailoring content to those strengths while maintaining a consistent brand voice was key to driving both awareness and conversions.

Operational Readiness:
Scaling campaigns isn’t just about the ads - it’s about ensuring your inventory and logistics can handle the increased demand.

AI-Powered Campaign Structures:
Tools like Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns delivered strong results, but only when launched with sufficient historical data. Brands that waited to adopt AI tools until they had enough conversion data saw significant ROAS improvements, while those that rushed often struggled with underwhelming results.

The big takeaway? Scaling successfully requires a mix of strategic planning and operational discipline. Monitoring performance daily, swapping out underperforming creatives quickly, and knowing when to pause campaigns are what set profitable campaigns apart from those that simply drain budgets.

Conclusion: Achieving Campaign Scaling Success with OKAD Agency

Scaling ad campaigns while maintaining - or even improving - ROAS isn't just a dream; it's entirely possible with a focused and strategic approach. By combining data-driven targeting with creative testing, brands can achieve measurable growth that aligns with their goals. The success stories we've highlighted show how tailored strategies, like mobile-first video ads and authentic user-generated content (UGC), can drive meaningful results.

At OKAD Agency, we specialize in helping high-growth brands scale their campaigns through performance-focused short-form videos, dynamic ad creatives, and compelling UGC. We know that scaling isn't just about pouring more money into ad spend. It's about maintaining a creative edge and sticking to a disciplined testing process that ensures strong performance over time.

Our team prioritizes the elements that fuel successful campaigns: mobile-friendly formats, quick iteration cycles, and authentic creative assets that resonate across platforms. From shaping your brand identity to producing ongoing video content, we partner with you at every step to ensure your campaigns stay on track for growth.

The brands we've worked with demonstrate that treating creative content as a core strategic asset leads to effective testing, precise measurement, and continuous optimization. With OKAD Agency’s expertise in branding, video production, and performance-driven creative strategies, your campaigns can scale effectively while driving sustained growth.

With the right creative approach and reliable measurement systems, scaling campaigns while improving ROAS is absolutely within reach. Ready to take the next step? Let’s make it happen.

FAQs

How can brands use data-driven strategies to scale ad campaigns while maintaining strong ROAS?

To expand ad campaigns without sacrificing a strong return on ad spend (ROAS), brands should prioritize data-driven audience targeting and real-time adjustments. By diving into customer data and campaign performance metrics, businesses can pinpoint high-value audience groups and serve ads that resonate with their preferences and habits. This way, ad dollars are spent on users most likely to convert.

On top of that, using AI-powered bidding strategies can automatically tweak bids based on performance data, driving more conversions while keeping costs in check. Continuously reviewing and fine-tuning campaigns - considering both the numbers and how the creative performs - helps businesses scale effectively without losing sight of ROAS. A steady, iterative approach is essential for long-term growth.

How does user-generated content (UGC) help reduce ad fatigue and improve engagement in ad campaigns?

User-generated content (UGC) works wonders in cutting through ad fatigue and driving engagement. Why? Because it brings in fresh, relatable material that feels real and grabs attention. By showcasing diverse, real-life perspectives, UGC keeps ad content lively and avoids the trap of repetitive messaging that can turn audiences off.

Another big win with UGC is the trust factor. People are naturally more inclined to connect with content created by others like them. This sense of authenticity strengthens the bond with your audience and often results in higher engagement rates, giving your campaigns the fuel they need to perform well over time.

How does cross-platform attribution help optimize ad spend and improve campaign results?

Cross-platform attribution gives businesses a deeper understanding of how various marketing channels work together to drive conversions. By examining the performance of websites, apps, and social media interactions, it helps pinpoint which platforms deliver the most impact. This insight enables marketers to allocate budgets wisely and concentrate efforts on the channels that perform best.

With a clearer view of customer journeys, businesses can refine their targeting strategies, create more relevant ads, and boost their return on ad spend (ROAS). The result? Smarter decisions and better-performing campaigns across all platforms.

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• Performance Ads and Brand Identity: Best Practices

• How To Scale Ad Creatives Without Losing ROAS