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Keep Optimising

Chloe Thomas

For 5 episodes at a time we focus in on one marketing method - maybe Email or SEO or Google Ads or Facebook Ads. 

In our weekly episodes, we go deep into a different area of the marketing method we’re focused on, with a guest selected because they are an expert in their field AND because they have a specific tactic or approach you NEED to know about.

That means for the whole 5 episodes you’re getting ideas about ONE THING, and you can focus your optimisation time along with us on that one marketing method. 

And then we take a week off to give you time to IMPLEMENT.

- Current Mini-Series = Google Ads

- Next Mini-Series = AI Search

- Last Mini-Series = CRO

Previous topics you can listen to right now: SEO, Email marketing, Black Friday, Facebook Ads, Marketing Foundations, Content Marketing, Organic Social Media, Google Ads, TikTok, & Improving Conversion Rates

You can hear a new episode for free every Wednesday. 

Each episode lasts about 30-45 minutes and is audio only.

I look forward to helping you keep optimising your marketing very soon!

Chloe Thomas, host of the show


About our host:

Chloe Thomas has been in marketing for over 15 years, she's the author of multiple best selling books on eCommerce and marketing, and the host of the award-winning UK top 5 marketing podcast, eCommerce MasterPlan.

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  • 26 episodes
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  • Avg 33 min
  • English

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  • #321
    October 7 · 31 min

    Google Ads: Review and Rebuild Your Strategy for Growth with Ger Hayden, Core Optimisation

    Ger Hayden is the Chief Digital Officer at Core Optimisation and has been deep in Performance marketing for over a decade, and somehow also finds time to be a Digital Marketing Lecturer. Ger’s worked across various sectors and for many clients winning awards and frequently driving triple digital year on year growth. In this episode, Ger and Chloe take a big-picture look at Google Ads and why now is the time to fully review your strategy. They explore how changes in the platform, customer search behaviour, data, creativity and AI should shape the way you approach Google Ads today. Dive in: [03:40] Copywriting in big corporations [06:36] Google Ads and Analytics Changes [12:51] Optimizing Google Ads with Data [14:50] Optimizing PMax for Better Placements [20:39] Attracting new eCommerce customers [22:16] Evolving Strategies for Google Ads [23:36] Insider Tips from Ger! Start Your Google Ads Strategy with Your Customer, Not the Platform Google Ads is still about reaching real people with real needs. Before changing campaigns, bidding or targeting, step back and look at how your customers search and buy. Search is becoming more conversational, with longer and more specific queries driven by tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini. This means your website, content and ads all need to answer customer questions at different stages of the journey. Use tools like Keyword Planner to understand what your customers are really looking for, rather than focusing only on clicks and CPCs. Make Your Data Work for Your Business Good Google Ads performance starts with good data. Your first-party customer data should be connected to Google Ads so the platform can optimise towards the customers and sales that matter most. Make sure your tracking, CRM data and commercial numbers are reliable before you start making strategic decisions. Ger also warns that a strong ROAS does not always mean your business is growing, as Google may be taking credit for sales that would have happened anyway. Look at Google Ads alongside your total revenue, new customer numbers, repeat purchases and other channels to understand the real impact. Treat Google Ads as a Bigger Growth Channel Google Ads is no longer just about keywords, bids and bottom-of-funnel sales. Performance Max can reach customers across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover and Google Maps, so eCommerce teams need to understand where their budget is going. Creative is also becoming more important as Google Ads moves closer to the way social and other media channels work. Keep reviewing your campaigns, creative, placements and goals instead of treating automated campaigns as a black box. As AI takes over more of the day-to-day optimisation, your biggest job will be setting the right strategy, data and business goals for it to work towards. Takeaways: Success in Google Ads isn’t just about data – it’s about people. Real ads connect with real needs. Insights start with understanding your audience, not just chasing numbers. Your Google Ads strategy should evolve with your customers and technology. Always review your goals, data, and creative to stay ahead of the curve. Don’t let automation make you forget creativity. As AI transforms Google Ads, creativity and compelling copy are now the real differentiators in performance marketing. Attribution isn’t perfect – for true growth, track the full impact of your marketing. Focus on real commercial outcomes, not just channel metrics. Small brands can be more agile in adopting new Google Ads strategies. Using great data and creative quickly is a unique competitive edge – don’t wait to innovate! Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/321 Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #320
    September 30 · 33 min

    Google Ads: Turn Local Searches into Store Visits with Hannah Zora Strong, Zora Marketing

    Hannah Zora Strong has spent the last 14 years managing and auditing 100s of Google Ads accounts, and regularly shares her expertise at many Google Ads conferences. She’s worked for some of the biggest agencies in the UK, and for the last 4 years has been running her own called Zora Marketing. In this episode, Hannah takes us through how to use Google Ads for local advertising, from setting up your Google Business Profile and tracking store visits to using Performance Max and local inventory ads to drive more customers to your stores. Dive in: [05:39] Linking Google Business Profile and Ads [07:41] GA4 and Business Profile merge [12:07] Setting up local Google Ads [13:39] Using Performance Max for ads [17:50] Setting campaign goals and optimization [21:27] Setting up local inventory ads [24:28] Insider Tips from Hannah! Connect Your Google Business Profile to Google Ads If you have physical stores, your Google Business Profile is the starting point for local Google Ads. Make sure each location is owned, accurate, and linked to your Google Ads account. This lets you connect ad activity with actions such as store visits, calls, website clicks, and directions. It also gives you a stronger foundation for local SEO and reporting. Use Performance Max and Local Inventory to Reach Nearby Shoppers Performance Max can help retailers put their products and physical stores in front of local shoppers across Google, including Google Maps. Local inventory ads take this further by showing shoppers which products are available at a nearby store. Together, these tools can connect online product searches with store visits and click-and-collect sales. The key is to make sure your product, location, and stock data are accurate so Google has the right information to show shoppers. Give Google the Right Data to Optimise Your Local Campaigns Good local advertising depends on good conversion data. If you want Google to optimise for store visits as well as eCommerce sales, give those visits a realistic value based on your average order value and in-store conversion rate. Then keep reviewing performance by location and exclude areas that waste spend. Hannah's wider advice is to get conversion tracking right from day one, so Google's automated bidding has useful data to work with. Takeaways: Local stores can drive real-life footfall with Google Ads. Don’t overlook the power of linking your Google Business Profile for maximum impact and measurability. Your digital ads can truly bring customers to your door. Conversion tracking is the backbone of effective Google Ads. Nail your set-up from day one, and watch as smart bidding optimizes for what really matters: actual results, not just clicks. Performance Max campaigns are your secret weapon for local advertising. Appear on Maps, target people nearby, and drive in-store traffic with tailored offers and relevant ad copy. Assigning value to store visits is crucial. Calculate your in-store conversion rate and average purchase, and Google Ads can optimize not just for clicks, but for walk-ins that truly matter. Keep a close eye on your location and product data: exclude what isn’t working, double down where it is. Local marketing success is built on these continuous, intentional tweaks. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/320 Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #319
    September 23 · 37 min

    Google Ads: Which New Features Should You Use (and Which Should You Skip)? with Jyll Saskin Gales, Inside Google Ads

