Podcast Summary: Limited Supply - S13 E5: Why You Should Diversify Your Channels

Podcast Information:

• Title: Limited Supply
• Host: Nik Sharma
• Guests: Miranda A., Performance Marketing Manager at 365 Holdings
• Release Date: August 6, 2025
• Description: Host Nik Sharma dives deep into the realities of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands, emphasizing honesty over PR fluff. This episode features an in-depth conversation with Miranda Atkins, exploring the importance of diversifying marketing channels in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape.

1. Introduction

Nik Sharma kicks off the episode by highlighting the focus on tactical and strategic aspects of e-commerce, digital marketing, and building consumer brands. He briefly mentions the episode's sponsor, Applovin, detailing its significance in mobile advertising and its rapid growth within e-commerce spend.

• Quote:
  • "Applovin is the largest ad network for mobile games, reaching 150 million people per day." [00:28]

2. Guest Introduction: Miranda Atkins

Miranda Atkins, Performance Marketing Manager at 365 Holdings, joins the podcast. She oversees various advertising platforms, including Meta, Google, Applovin, and Pinterest. With a robust background in both creative arts and data-driven marketing, Miranda brings a unique perspective to the discussion.

• Quote:
  • "Being able to take visual elements and combine them with advertising is really important when you are approaching brands and marketing." [04:07]

3. Current Landscape of Paid E-commerce

Miranda discusses the challenges in the current e-commerce advertising environment, emphasizing the impact of privacy changes like iOS 14 on platforms like Meta. She underscores the necessity for brands to avoid over-reliance on a single advertising channel to ensure sustainability.

• Quote:
  • "If your brand is 100% dependent on new customer acquisition through Meta, you will fail at some point." [06:00]

4. Diversifying Advertising Channels

The conversation delves into the importance of spreading ad spend across multiple platforms to mitigate risks associated with platform-specific downturns. Miranda shares her strategy of allocating a percentage of the budget to various channels such as Pinterest, Applovin, and Snapchat.

• Quote:
  • "Even if I have 10 ad channels, they all get 10% of my spend. That to me is a more healthy business and an efficient way to scale." [06:30]

5. Measuring Success Across Channels

Miranda explains her approach to measuring campaign effectiveness, focusing primarily on click-through data rather than view-through metrics. She emphasizes the importance of third-party neutral reporting tools like Triple Whale for accurate performance assessment.

• Quote:
  • "I try to not look at view through. It just has to make sense profitably with click data." [08:20]

6. Creative Strategies for Different Platforms

The discussion shifts to how creative strategies must adapt to the nuances of each advertising platform. Miranda contrasts the brevity required on platforms like Meta with the extended format available on Applovin, allowing for more detailed and direct advertising messages.

• Quote:
  • "On Applovin, you have 30 seconds to tell them about all the colors, features, benefits, and create urgency." [12:34]

7. The Success Story with Applovin

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Miranda's experience with Applovin. After struggling with Meta's performance in Q4, Miranda pivoted to Applovin, resulting in rapid scaling and impressive ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). She details how Applovin's unique approach to unskippable ads allowed for effective brand messaging and high conversion rates.

• Quote:

  • "We went from zero to $80,000 a day in spend in seven days." [18:52]

• Quote:

  • "Our December was up like 150% year over year, maybe 200%, thanks to Applovin." [23:08]

8. Team Structure and Scaling in E-commerce Marketing

Miranda provides insight into her team's composition at 365 Holdings, highlighting the roles that support performance marketing. She discusses the balance between in-house capabilities and outsourcing, especially during peak seasons like Q4.

• Quote:
  • "We have a little flywheel where creative strategists, content creators, and organic social work together." [29:18]

9. Brand vs. Performance Marketing Integration

The interplay between brand and performance marketing is explored, with Miranda advocating for data-driven brand adjustments. She illustrates how emotional content derived from customer reactions can inform and enhance brand strategy.

• Quote:
  • "If somber and emotional content works really well for the brand, you have to forego what's written on a sheet." [33:21]

10. Future Channels and Tactics

Looking ahead, Miranda mentions experimenting with TikTok Shops, Snapchat, and expanding their use of Applovin. She emphasizes the importance of continuous testing and diversification to discover new customer acquisition avenues.

• Quote:
  • "We're testing Snapchat currently and plan to continue diversifying our channels." [35:42]

11. Advice on Staying Ahead in the Industry

Miranda shares her approach to staying informed, primarily utilizing platforms like Twitter (now X) to engage with brand owners and industry experts. She advises prioritizing insights from genuine brand operators over agencies or course sellers.

• Quote:
  • "Look at brand owners and thought leaders because their advice is based on what's working, not on selling something." [37:29]

12. Conclusion

Nik and Miranda wrap up the episode by reinforcing the significance of channel diversification and the collaborative nature of the e-commerce community. Miranda encourages listeners to connect with her on social platforms for further discussions.

• Quote:
  • "Everyone wants to see you win, and that's really special about E-comm." [40:07]

Key Takeaways:

• Diversification is Crucial: Relying on a single advertising platform like Meta can be risky. Spreading your ad spend across multiple channels ensures sustainability and mitigates potential downturns in any one platform.

• Data-Driven Strategies: Focus on actionable metrics like click-through rates and ROAS. Utilize third-party tools for unbiased performance measurement.

• Platform-Specific Creativity: Tailor your creative strategies to fit the unique demands of each platform. Longer formats on platforms like Applovin allow for more detailed and persuasive advertising.

• Continuous Testing: Always experiment with new channels and strategies. Success stories, like the rapid scaling achieved with Applovin, highlight the potential benefits of exploring diverse advertising avenues.

• Community and Learning: Engage with industry experts and brand owners through platforms like Twitter to stay updated and informed about the latest trends and effective practices.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "Applovin is the largest ad network for mobile games, reaching 150 million people per day." — Nick Sharma [00:28]
• "Being able to take visual elements and combine them with advertising is really important when you are approaching brands and marketing." — Miranda Atkins [04:07]
• "If your brand is 100% dependent on new customer acquisition through Meta, you will fail at some point." — Miranda Atkins [06:00]
• "Even if I have 10 ad channels, they all get 10% of my spend. That to me is a more healthy business and an efficient way to scale." — Miranda Atkins [06:30]
• "On Applovin, you have 30 seconds to tell them about all the colors, features, benefits, and create urgency." — Miranda Atkins [12:34]
• "We went from zero to $80,000 a day in spend in seven days." — Miranda Atkins [18:52]
• "If somber and emotional content works really well for the brand, you have to forego what's written on a sheet." — Miranda Atkins [33:21]
• "Look at brand owners and thought leaders because their advice is based on what's working, not on selling something." — Miranda Atkins [37:29]
• "Everyone wants to see you win, and that's really special about E-comm." — Miranda Atkins [40:07]

This episode of Limited Supply provides valuable insights into the importance of diversifying marketing channels in the DTC landscape. Miranda Atkins shares her experiences and strategies, highlighting the transformative impact of platforms like Applovin on business growth. The discussion underscores the necessity for adaptability, data-driven decision-making, and continuous experimentation in the dynamic world of e-commerce marketing.