How did you successfully pivot an advertising strategy that wasn't performing as expected? What signals prompted the change and what was your process?

Question

Is your advertising strategy falling short of expectations? This comprehensive guide offers expert-backed solutions to revitalize your approach and boost your results. Drawing from insights shared by industry leaders, discover actionable steps to pivot your underperforming strategy and align it with current market dynamics.

Maksym Zakharko · Answer

The signals that indicate an advertising strategy isn't working are usually quite clear—you observe stagnant engagement, a higher-than-expected cost per acquisition, or audience behaviors that don't align with your assumptions. In my experience, the most striking example came from a campaign we conducted for a wellness client promoting premium vitamin drips.
Initially, we heavily relied on awareness ads with polished creative, expecting that aspirational imagery would drive interest. However, after a few weeks, the data revealed a different story: the click-through rate was significantly below industry benchmarks, and the few people who did land on the site weren't making bookings. This mismatch between spending and actual conversions was the red flag.
The turning point came when we decided to shift from glossy awareness to education and trust-building. We restructured the creative into short-form video testimonials and simple explainer ads that addressed common customer questions—"How does it work?" and "What benefits can I expect?" We also implemented retargeting for individuals who visited service pages but didn't book.
The results were immediate: CTR more than doubled, cost per lead decreased by 34%, and bookings began to climb steadily. The lesson I learned from this experience was that the audience didn't need more polish—they needed reassurance and clarity. When a strategy underperforms, the best approach is to step back, analyze the signals in the data, and be willing to replace assumptions with genuine customer insights.

Illustrious Espiritu · Answer

We were running extensive broad advertising that was not yielding results. We were receiving numerous clicks and substantial website traffic, but our sales were not increasing. Our advertising expenditure was high, and our profitability was low. I knew we needed to pivot our strategy, but I lacked a clear signal on how to proceed.
The signal that prompted the change came from my operations team. They were receiving many calls from people who had no idea what they were looking for. The leads were not qualified. The marketing was operating in isolation and was not aligned with our sales process.
Our new strategy was to shift from a brand awareness campaign to a problem-solving campaign. I approached my operations team and asked, "What are the most common questions our customers ask you?" They provided me with a goldmine of information. From a marketing perspective, we created a new advertising campaign based on those questions. The advertisement wasn't "Buy our product." Instead, it was "Having trouble with this specific problem? We can help." The ad led to a piece of content that offered a direct solution. The customer who clicked on that ad was already a qualified lead.
The result was a complete success. Our advertising spend decreased, but our profitability increased. We were no longer wasting money on unqualified leads. The most significant win was that our sales team began receiving many calls from people who were already educated and knew what they were looking for. My advice is that the most valuable signal you can obtain is from the people on the front lines who are communicating with your customers every day.

Kyle Rutledge · Answer

A few years ago, I worked with a client in the life insurance space running ads on both Google and Meta. We kept increasing their monthly budget, assuming more dollars meant more deals. The classic "just spend more" move. But without the right systems in place, every increase brought thinner returns until they were spending $1.8M/mo with little to show for it. The market was large and we knew better leads existed, but the ad platforms couldn't tell us which were qualified and which were dead.
The breakthrough came when we fixed technical issues and integrated their sales pipeline data directly into the ad accounts. Suddenly, we could see which leads were actually qualified and optimize toward them. Within three months, the pipeline overflowed so fast we had to cut ad budgets back to $500k/mo, and eventually $300k/mo, just so the sales team could keep up. That pivot became the foundation of how I approach advertising strategy today. Optimize for quality, not just volume.

Niclas Schlopsna · Answer

At Spectup, I faced a situation where our LinkedIn content strategy wasn't generating the engagement or leads we expected. The signal was clear: posts had low impressions, minimal comments, and almost no meaningful inquiries from potential clients. Rather than just doubling down, we analyzed which types of content resonated most: case studies, founder stories, and insights from our investor readiness work consistently performed better.
We pivoted by shifting our focus toward storytelling-driven posts that showcased real-world results and lessons from our consulting projects. Each post highlighted a problem, the approach we took, and measurable outcomes, making it relatable and actionable for our audience. I remember one post about optimizing a startup's fundraising deck that sparked dozens of thoughtful comments and a few direct inquiries, far outperforming our previous content.
The process involved testing different formats, monitoring engagement metrics closely, and iterating weekly. Over time, this pivot not only boosted reach and engagement but also positioned Spectup as a trusted advisor in the eyes of founders and investors. The key takeaway is to stay data-driven but flexible, let the audience's reactions guide the strategy rather than assumptions or habits.