    Jyll Saskin Gales spent 6 years at Google helping their largest advertisers to grow internationally. Now she’s all about helping all of us to improve our Google Ads results via her coaching and courses, the “Inside Google Ads” Podcast AND her bestselling, book “Inside Google Ads: Everything you need to know about Audience Targeting”. In this episode, Jyll cuts through the latest Google Ads updates, explaining which new features are worth using and which you can safely ignore. She also shares what advertisers should be doing now to prepare their campaigns for the holiday season. Dive in: [04:58] Explaining Google Shopping campaigns [09:12] Explaining Smart Bidding Exploration [11:17] Explaining Customer Lifecycle Goals [13:17] Common Google Ads mistakes [19:33] Google Merchant Center AI features [23:11] Using AI for product photos [25:49] Using YouTube for holiday campaigns [29:52] Insider Tips from Jyll! Focus on the Google Ads features that can improve holiday performance Google is adding more bidding, targeting and automation features, but that does not mean every eCommerce business needs to use them. Jyll recommends starting with the features that solve a clear problem in the account. For example, Maximize Conversion Value can help Shopping campaigns focus on revenue rather than clicks, while Promotion Mode is designed to help campaigns respond to a sales period. The key is to choose features that match the business goal and the campaign stage. Don’t switch on new features simply because they are new. Get your customer data and product feed right before relying on AI Google’s newer features depend more than ever on good data. Customer Lifecycle Goals can help advertisers target new, existing and high-value customers, but only when the customer lists are set up correctly. Jyll also highlights the growing importance of the Merchant Center feed, with new product attributes helping Google understand and present products in more ways. This means eCommerce brands should review their customer lists and product data before the holiday rush. Better inputs give Google’s automation and AI a stronger foundation to work from. Don’t chase every new AI feature AI Max for Shopping, AI creative tools and new automated campaign features can open up new opportunities. But Jyll’s advice is not to adopt every feature just because it is available. AI Max for Shopping, for example, offers a middle ground between Standard Shopping and Performance Max for advertisers who want more automation. Google’s AI tools can also help smaller teams create backgrounds, scenes and video assets without relying on a large creative team. The best approach is to test the features that solve a real need, while keeping strong campaign structure, tracking and creative fundamentals in place. Prepare for the holidays early and resist the urge to over-optimise Holiday Google Ads success starts well before Black Friday. Jyll recommends having the holiday strategy locked by September and campaigns ready by October at the latest. eCommerce brands should plan beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday, including December, post-Christmas and potentially January. She also warns against making constant changes in the name of optimisation, as too much testing can hurt performance. Plan early, give campaigns time to work and focus your changes on the things that can make a real difference. Takeaways: Ads don’t fix a bad offer – they amplify it. Before pouring budget into Google Ads, ensure your product has genuine demand and your website converts. Otherwise, it’s just burning money on more of the same. AI is transforming Google Ads, but the basics still win. Solid campaign structure, tight conversion tracking, and a well-managed Merchant Center feed prepare you for every new algorithm or shiny update. Creative in eCommerce isn’t just pretty images. Google now values videos, lifestyle shots, and even product Q&As. Feed your Merchant Center rich, diverse content to stand out in the age of AI shopping. Build demand before you capture it. Don’t wait for Black Friday to launch ads; start video and demand gen campaigns months ahead. Warm audiences convert better and help sustain sales beyond peak season. Resist the urge to optimize everything daily. Zoom out, do less, and focus on big strategic changes. Sometimes, the real magic comes from stepping back and letting strong fundamentals do their work. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/319 Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #318
    September 9 · 30 min

    CRO: Use AI to Improve eCommerce Conversion Rates with Elena Kostova, Uxify

    Elena Kostova is head of marketing at Uxify, an AI-native digital experience platform that helps websites achieve flawless user experience and double engagement. In this episode, Chloe and Elena explore where AI can genuinely improve eCommerce conversion rates, where human judgment still matters, and how brands can start using AI for CRO without risking their website or their brand. Dive in: [06:23] Balancing AI and human roles [09:24] AI automation in eCommerce [11:21] Analyzing user behavior data [14:02] AI agents in CRO for small brands [18:22] Changing AI and data trends [22:36] Insider Tips from Elena! Start with low-risk AI wins before automating everything Elena’s biggest message was simple: start small. Measure a real problem before you use AI to fix it. Begin with tasks such as image optimization, site speed, or friction removal. These changes are low risk and easy to monitor. Once you see results, you can expand AI into more advanced CRO work. Keep humans in control of branding and copy AI is useful for optimization, but it should not define your brand. Elena warned that shoppers can often spot AI-generated copy and imagery. Generic content makes stores look similar and reduces differentiation. Your product story, tone of voice, and visual identity still need a human owner. Use AI as an assistant, not as the final decision-maker for brand experience. AI changes CRO from periodic testing to continuous optimization Traditional CRO often relies on planned A/B tests that run for weeks. Elena explained that AI agents can optimize parts of the customer journey in real time. They learn from browsing behavior and keep improving as more data arrives. This is especially valuable for smaller Shopify stores that do not have enough traffic for constant formal testing. eCommerce teams can spend less time on routine optimization and more time on strategic growth work. Takeaways: AI is everywhere, but real brand magic comes from genuine experiences and human stories. People can spot AI-made content a mile away. Authenticity is what wins hearts in the long run. Letting AI handle routine tasks on your website unlocks time for your team to focus on creativity and brand building. Tech is powerful, but human touch defines the culture behind a business. The future blends AI-driven personalisation with conversion optimisation. But when it comes to your story, keep a human in the driver’s seat. Your brand’s unique voice matters more than ever. Optimising your user experience? Start small, measure everything, and use AI where it makes sense. Culture of experimentation leads to innovation, even with the help of advanced tech. As digital spaces evolve, the most successful brands will be those who merge AI efficiency with soul. Tech is the engine; culture and story are the fuel. Never lose sight of what makes you distinct. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/318 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #317
    September 2 · 32 min

    CRO: Reduce Bounce Rates with Faster Site Speed with Jordy Scholing, RUMvision

    Jordy Scholing is co-owner of RUMVision, where he and the team are obsessed with eCommerce site speed, especially all things Core Web Vitals. Trusted by over 750 companies including Loop Earplugs and Suzuki. In this episode, Chloe and Jordy unpack how site speed affects bounce rates, SEO, and conversion rates – and why Core Web Vitals should be monitored continuously, not checked once and forgotten. They also share practical ways to turn performance data into actions that improve the customer experience and drive more sales. Dive in: [04:56] Improving website loading speed [09:54] Web performance monitoring tools [13:08] Audience differences in web traffic [16:30] Importance of Core Web Vitals [18:33] Optimizing website speed for users [21:43] AI's impact on web layout shifts [23:37] Insider Tips from Jordy! Site speed is a conversion problem, not just a technical problem Jordy explained that shoppers can leave a site in seconds if it feels slow. On mobile, it only takes one swipe to return to Google and choose a competitor. That means every extra second can hurt revenue. Fast landing pages are important, but the rest of the journey matters too. Product pages, carts, and checkout pages must all feel quick and responsive if you want to reduce bounce rates and increase sales. Core Web Vitals should be monitored continuously One of the biggest lessons in the episode was that Core Web Vitals are not fixed numbers. Performance changes based on the visitor’s device, internet connection, location, and browsing conditions. A campaign that attracts more users on cheaper smartphones can make your performance scores worse overnight. That is why Jordy recommends monitoring real user data regularly, not checking a score once a year. eCommerce teams should treat site speed like a live business metric and keep it on their dashboards. Passing Core Web Vitals is only the starting point Jordy made a useful distinction between SEO and CRO. For SEO, the goal is to pass Google’s Core Web Vitals thresholds. For CRO, the goal is to make the experience fast for as many customers as possible, including slower users. He suggested focusing on the slowest segment of visitors, because that is often where the biggest conversion gains are hidden. Small improvements add up, so teams should prioritize practical fixes, measure the impact, and keep optimizing over time. Takeaways: Did you know if your website takes over 3 seconds to load, half your visitors might leave? In our fast-paced digital world, user patience is lower than ever. Speed isn’t just tech – it’s part of your brand experience. Core Web Vitals aren’t just numbers. They change depending on who visits your site, on what device, and from where. True digital culture means continuous improvement, not a one-time fix. Focusing on the slowest 25% of your website users can yield bigger conversion gains than just optimizing for the majority. Serving everyone well is a mark of inclusive digital culture. Speed and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Lighter websites use less energy and are more accessible to all users. Making your site faster isn’t just good business. It’s the responsible thing to do. Web performance affects not only user experiences but also AI interactions. Building a better, faster site today means you’re ready for the next wave of digital culture: AI-powered browsing! Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/317 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #316
    August 26 · 31 min

