Scaling Paid Search from $50K to $2M Monthly Spend

The Problem

Hearzap's paid search program was constrained by manual campaign management, limited budget efficiency, and lack of structured testing. The team needed to scale spend profitably while maintaining CAC targets under competitive pressure.

The Goal

Scale monthly ad spend 40x while maintaining or improving CAC efficiency, expand to new markets, and build a repeatable testing framework.

Strategy

Implemented a full-funnel paid search architecture: brand defense at the top, high-intent commercial terms in the middle, and broad match + DSA for discovery. Built a weekly experimentation cadence with clear hypotheses, statistical guardrails, and automated reporting. Introduced geo-based bid modifiers and dayparting rules tied to conversion data.

Execution

Migrated all campaigns to a new account structure with tighter SKAGs, launched 12 new geos, deployed responsive search ads with pinned messaging variants, integrated Google Analytics 4 with offline conversion imports, and established a bi-weekly review rhythm with finance to align pacing and CAC targets.

Results

Monthly spend scaled from $50K to $2M with CAC improving 18%. Search-driven revenue grew 320% YoY. ROAS maintained at 4.2:1. Win rate on branded terms increased from 68% to 91%. Test velocity increased to 8 experiments/month with 60% producing actionable insights.

What I'd Do Next

Introduce predictive bidding using first-party LTV models, expand Performance Max with audience signals, test video action campaigns for top-of-funnel discovery, and build a creative refresh calendar tied to seasonal trends and competitor activity.