Imagine you are assigned to a large client whose digital ad campaigns have seen a 20% drop in ROI over the last quarter. How would you diagnose the issue and propose a new strategy?

Situation

In my last role at a media agency, I managed a top e-commerce client whose Google Ads campaigns suddenly underperformed. Their cost per acquisition rose by 25% over two months, threatening their quarterly targets.

Task

I needed to quickly identify the root cause of the decline and present a recovery plan that would restore performance within 30 days.

Action

I first pulled performance reports segmented by device, location, and audience, comparing them to the same period last year. I discovered that mobile conversion rates had dropped due to a slow-loading landing page after a site redesign. I also noticed that competitor ad spend in their key categories had increased. I proposed a three-pronged approach: work with their web team to optimize mobile page speed, shift budget to high-converting desktop and tablet audiences, and use Audience Insights to exclude existing customers while targeting lookalikes of their best buyers.

Result

Within four weeks, CPA returned to the previous quarter's level, and by the second month, ROI improved by 15% above the original baseline. The client increased their monthly retainer as a result.