    CRO: Turn Customer Behaviour Data into More Sales with Carolina Dibb, Carolina Dibb Consulting

    Carolina Dibb set up her own CRO consultancy in 2023 after working with mega brands including Amazon, MR PORTER, and the British Museum Company. At her consultancy she help’s independent eCommerce brands understand customer behaviour and improve website performance through customer insight, analytics and optimisation strategy. In this episode, Carolina explains how to move beyond surface-level metrics and use customer behaviour data to uncover what’s really stopping shoppers from converting. She shares a practical framework for identifying opportunities, prioritising changes, and making smarter optimisation decisions. Dive in: [05:38] Identifying and optimizing narratives [07:22] Analyzing Metrics and Conversion Rates [13:26] Optimizing eCommerce conversion rates [14:24] Challenges of A/B testing in marketing [19:29] Reviewing metrics for strategic focus [21:44] Improving product setup processes [25:27] Insider Tips from Carolina! Let Customer Behaviour Data Lead Your CRO Strategy The best CRO decisions start with data, not opinions. Carolina explains that many brands jump straight to solutions before understanding the real problem. Instead, look at your analytics, heatmaps, and customer feedback together to uncover the story behind the numbers. Break your data down by product, page, traffic source, or customer type to find patterns. When you understand how customers actually behave, you can focus your efforts where they will have the biggest impact. Turn Metrics Into Actionable Insights A conversion rate is just a number until you understand what is driving it. Carolina encourages brands to dig deeper instead of looking at overall performance alone. Find out where shoppers are dropping off and why. Someone who never adds to cart needs a different solution than someone who abandons checkout. Looking at customer behaviour in context helps you build stronger hypotheses and make smarter optimisation decisions. Focus on Continuous Improvement, Not Perfect Testing Not every website change needs a complex A/B test. Carolina says many proven best practices, like adding reviews or improving product descriptions, can simply be rolled out and monitored. The key is to make changes methodically and track what happens afterwards. Review your conversion data regularly and let it guide your next priority. CRO works best when it becomes an ongoing process of learning and improving, rather than a one-time project. Takeaways: Carolina urges us to let data guide website improvements. Stay curious, dig deeper into analytics, and keep an open mind about what really needs fixing in your business. Heatmaps are an underrated superpower. They reveal how humans actually navigate your site, showing what gets noticed and what’s ignored. Observing real behavior builds empathy and sharper decisions. Don’t get stuck chasing the one magic metric. Carolina recommends layering qualitative and quantitative insights. Pair stats with real customer feedback for that holistic, human-centered perspective. Processes protect your learnings. Carolina stresses the value of repeatable SOPs for site changes so you don’t relearn the same things every year. Culture happens in the systems you create. Culture of curiosity for the win. Keep asking, observing, and adjusting as the world changes. Making time for monthly reviews ensures brands grow with their ever-evolving customers. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/316 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #315
    August 19 · 33 min

    CRO: 5 Mistakes Quietly Killing Your eCommerce Conversion Rate with Ashu Dubey, Alhena AI

    Ashu Dubey is CEO of Alhena AI, where they’re focused on reshaping the future of online shopping through AI innovation from AI Search engines through to every customer interaction. Clients include Victoria Beckham, dryrobe, Crocus, and Unilever Prestige. In this episode, Ashu joins Chloe to break down the five conversion mistakes quietly costing eCommerce brands sales, from confusing product pages to underused AI tools. He shares practical fixes you can implement quickly to improve conversions, create a better shopping experience, and turn more visitors into buyers. Dive in: [05:10] AI personal shopping agents [09:32] Designing Clear Website CTAs [12:11] Improving chatbot engagement [16:25] AI nudges for indecisive shoppers [18:45] Improving social interaction in shopping [20:57] Educating users on AI capabilities [23:55] Insider Tips from Ashu! [29:56] Episode sponsored by Alhena AI. Head to Alhena.ai https://alhena.ai/ to book a demo. 1. Making every CTA scream Many eCommerce sites add too many bright buttons and promotional messages to the product page. These extra calls to action compete with the Add to Cart button. Shoppers get distracted and stop moving toward purchase. Ashu’s advice is simple: give each page one clear primary action. Every other button, banner, or tool should support that action, not fight with it. 2. Hiding your best sales associate in a chat bubble Brands often invest in powerful AI tools and then hide them in a small chat icon. Most shoppers only use chat bubbles for support questions after a purchase. They rarely think to use them for product discovery. Ashu recommends placing AI prompts directly on product and category pages. Make help visible where shoppers are already making decisions. 3. Assuming shoppers know what they want Filters and product grids work for confident buyers, but many visitors arrive unsure of what to choose. A good store associate asks questions and narrows the options. Ashu believes your website should do the same. Use AI or guided prompts to ask a few simple questions and recommend the best products. This reduces choice overload and helps shoppers buy faster. 4. Forgetting that shopping is social Shopping is often a social activity, but most online stores treat it as a solo task. Customers want feedback from friends and family before they buy. Ashu suggests making products, outfits, and recommendations easy to share. A simple sharing flow can keep shoppers engaged with your site instead of sending them elsewhere. More social interaction can lead to more carts and more completed checkouts. 5. Assuming shoppers know what modern AI can do Modern retail AI can recommend shades, build routines, suggest outfits, and answer complex product questions. Most customers do not know these features exist unless you tell them. Ashu says brands must actively explain AI capabilities within the shopping journey. Use clear prompts such as “Find my shade” or “Build my skincare routine.” When shoppers understand the value, they are far more likely to use the tool and convert. Takeaways: Shopping has always been social. Think friends, family, conversation. Why settle for a sterile online experience? Make your ecommerce journey more interactive, and watch both joy and conversions soar. Hiding your AI assistant behind a bland chat bubble? Don’t! Put helpful, proactive tools front and center on your site. The best tech deserves a stage, not a corner. Don’t assume customers know what they want. Online needs the same gentle guidance as in-store. Smart nudges and product suggestions rooted in real needs make shoppers feel understood. Too many flashy CTAs? Simplify. Clarity creates confidence. When your site is clear and focused, customers can glide to checkout without distraction and love you for it. AI is ready to do more than answer 'where’s my order?' Let shoppers know everything it can do: from finding a shade to styling a look. Educate, and your new tech becomes their favorite helper. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/315 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #314
    August 12 · 32 min

    CRO: Fix Your Trust Gaps to Increase Conversions with Rebecca Boyle, Lissah & Boyle

