When it comes to digital advertising, creativity alone isn’t enough—you need data to guide your strategy.
According to marketing expert Maddie King, the secret to high-performing ads is understanding how people interact with them and using analytics to optimise every element.
“If you’re not looking at metrics like thumb stop rate, you’re leaving money on the table,” says Maddie, who stepped on stage in February to share an in-depth presentation with Business Blueprint members.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to improve your return on ad spend (ROAS) by balancing creativity with analytics, testing smarter, and iterating on winning ads.
The Art and Science of Winning Ads
A great ad isn’t just about an eye-catching image or clever copy—it’s about understanding what actually drives results. Maddie explains that too many businesses rely on one-off wins, running ads without knowing why they work.
Instead of guessing, making assumptions and hoping for the best, you need to test, measure, and refine their ad creative. This means tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) beyond just conversions and return on ad spend.
The Metrics That Matter
When analysing ad performance, Maddie recommends looking at hard and soft metrics:
Hard Metrics (Business Outcomes)
- ROAS (return on ad spend)
- Purchases or leads generated
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)
Soft Metrics (Engagement & Effectiveness)
- Thumb Stop Rate – Percentage of viewers who stop scrolling in the first three seconds
- Hold Rate – How long viewers stay engaged with a video ad
- Click-Through Rate (CTR) – How many people click from the ad to the website
- Through Play Rate – Percentage of viewers who watch the full video
Applying creative analytics is truly the secret superpower to every great ad account. It’s about marrying data with creativity to steer your ad strategy.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Sometimes, a tiny tweak can dramatically improve an ad’s performance. Maddie shares a real-world example:
One of her top-performing ads featured relief from bloating as the key benefit. A previous version of the ad focused on skincare, but when she swapped the first three seconds to highlight bloating, engagement skyrocketed.
- Thumb Stop Rate increased from 10.27% to 29.89%
- An extra 50,000 people stopped to watch
- Higher click-through rates and conversions
All I did was switch the first image, and it transformed the ad,” says Maddie. “That change took me ten seconds—but it made a massive difference in performance.”
You can guess, but you will never know exactly what will work. This is why updating a clip and playing around with the opening hook is an important part of your strategy.
The Power of Testing
Many businesses make the mistake of launching a single ad and hoping for the best. Maddie emphasises that the best brands continuously test and iterate.
“If you launch one ad and don’t test variations, you’ve learned nothing,” she says.
Here’s how to systematise your testing:
1. Test Different Ad Concepts
Try multiple creative formats—before-and-after images, user-generated content (UGC), animations, testimonials and more.
2. Test Multiple Hooks
The first three seconds determine whether people keep watching or scroll past.
For each concept, create three different opening lines or visuals, then review what’s performing well.
3. Analyse the Data
After a week, review the metrics to identify winners and losers. Look at:
- Which ad had the best ROAS?
- Which hook had the highest thumb stop rate?
- Which version led to more clicks and conversions?
4. Iterate and Scale
Take the winning elements and refine them further. If a certain message, format, or visual performs well, replicate it across new ads.
Understanding Your Audience
The best-performing ads are grounded in customer insights. Instead of guessing what will resonate, Maddie recommends researching customer reviews, social media comments, and competitor ads.
- Look at how customers describe your product in their own words—those should be your ad copy.
- See what objections customers have, and address them directly in your ads.
- Study competitors’ ads—what messaging are they using? What formats work best?
A business is made up of people. Even in B2B marketing, you’re still selling to individuals. And people don’t buy features; they buy solutions.
Creative Fatigue: When to Refresh Ads
Even a winning ad has a shelf life. Ads typically fatigue after three weeks, meaning engagement drops and costs increase. Maddie recommends staying ahead of this by scheduling regular ad refreshes.
- Every Monday: Launch new ads, analyse last week’s performance and make small iterations on winners.
- Balance new creative swings with iterations— don’t just tweak small details, test entirely new concepts as well.
“Iterations are a way to stay on top of creative fatigue,” says Maddie. “Even something as simple as changing the first image can make an ad feel brand new.”
Stop the Scroll: Key Takeaways From a Digital Ad Expert
1. Data and Creativity Work Together
“The key to high-performing ads? Marry data with creativity.”
2. Test Everything
“The best brands don’t guess—they test.”
3. Small Changes Make a Big Impact
“A simple image swap boosted our engagement by 20%.”
4. Listen to Your Audience
“The most powerful ad angles come straight from customer feedback.”
5. Refresh Ads Regularly
“Stay ahead of ad fatigue by iterating on your top-performing content.”
If your ads aren’t performing as well as you’d like, stop guessing and start using a data-driven creative strategy. Whether you’re running ads on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, the formula remains the same:
- Hook the audience in the first three seconds
- Test multiple versions of each ad
- Analyse what works and iterate
- Keep your messaging customer-focused
As Maddie puts it, “Every great ad is built on insights, not assumptions.”
Next time you’re about to launch an ad—stop, test, and tweak. Your return on ad spend will thank you for it.
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