Challenge
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the client, a female clothing retailer with a physical store in Qatar, faced significant challenges due to restricted in-store operations. With no established online presence, the business struggled to maintain revenue. The objective was to transition sales to an online platform and achieve a high return on ad spend (ROAS) in a highly competitive e-commerce environment.
Strategy
To address the client’s needs, a comprehensive Meta Ads strategy was implemented, leveraging various ad formats, budget types, and targeting approaches to maximize sales.
Ad Formats Tested
- Single Image Ads: Used to showcase individual clothing items.
- Video Ads: Highlighted product features, styling tips, and brand storytelling to engage the audience.
- Carousel Ads: Displayed multiple products in a single ad to encourage browsing.
Key Finding: Video Ads delivered the majority of the results, resonating strongly with the target audience due to their engaging and dynamic nature.
Budget Allocation
- Daily Budget: Tested to assess performance consistency.
- Lifetime Budget: Allowed for optimized ad delivery over the campaign duration.
Key Finding: Campaigns using a Lifetime Budget outperformed those with a Daily Budget, a unique outcome in the media buyer’s career, as it allowed Meta’s algorithm to optimize ad delivery more effectively over time.
Targeting Strategy
- Broad Targeting: Aimed at reaching a wider audience to test market response.
- Interest Stacking: Combined multiple relevant interests (e.g., fashion, female clothing, online shopping) to create a highly targeted audience.
- Key Finding: Interest Stacking yielded superior results, enabling precise targeting of potential customers interested in female clothing.
Campaign Execution
- Platform: Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram)
- Location Targeting: Qatar
- Objective: Sales conversion
- Key Tactics:
- Rapid setup of an online store to enable e-commerce functionality.
- Creative focus on Video Ads to showcase clothing collections and build brand trust.
- Use of Lifetime Budget to maximize ad delivery efficiency.
- Interest Stacking to target high-intent female audiences interested in fashion.
Results
The campaign delivered exceptional results, achieving a significant return on ad spend (ROAS) during a challenging period:
- ROAS Achieved:
- All campaigns achieved a ROAS above 100%, indicating profitability.
- Video Ads were the primary driver of sales, contributing the majority of conversions.
- Interest Stacking and Lifetime Budget strategies proved highly effective in optimizing ad performance.
Key Takeaways
- Video Ads Excelled: Video content was critical in engaging the audience and driving conversions, particularly for a brand transitioning from offline to online.
- Lifetime Budget Success: The use of Lifetime Budgets allowed Meta’s algorithm to optimize ad delivery, resulting in better performance compared to Daily Budgets.
- Interest Stacking Effectiveness: Combining multiple interest-based audiences increased targeting precision and improved campaign outcomes.
- Adaptability in Crisis: The rapid setup of an online store and strategic use of Meta Ads enabled the client to overcome lockdown challenges and achieve strong sales growth.
Conclusion
This case study demonstrates the power of strategic media buying in transforming a physical retail business into a successful e-commerce operation during the COVID-19 lockdown. By leveraging Video Ads, Lifetime Budgets, and Interest Stacking, the campaign achieved an impressive ROAS of up to 167%, showcasing the effectiveness of tailored Meta Ads strategies. For businesses seeking similar growth, partnering with a certified Meta Media Buyer like Umar Farooq can deliver measurable results.