    Rebecca Boyle is a brand strategist and fractional CMO at Lissah & Boyle. In this episode, Rebecca explains how identifying and fixing trust gaps can dramatically improve your conversion rate. From creating a distinctive brand voice to using stronger social proof and customer research, she shares practical ways to build confidence and turn more visitors into customers. Dive in: [06:09] Using visuals for credibility [09:42] Using a consistent brand voice [13:28] Understanding Unique Selling Points [17:09] Improving product testimonials and guarantees [20:13] Connecting Emotion to Product Benefits [22:09] Understanding Ideal Customer Profiles [25:49] Insider Tips from Rebecca! Trust is built long before the checkout Many brands think about trust only at checkout. Rebecca explains that trust starts much earlier. Every touchpoint matters, from your social posts to your homepage and product pages. Small signals like clear messaging, testimonials, guarantees, and consistent branding all help customers feel confident. When shoppers trust your business at every stage, they are more likely to buy and less likely to compare you with competitors. Differentiate your brand, not just your products If your products are similar to everyone else's, your brand needs to stand out. Rebecca encourages businesses to focus on what makes them genuinely different. That could be your customer service, your personality, your expertise, or the experience you provide. Then make that difference visible in every piece of copy you write. A consistent brand voice helps customers remember you and gives them a reason to choose you over another store selling similar products. Write for your customer, not your product Product features are important, but they rarely close the sale on their own. Customers want to know how a product solves their problem or improves their life. Rebecca recommends talking to customers, reading reviews, and using forums like Reddit to understand the language they use. That research helps you write copy that feels relevant and relatable. The better you understand your audience, the easier it becomes to create product pages that convert. Takeaways: Consistent branding doesn't just attract customers; it helps recruit top talent. When your reputation stands out, people gravitate toward you, inside and outside your business. How are you building that recognition into your culture? Differentiation isn't about being extraordinary. Sometimes, it's the small, authentic touches—amazing service, humor, true care—that make your brand memorable and trusted in a crowded marketplace. Real trust comes from specifics. Generic testimonials and vague guarantees trigger doubt. Give tangible examples, clear promises, and authentic stories to bridge the trust gap with your audience. To connect deeply, speak your customer's language. Research their hobbies, pain points, and daily routines, and tailor your messaging as if writing to a friend, not a faceless buyer. True relevance builds loyalty. In a world flooded by AI and automation, human connection is your advantage. Let your authenticity and personality shine in every interaction. The future belongs to brands that feel real. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/314 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #313
    July 29 · 45 min

    Email: Improve Deliverability with a Smarter Lifecycle Strategy with Chintan Doshi, Mavlers

    Chintan Doshi is Senior Director of Marketing Automation at Mavlers, a global email marketing and CRM agency with over 700 people across 52 countries. Day to day he works across multiple platforms including Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Braze, Klaviyo, and HubSpot, driving performance for global clients. In this episode, Chintan explains why email deliverability is the result of a strong lifecycle strategy—not just technical setup. He shares practical advice on building customer trust, maintaining list health, and measuring the metrics that really drive long-term email performance. Dive in: [08:24] Impact of Email Deliverability Issues [12:23] Building Email Inbox Trust [15:11] Focusing on customer behavior signals [18:47] Focusing on meaningful email metrics [19:52] Analyzing email marketing metrics [23:38] Email marketing frequency and list hygiene [28:46] Importance of channel-specific consent [32:15] Improving email engagement strategy [33:35] Insider Tips from Chintan! Episode sponsored by Mavlers. Book a meeting with the Mavlers team at https://www.mavlers.com/ Treat Deliverability as a Business Strategy, Not a Technical Problem Many brands think email deliverability is just about authentication and inbox placement. Chintan argues that it starts much earlier. It comes from sending relevant content to people who actually want to receive it. When subscribers engage with your emails, inbox providers reward your sender reputation. Better deliverability leads to more opens, more clicks, and ultimately more revenue. Prioritize a Healthy Email List Over a Bigger One A large email list is not always an advantage. Chintan recommends focusing on engaged subscribers instead of trying to email everyone. Make it easy for people to unsubscribe if they no longer want your emails. Regularly remove inactive contacts and run win-back campaigns before sunsetting them. A smaller, healthier list will outperform a large database filled with disengaged subscribers. Measure Business Results, Not Vanity Metrics Open rates are no longer the best way to judge email performance. Privacy changes have made them much less reliable. Instead, Chintan recommends tracking metrics like clicks, purchases, website activity, customer retention, and revenue per recipient. These metrics show how email contributes to real business growth. They also help you make smarter decisions about your lifecycle strategy and future campaigns. Takeaways: Email marketing success isn’t just about flashy campaigns; it’s about building trust. When subscribers feel valued and engaged, deliverability and revenue follow naturally. Focus on customer experience, not just the numbers. Let unsubscribers go! Forcing engagement hurts reputation long-term. Easy exits show respect, keeping your list (and brand) healthy. Quality beats quantity always. Privacy changes mean open rates are vanity metrics now. Actions—clicks, purchases, real engagement—are the new gold. Optimize for what your subscribers actually do, not just what they see. A governance model in email isn’t boring; it’s essential. Clear ownership, frequency caps, and regular list hygiene protect both your brand and your customers. Proactivity wins over panic. Before automating everything, nail your fundamentals: proper authentication, genuine consent, and transparent data practices. The boring stuff builds the foundation for creative, sustainable growth. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/313 Try Klaviyo for free >>> https://keepopt.com/klaviyo **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #312
    July 22 · 25 min

    Email: Clean Your Email List to Improve Deliverability and Engagement with Nina De la Cruz, Getsitecontrol

    Nina De la Cruz is one of the team at Getsitecontrol, an on-site engagement and email marketing platform used by 1,000s of eCommerce brands worldwide. If your email performance has started to slip, your list could be the culprit. Nina reveals how better list hygiene can improve engagement, strengthen deliverability, and help you get more value from every email you send. Dive in: [04:51] Importance of cleaning email lists [07:05] Email list cleaning steps [11:48] Email list cleaning strategies [14:44] Evaluating aggressive list growth strategies [18:17] Insider Tips from Nina! Treat Your Email List as an Asset, Not a Vanity Metric Many brands focus on growing their email list as quickly as possible. Nina argues that list quality matters more than list size. A large list filled with inactive or disposable addresses will hurt your results. It can reduce engagement rates and damage your sender reputation. eCommerce brands should focus on attracting subscribers who genuinely want to hear from them and are likely to become customers. Clean Your List Before Problems Affect Deliverability Email list cleaning should happen before deliverability issues appear. Nina highlights three key moments to review list quality: during platform migrations, after aggressive list-building campaigns, and before re-engagement sends. These activities often introduce low-quality or inactive contacts into your database. Sending to those contacts can trigger spam filters and lower inbox placement rates. Regular list cleaning helps ensure your best customers continue receiving your emails. Use Engagement Data to Protect Future Performance Mailbox providers are paying more attention to how subscribers interact with your emails. If too many people ignore your messages, future campaigns may struggle to reach the inbox. That makes subscriber engagement a critical metric for every eCommerce marketer. Nina recommends automating re-engagement campaigns and removing contacts who no longer interact with your brand. A smaller but highly engaged audience will often generate better results than a much larger inactive list. Takeaways: Rethink your email list: it’s not just a number, it’s an audience you’re responsible for. Focus on building genuine relationships, not just growing for growth’s sake. Real engagement beats noise every time. Email deliverability isn’t just technical; marketers have more control than they think. Cleaning your list regularly helps boost reputation and ensures your messages reach actual people, not empty inboxes. Removing disengaged and invalid contacts is crucial. Don’t pay for contacts who don’t care, and protect your sender reputation by keeping your list healthy. Quality over quantity wins in the inbox. Big campaigns? Always clean your list. Whether you’re migrating to a new platform, running giveaways, or reactivating dormant lists, start with quality data so you don’t damage your sender reputation. Automate your list hygiene: use double opt-in, re-engagement campaigns, and quality checkers. The cleaner your data, the better your results, and the truer your email stats and campaign insights. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/312 Try Klaviyo for free >>> https://keepopt.com/klaviyo **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #311
    July 15 · 32 min

    Email: 4 Ways to Improve Your Popups with Taras Talimonchuk, Claspo

    Taras Talimonchuk is the CMO at Claspo, experts in popups for both email sign ups and CRO. As well as providing excellent popup software (we use it ourselves on the Keep Optimising and other websites!) they also do a TON of research into what’s working. If your popup strategy begins and ends with "10% off for your email address," this episode will give you a lot to think about. Taras reveals how leading brands are using segmentation, personalization, and gamification to turn more website visitors into loyal subscribers and customers. Dive in: [06:20] Identifying buyer journey stages [08:13] Tailored customer pop-up strategies [10:49] Optimizing pop-up marketing tactics [14:45] Implementing Spam Prevention Checks [17:44] Testing email gate strategies [23:01] Cart recovery strategies [25:06] Discussing popup strategies [25:36] Insider Tips from Taras! 1 - Improve How You Deploy Your Popups Most brands still show the same popup to every visitor. Taras argues that this approach leaves money on the table. Instead, tailor your popups based on who the visitor is, where they came from, and where they are in their buying journey. A first-time visitor from Google may need education or a quiz, while a returning visitor may respond better to an offer. The more relevant the popup, the more likely it is to convert the right people into subscribers and customers. 2 - Focus on Data Quality, Not Just List Growth A bigger email list is not always a better email list. Bots and fake signups can damage your sender reputation and hurt deliverability. That means your emails may stop reaching genuine customers. Taras recommends validating email addresses before they enter your ESP and regularly reviewing signup quality. Clean data leads to better engagement, better deliverability, and more revenue from email marketing. 3 - Use Gamification the Right Way Gamified popups can drive excellent results when they are simple and fair. Many brands make the mistake of hiding rewards behind an email gate or creating games that feel rigged. Instead, let visitors play first and reveal the reward before asking for an email address. This creates trust and improves the overall experience. Make sure the game fits your brand and feels like a natural part of the customer journey. 4 - Personalize the Popup Experience Personalization should start before someone joins your email list. Taras shared examples such as showing cart contents in an exit popup or tailoring popup copy to the keyword that brought the visitor to your site. These small touches make the experience feel more relevant and helpful. Visitors are more likely to engage when the message matches their intent. Better relevance usually leads to higher conversion rates and stronger long-term customer value. Takeaways: Pop ups aren’t just tools for quick wins. Rethink them as the first step in building lasting customer relationships, not just collecting email addresses for a single blast. Start with connection, not the discount. Why offer the same pop up to everyone? Personalized triggers—based on journey, source, and behavior—are key. One size does not fit all in a world of nuanced online experiences. Beware the “discount hunter” list. Taras highlights the power of attracting subscribers genuinely interested in your brand journey, not just one-off deals. Loyalty starts at first contact. Gamification works when it’s fair and fun. Avoid games that feel rigged. Reward honestly and let them play first, then ask for emails. Trust is everything in digital experiences. Data hygiene matters. Pop ups can attract bots, polluting your email base. Filtering for quality leads protects your brand’s reputation and improves results. Think clean from the start. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/311 Try Klaviyo for free >>> https://keepopt.com/klaviyo **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #310
    July 8 · 37 min

    Email: How to Build a B2B eCommerce Email Strategy That Drives More Sales with Kyler Nixon, Forward Studios

    Kyler Nixon is the co-founder of Forward Studios, and host of the Darn Good Distributors podcast. And he’s all about B2B eCommerce. Especially how to use email marketing to grow B2B eCommerce sales. From intent-based segmentation and plain-text campaigns to smarter abandoned cart flows and email deliverability, Kyler shares a refreshingly simple approach to B2B eCommerce email marketing. If you're selling to businesses, there's plenty here to help you generate more revenue from email. Dive in: [06:25] Working with distributors online [11:46] Segmenting for purchase readiness [13:53] Identifying High-Intent Customers [18:21] B2B sales strategies without discounts [19:17] Challenges in B2B marketing [22:48] Engaging email marketing results [27:03] Insider Tips from Kyler! Segment Customers by Buying Intent, Not Email Engagement One of Kyler's biggest lessons is that B2B buyers should be segmented based on buying intent rather than email engagement. A customer who opens every email is not necessarily ready to place an order. Instead, look for signals like product views, quote requests, repeat visits, or items added to a cart. These actions tell you who is actively in the market. For eCommerce brands, this means sending more sales-focused emails to high-intent customers while nurturing everyone else until they are ready to buy. Simple Emails Often Outperform Beautiful Ones Many eCommerce teams spend hours designing complex email campaigns. Kyler argues that B2B buyers want something much simpler. His best-performing emails are often plain text, under 100 words, and contain just one link. Busy buyers do not want to scroll through a digital catalogue. They want a clear message that helps them solve a problem or place an order quickly. Even DTC brands can learn from this by testing simpler emails that focus on action rather than design. Stop Relying on Discounts to Drive Sales Discounts are a common tool in eCommerce, but Kyler believes they are often less effective in B2B. Business buyers care more about convenience, speed, availability, and reliability than saving a small percentage on an order. Instead of offering discounts, highlight the benefits that make buying easier. This could be fast shipping, expert support, in-stock products, or flexible payment terms. The lesson for eCommerce operators is clear: focus your marketing on the value you provide, not just the price you charge. Takeaways: B2B email marketing isn’t about flashy designs. It’s about real, human connections. Authentic, text-based emails, sent at the right moment, build trust and keep your brand top of mind where it matters most. Instead of blasting everyone, segment your B2B email list by buyer intent. Engaged now? Get targeted info. Not ready to buy? Value and nurture them. Culture thrives when you respect where people are on their journey. Ditch the discount culture in B2B. True value is in speed, expertise, and relationship—not a coupon code. The most loyal customers remember how you help their business, not the last promo you sent. Business buyers are people, too. Every email is H2H: human to human. Prioritize relevant, concise messages that speak directly to their needs, not corporate jargon or mass mailouts. The future of email is more human, not more AI. As spam filters tighten, the emails that will stand out aren’t the most automated; they’re the most personal and genuinely helpful. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/310 Try Klaviyo for free >>> https://keepopt.com/klaviyo **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #309
    July 1 · 29 min

    Email: How to Find Endless Newsletter Content Ideas with Kate Hammond, Sunbeam Marketing

    Kate Hammond has been delivering CRM strategies in global markets since 2009. Specialising in DTC growth, mainly on Klaviyo and Ometria, via her agency Sunbeam Marketing she helps brands like Rani & Co, Noble Panacea, and Saira to build out their email marketing driving loyalty and retention. Tune in to discover Kate's framework for generating endless newsletter ideas, creating more relevant email content, and building stronger customer relationships. Plus, she shares her advice on email frequency, content planning, and the role of automated flows in driving revenue. Dive in: [04:35] Startup experience and strategic growth [08:40] Shifting mindset to customer needs [12:32] Highlighting product uniqueness [15:48] Analyzing seasonal market trends [18:57] Nurturing email lists effectively [21:50] Insider Tips from Kate! Stop Thinking About What You Sell and Start Thinking About Why Customers Buy One of Kate's biggest lessons is that great email content starts with customer motivation. Many brands focus their newsletters on products, categories, and promotions. But customers care more about the problems those products solve. Instead of sending an email about dresses, send one about wedding season, holiday packing, or finding an outfit for a special event. When you focus on why people buy, you unlock far more content ideas and create emails that feel more relevant and useful. Build Your Newsletter Strategy Around Content Buckets When you're struggling for ideas, having a content framework makes planning much easier. Kate recommends creating content buckets such as educational content, seasonal topics, brand stories, product spotlights, customer reviews, and promotional campaigns. This approach helps you avoid sending the same type of email over and over again. It also creates a more balanced experience for subscribers. For eCommerce brands with a small product range, content buckets are a simple way to keep newsletters fresh without constantly launching new products. Focus on Quality and Relevance, Not Email Volume There is no perfect number of emails to send each week. The right frequency depends on how your audience responds and what your team can realistically produce. Kate advises brands to monitor engagement, clicks, website visits, and unsubscribe rates rather than following industry benchmarks. Sending more emails only works if the content remains valuable and well executed. For most eCommerce teams, a smaller number of high-quality emails will outperform a larger number of rushed campaigns. Takeaways: Struggling for email content? Shift from "what we sell" to "why customers buy." Focus on solving their problems and you’ll unlock stories that resonate and connect deeply. Don’t let a small SKU list stop you. Mix up your emails: educational tips, founder stories, seasonal content, and customer spotlights keep your brand fresh and engaging. Speak to your customers often—surveys and calls reveal the real reasons they buy. Let their stories inspire your next great campaign and stand out from the crowd. Quality over quantity: send emails as long as subscribers engage, but don’t burn out your team. Refresh your email mix, test themes, and let results guide your cadence. Email is just one touchpoint—sync your messaging across social, SMS, and even packaging for a seamless brand experience your customers remember. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/309 Try Klaviyo for free >>> https://keepopt.com/klaviyo **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #308
    June 17 · 45 min

    Meta Ads: 6 Creative Myths Busted with Aggie Meroni, White Bee Digital

    Aggie Meroni is the founder and CEO of White Bee Digital, a paid social agency supporting eCommerce businesses as they scale. AND the author of the Amazon best seller book “Crack The Code: The Strategic Meta Ads Framework To Scale Your eCommerce Brand”. Returning guest Aggie joins Chloe to separate fact from fiction in the world of Meta Ads. Together, they unpack six common creative myths and reveal the strategies helping eCommerce brands get better results from their ad spend in 2026. Dive in: [09:45] Focusing on eCommerce fundamentals [11:31] Understanding ad volume based on budget [14:51] Building a creative system [17:25] Challenges using AI for ad creation [22:22] Using AI in marketing content [24:40] Using AI for ad video snippets [26:41] Testing ad angles effectively [31:50] Importance of video in advertising [34:05] Managing Meta ads for clients [36:58] Insider Tips from Aggie! Myth #1: If Your Ads Aren’t Working, You Have a Creative Problem Many brands assume poor results mean their ads are bad. Aggie says that is often not true. Creative is important, but it is only one part of the equation. A weak website, a poor offer, or incorrect profitability targets can all hurt performance. Before blaming your ads, make sure the rest of your marketing and eCommerce setup is working properly. Myth #2: You Need to Test 50 Creatives a Week This advice gets repeated a lot, but it lacks context. Brands with massive budgets may need a high volume of creatives. Smaller brands usually do not. Aggie says the focus should be on creating the right ads, not the most ads. A clear creative system will outperform random volume every time. Myth #3: AI-Generated Creatives Are a Quick Fix AI can help speed up parts of the creative process, but it is not a complete solution. It still needs direction, strategy, and human oversight. Most AI-generated ads require editing before they are ready to use. Brands that expect AI to do everything often end up frustrated. The best results come when AI supports a strong creative strategy rather than replacing it. Myth #4: Real UGC Is Dead Because AI UGC Is Cheaper Aggie believes authentic content is becoming more valuable, not less. Consumers want to see real people using real products. They are becoming better at spotting content that feels fake or overly polished. When trust is lost, performance often suffers too. Brands should continue investing in genuine creators who can produce believable and relatable content. Myth #5: Creative Volume Matters More Than Creative Quality Producing hundreds of ads means very little if they all say the same thing. Aggie shared examples of brands creating large numbers of creatives without improving results. The problem was not the volume. The problem was the lack of meaningful testing. Strong creative strategy focuses on different messages, angles, and customer motivations. Quality insights will always beat quantity alone. Myth #6: Static Ads Are the Only Way to Test Messaging at Scale Some marketers believe static images are the fastest way to test new ideas. While static ads are quick to produce, they are not always the best format. Certain messages are easier to explain through video. Product demonstrations, founder stories, and unboxing experiences often perform better in motion. Brands should test the format that best communicates the message, not default to static ads every time. Takeaways: In the AI age, consumers crave authenticity. It’s not about glossy influencers, but real people sharing real stories, even if it’s in sweatpants with morning coffee. Allocate your marketing to genuine voices. Connection wins hearts. Chasing 50 ad creatives a week? The real win is building a repeatable creative system. Focus on deep research and intentional messaging, not just high volume. Quality, tested angles beat quantity every time. AI tools are everywhere, but they’re not a magic wand for ad creatives. Mixing quick AI-made content with human input works, but real insight, strategy, and brand depth still need a personal touch. Real user-generated content is thriving, not dying. People respond to honest, unpolished moments—think a gym selfie or coffee run—over AI-generated perfection. Brands gain trust through relatable stories, not scripts. Who owns creative? Top-performing brands don’t silo strategy or creation. Agencies and brands must collaborate on research and messaging for ads that truly resonate and reflect authentic culture. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/308 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #307
    June 10 · 36 min

    Meta Ads: Drive More Sales Using Partnership Ads with Christina Bell, Webtopia

    Christina Bell is the Head of Strategy at Webtopia UK, a performance marketing agency focused on helping high-growth, founder-led DTC brands scale with data, testing, and storytelling. In this episode, we explore how eCommerce brands can use Meta partnership ads to improve ROAS, reduce ad costs, and build more effective creator-led campaigns. Christina shares practical strategies for testing, optimisation, and preparing your Meta ads strategy for peak sales periods. Dive in: [04:54] Explaining partnership ads on Meta [08:27] Making advertising simple for everyone [09:56] Testing and integrating partnership ads [15:24] Partnering with content creators [16:41] Collaborations with Social Media Influencers [21:30] Understanding Customer Profiles [24:17] Optimal initial ad spend percentage [28:16] Insider Tips from Christina! [32:18] Episode sponsored by Webtopia. Get in touch with Team Webtopia for your free growth audit. Partnership ads work best when you test early and test often One of the biggest lessons from this episode is that partnership ads are not a quick win. They need time and structured testing. Too many brands try one creator, see mixed results, and stop too soon. Christina explains that success comes from testing multiple creators, hooks, and messaging angles over several months. For eCommerce brands, this matters because consistent testing helps you find the creative combinations that will scale when competition gets more expensive. Know your customer before you build your campaigns Strong Meta ad performance starts with customer understanding. Christina stresses that brands must know who they are selling to, why people buy, and what motivates action. This insight shapes everything from creator selection to ad messaging and creative hooks. If your customer insight is weak, your partnership ads will feel generic and underperform. For practitioners, this is a reminder that better audience research often beats more ad spend. Set a realistic test budget and commit to proper testing Partnership ads need enough budget to produce clear results. Christina warns against testing one creator with a small spend and then deciding the strategy does not work. Brands should budget to test several creators, different hooks, and multiple creative angles over a few months. This gives Meta enough data to optimise and gives your team real insight into what performs best. For eCommerce operators, the goal is not to find instant wins, but to gather enough learning to scale with confidence. Takeaways: Meta’s partnership ads blend brand and creator voices for more authentic marketing. As Christina explained, it’s about trust and relatability. People connect better with people, not just logos. Don’t script your creators—guide them! Genuine storytelling wins over robotic scripts. Christina says the best results come when creators bring their own flair and honesty to brand messages. Diversity is key: test partnership ads with a variety of creators and campaign goals. As Christina shared, mixing different voices alongside your usual content expands reach and connection. Culture in marketing? Know your customer, deeply. Christina reminds us: understanding motivations and context shapes messaging that resonates. This is essential for creative partnerships. Teams and founders can be creators too. Christina encourages brands to feature real employees. Your workplace culture is a huge asset for authentic content on Meta’s partnership ads. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/307 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #306
    June 3 · 34 min

    Meta Ads: Optimising Hook Rates for Higher ROAS with Komal Singh & Prudhvi Raj, 4XDigital AI

    Komal Singh is the founder and CEO & Prudhvi Raj is the Director of Customer Success at 4XDigital AI an AI-powered advertising system that plans, launches, and continuously improves your ad campaigns as you grow. Returning guest Komal is back on the podcast alongside Prudhvi to break down one of the most important — and most overlooked — Meta Ads metrics: hook rates and hold rates. In this episode, they explain how eCommerce brands can optimise video creative to stop the scroll, hold attention, and improve overall Meta Ads performance. Dive in: [05:28] Evaluating creative quality in ads [07:37] Understanding hook rate in ads [11:25] Importance of engaging early viewers [14:05] Balancing the hook and hold rate [18:39] Importance of consistent messaging [20:51] The downside of clickbait strategies [23:49] The pitfalls of using clickbait [26:46] Insider Tips from Komal and Prudhvi! Your first three seconds decide if your Meta Ad works Komal and Prudhvi explain that the “hook” is the most important part of a video ad. If shoppers do not stop scrolling in the first three seconds, the rest of the ad does not matter. That is why tracking hook rate is so important. It shows how many people actually paused to watch your content. For ecommerce brands spending heavily on Meta Ads, improving the hook can quickly lower wasted ad spend and improve overall campaign performance. Good creative is not enough if the rest of the funnel fails The episode highlights that Meta Ads performance should be measured across the full funnel. A strong hook and high hold rate will not save a weak landing page or a poor checkout experience. The guests explain that brands need to look at every stage, from video engagement to clicks, conversions, and checkout completion. This helps ecommerce teams spot exactly where customers are dropping off. Instead of guessing what is wrong, brands can make smarter improvements based on real data. Clickbait hooks can damage your brand and your ROAS One of the strongest warnings in the episode is about using misleading hooks. A dramatic opening may improve hook rate, but it can hurt conversions if the rest of the ad does not deliver on the promise. Shoppers will leave quickly if they feel tricked. That sends low-quality traffic into your funnel and hurts your return on ad spend. The key lesson for ecommerce marketers is to create attention-grabbing ads that still feel honest, relevant, and aligned with the product experience. Takeaways: Great creative is at the heart of Meta ad success. Your hook—the first 3 seconds—can make or break your campaign. Captivate quickly, or you’ll lose 70% of viewers before the message lands. Tracking hook rate isn’t just a metric. It’s a mirror reflecting your video’s true impact. If your hook rate is below 25%, it’s time for a rethink before investing further in ads. Beware clickbait hooks. Viewers who feel misled rarely come back. Build trust by delivering on your promises. Engage, then follow through with true value in your content and landing pages. Adapt your visuals and messaging to fit the native style of each platform. Reels, Stories, and Shorts have their own rhythms. Be relevant to where your viewers already are. The video ad journey is a funnel. A strong start pulls people in, but holding attention and driving meaningful action requires every moment—hook, hold, and CTA—to work together. Optimise each step. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/306 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #305
    May 27 · 30 min

    Meta Ads: What to Do at Every Stage of eCommerce Growth with Kathie Feng, Signal Growth

    Kathie Feng is the founder and growth architect at Signal Growth, and has recently started as Director of Omnichannel Digital Marketing at Footlocker. She has over 13 years experience at the cutting edge of customer acquisition across all sizes of eCommerce store. In this episode, Kathie explains how to approach Meta ads at different stages of growth, from early testing to serious scale. She shares practical advice on when to test, when to increase spend, and the common mistakes that can quietly hold back eCommerce growth. Dive in: [05:25] Testing Meta ads and best practices [08:52] Scaling through testing and learning [12:34] Testing strategies after growth [16:01] Meta ads misconceptions for beginners [19:42] Analyzing consumers and optimizing ads [20:46] Optimizing ad campaigns strategically [23:30] Insider Tips from Kathie! Get your foundations right before you scale Meta ads work best when the basics are already clear. Kathie Feng calls this the “winning triangle”: product, audience, and offer. eCommerce brands need to know exactly who they are selling to and why that customer should care. If the product-market fit is weak, more ad spend will only waste money faster. Before pushing budget up, make sure the product solves a real problem and the offer feels easy to say yes to. Use early-stage ad spend to learn, not just to sell In the early growth stage, small budgets should buy insights first. Instead of trying to scale too fast, use those first campaigns to test one thing at a time. Try different hooks, audiences, creative formats, or offers. This makes it much easier to see what actually moves performance. For eCommerce teams, this approach reduces risk and helps build a much stronger base before larger spending starts. Creative is the lever that matters most as you grow As competition increases, better creative often matters more than more targeting. Kathie stresses that the first two seconds are critical because shoppers decide very fast whether to keep watching. Your ad needs to show what the product is, why it matters, and why the viewer should stop scrolling. Brands that win on Meta usually refresh creative often and keep testing new messages. For eCommerce owners, strong creative is often the fastest way to improve click-through rate, lower acquisition costs, and unlock the next stage of growth. Takeaways: Capturing attention is an art—your hook must shine in the first two seconds. Every scroll is a chance to connect, so clarify what you offer and why it matters, instantly. Your product, market fit, and pricing form the foundation for growth. Before scaling ads, make sure your offer truly resonates with people who will love your product, not just like it. Testing is not just for the start—continuous test and learn is essential as you scale. Consumer needs shift fast; adapt your messaging and creative to stay relevant and drive results. Blind spot: Meta ads aren’t “set and forget.” Success means digging into creative, analytics, and audience insights daily. Leverage numbers, not just intuition, to guide your moves. AI is re-shaping how we optimize and scale. Embrace the tools, but stay focused on human insights—knowing your audience at a deep level will always be your competitive advantage. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/305 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #304
    May 20 · 36 min

    Meta Ads: Leverage UCP and First-Party Data for Meta Ads Success with Yiqi Wu, Aimerce

    Yiqi Wu is the founder and CEO of Aimerce, a next-gen platform to empower long-lasting relationships with customers by putting you in control of your first party data. Yiqi is a returning guest, and this time she dives into how to use first-party data, tracking, and catalogue optimisation to improve targeting, reduce CAC, and future-proof your Meta Ads strategy. Dive in: [05:29] Improving eCommerce sales funnel [08:43] Understanding click ID tracking [13:00] Discussing data collection challenges [14:29] Tracking visitors with first-party cookies [19:06] Understanding first-party data types [20:04] Shopify's public catalog API & UPC Universal Commerce Protocol [23:21] AI traffic potential in 5 years [28:11] Understanding customer insights for marketing [29:13] Insider Tips from Yiqi! Episode sponsored by Aimerce. Find out more Inside DTC Marketing Tech https://www.aimerce.ai/blogs?utm_source=keep_optimizing_podcast First-party data is now your biggest competitive advantage First-party data is no longer optional for eCommerce brands. It is the foundation of high-performing Meta Ads. Yiqi explains that the most valuable data points are email and click ID. These help Meta understand who is taking action on your site. Without this, the algorithm cannot optimize properly. Brands that collect and connect this data well will see better targeting, lower CAC, and stronger results. Tracking is broken unless you take control of it Relying on basic pixel setups is no longer enough. Privacy changes and cookie limits mean platforms cannot track users like they used to. You need to collect and send your own data using first-party tracking. This allows you to track users for longer and with more accuracy. It also improves attribution across Meta, Google, and email. If your tracking is weak, your decisions and ad performance will suffer. Your product data will shape your future visibility AI is changing how customers discover products. Tools like AI agents are starting to pull from structured product data, not just web pages. This means your catalog metadata now matters more than ever. Titles, descriptions, and attributes all impact how your products are found and ranked. Many brands ignore this backend data, which creates an opportunity for those who optimize it. Clean, detailed product data will help you win more traffic in the AI-driven future. Takeaways: If you know your customers better than anyone else, you gain a powerful edge. It’s not just the data, but what you do with it. Target smarter, speak their language, and build real connections. Sending rich first-party data into platforms like Meta or Google isn’t an option anymore; it’s a must. Email and click ID are your keys to unlock lower CAC and higher performance. Don’t wait for checkout to grab those valuable emails. Popups and quizzes turn browsers into known contacts, letting you personalize every step and fuel smarter marketing. Your product catalog isn’t just inventory – it’s data gold. With AI emerging and APIs opening up, refining product metadata is the new SEO for discovery and sales. The future is all about actionable insights. AI will soon suggest your next move, detect patterns you missed, and drive results faster. Start collecting and cleaning your data today. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/304 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #303
    May 6 · 31 min

    Growth: Turn Reddit into a Powerful eCommerce Growth Channel (and Win AI Search) with Danny Kirk, ReddiReach

    Danny Kirk is founder of ReddiReach, where he’s worked with over 250 eCommerce brands to help them use Reddit as part of their marketing activity. In this episode, Danny explains why Reddit is becoming a critical channel for influencing AI search results and brand discovery. He also shares practical strategies for building trust, driving traffic, and growing your eCommerce brand through authentic community engagement. Dive in: [06:24] Early days of AI branding [08:32] Using Reddit for brand growth [10:35] Sticking to ethical marketing [14:52] Posting strategies for niche brands [17:06] Encouraging customer stories on Reddit [21:26] Understanding subreddit culture [23:42] Insider Tips from Danny! Reddit Shapes How AI Sees Your Brand AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI results rely heavily on Reddit content. That means your brand reputation on Reddit can directly influence how AI recommends you. If your brand is not mentioned, AI may ignore you or get things wrong. You do not need backlinks to win here. You need consistent, positive mentions in real conversations. Start early, because this space will only get more competitive. Help First, Sell Never (At Least Not Directly) Reddit users dislike obvious marketing. If you push your product, you will get ignored or downvoted. The winning approach is to be helpful in comments. Answer real questions and share useful insights. Mention your brand only when it adds value. This builds trust and makes people more likely to choose you later. Consistency Beats Hacks on Reddit Reddit is not a quick win channel. You need to show up often and engage like a real person. Focus on a few key subreddits where your audience is active. Learn the rules and tone before you post. Avoid automation and shortcuts, as these will likely get penalized. Over time, this steady effort can drive traffic, sales, and AI visibility. Takeaways: Reddit’s power lies in authentic community. Brands that focus on building tribes, not pushing products, create lasting cultural relevance and influence. The future of growth is rooted in trust, not control. AI search trusts Reddit because real voices matter. Today, your brand’s story is shaped and cited by the crowd. Participate ethically, and people—and algorithms—will recommend you. Old marketing was broadcast. Now, on platforms like Reddit, influence is earned by engaging and amplifying the community’s values. Listen, learn, contribute—don’t just promote. Success on Reddit isn’t about planting links. It’s about joining conversations, adding value, and letting your advocates become your loudest marketers. Play the long game of trust. Beware shortcuts: bots and fake engagement will be cracked down. Culture rewards real human presence. Show up, contribute meaningfully, and be remembered—by people and by AI. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/303 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  • #302
    April 29 · 35 min

    Growth: Using Consumer Psychology to Drive More Conversions with Colin Hodge

    Colin Hodge is the author of the brand new book “Outrageous Startup Growth: Uncovering the Secrets of User Psychology to Scale Your Success”. Based on his experience scaling startups to over 100 million users. In this episode, Colin shares how to apply customer psychology to drive real eCommerce growth, from improving your funnel to increasing conversions and pricing more effectively. Expect practical, testable ideas you can implement straight away to turn insight into revenue. Dive in: [05:09] Mindset shifts for entrepreneurship [08:08] Understanding user psychology [13:22] Finding and fixing funnel leaks [14:49] Using psychology to improve ads [19:30] Experimenting with pricing strategies [25:13] Explaining decision engineering basics [26:45] Using emotional moments for loyalty [28:36] Insider Tips from Colin! Start with Customer Empathy, Not Just Data Too many eCommerce brands rely on dashboards and forget there are real people behind the numbers. This episode shows that growth starts with understanding how your customers feel, think, and behave in the moment. You should go beyond basic personas and dig into motivations, frustrations, and context. Talk to customers, watch how they use your site, and even try the journey yourself. This helps you spot hidden barriers and missed opportunities. When you build with empathy, your marketing and product decisions become far more effective. Fix Your Funnel Before Scaling Acquisition It’s tempting to pour more budget into ads, but that often wastes money if your funnel is leaking. Instead, focus on where customers drop off early in the journey. Small improvements here can unlock big growth. Once your funnel performs better, you can scale acquisition with confidence. At the same time, study your best customers to understand what made them convert. Then use those insights to attract more people like them. Use Psychology to Influence Buying Decisions Pricing, messaging, and design all shape how customers decide to buy. This episode highlights how tactics like price anchoring, framing, and default options can boost conversions. For example, showing a higher-priced option can make your main offer feel like a better deal. Timing also matters, such as using “fresh start” moments like Mondays or new seasons to launch campaigns. These small psychological nudges can have a big impact on sales. The key is to test often and learn what works for your audience. Takeaways: Understanding your customer’s environment shapes success in business. Empathy isn't just a buzzword—it’s a growth lever. Dive into their journey, feel their challenges, and watch your brand stand out authentically. True growth starts within. Before hacking customer psychology, founders need a growth mindset: experiment, fail, learn, repeat. Don’t wait for perfect—real progress happens outside the comfort zone. The freshest paths to eCommerce growth aren’t found in dashboards but in people’s minds. Study why competitors’ ads work, then use contrast and uniqueness to ensure your brand cuts through digital noise. Pricing isn’t just about margins. Experiment with price anchors and context. What's the compromise option your customers crave? Pricing psychology can unlock hidden profits and boost conversions. Magic moments matter. Use fresh starts—new seasons, Mondays, or milestones—to re-engage customers. Decision engineering means shaping environments, not just products, to invite loyalty and action. Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/302 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsor Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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Showing 1–20 of 26 episodes