Francis Daniels · Answer

When I first launched TurfPro, I poured money into online ads that focused mostly on discounts. The problem became clear within a few weeks: people were clicking, but hardly anyone was calling or booking services. It felt like we were shouting into the void. That told me the message wasn't landing. Homeowners weren't looking for a coupon; they wanted to feel proud of their lawn again.
On social media, we put a face to the work. I began filming short clips of my crew mowing, fertilizing, and explaining in plain language why certain treatments mattered. Our emails shifted to simple seasonal advice, like why a late summer feeding sets up greener grass in the spring, always paired with a gentle nudge to get started. Once people could see the process and connect it to their own yards, engagement started climbing. The best feedback came from a family in Boston who told me, "Our lawn went from patchy brown to the best on the block. Now our kids actually want to play outside." That's when I knew the pivot worked. The strategy wasn't just about ads anymore; it was about showing people what's possible when they trust TurfPro with their lawn.

Anthony Warren · Answer

When I realized our ads were generating generic leads but not translating into real sales, I used my military background to run a quick after-action review—digging into which parts of our message missed the mark. One big flag was sellers telling me they felt overwhelmed by the process, so we shifted gears to emphasize how we handle hassles for them—no repairs, no commissions, no waiting. That message cut through the noise and almost instantly drew in the right households looking for a truly stress-free sale.

Kevin Heimlich · Answer

We encountered a situation where campaigns based on the previous year's performance were failing due to dynamic market conditions, including new competitors and platform changes. The key signals that prompted our pivot were the disconnect between historical data and current market realities. Our process involved developing a comprehensive stress testing method that overlays historical data with current market conditions, campaign health, client pipeline strength, and media spend patterns rather than simply relying on past performance metrics. This approach allowed us to create more accurate forecasts and adapt our strategy to real-time market dynamics.

Jasper Cool · Answer

I knew we had to pivot when our cold calling costs were eating into profits while our conversion rates dropped. That's when I made the jump to SMS marketing, which completely transformed our lead generation. The process was straightforward: I analyzed which deals came from the strongest seller motivation, then crafted SMS campaigns that spoke directly to those pain points, such as inherited properties or financial stress. Within two months of making that switch, we went from struggling to hit 4 deals monthly to consistently closing 6-8. Now, SMS drives about 80% of our acquisitions because the leads are pre-qualified and genuinely motivated to sell.

Gene Martin · Answer

When my ad campaigns were generating lots of clicks but few qualified inquiries, I took it as a sign that our message wasn't connecting with the right audience. I sat down with my team, reviewed each step of the customer journey, and realized our ads weren't making clear what set our properties--or our guest experience--apart. We quickly pivoted to highlighting real guest testimonials and unique home features, and within weeks, our conversions picked up as potential clients could picture themselves enjoying the same standout experiences.

Paul Myers · Answer

I knew we had to switch things up when we were getting leads, but most of them didn't match the types of sellers we could truly help--too many inquiries from people not ready to sell or outside our local market. So, I mapped out our past successful deals and noticed a pattern: sellers who valued a fast, hassle-free experience. We refined our ads to focus specifically on that--"skip repairs, sell on your timeline"--and made sure our messaging spoke directly to Augusta homeowners. Within a month, the quality of our leads improved and we had more genuine conversations with the right people.

Mac Sullivan · Answer

What really stood out for me was seeing sellers hesitate during their initial calls--they were nervous our ads might lead to high-pressure sales tactics, which completely contradicts how we operate at Stillwater. Drawing from my teaching days where patience earned trust, I rewrote our messaging to lead with empathy, like our recent campaign focused solely on divorce sellers asking, "Stressed selling your shared home? Let's simplify it together." That vulnerability attracted genuine clients who felt heard, and we saw a 30% increase in committed leads almost immediately.

Chris Mignone · Answer

When our advertising wasn't bringing in the right sellers, I saw it as a trust issue--we preach honesty and integrity, but our ads weren't reflecting that. We pivoted from general 'we buy houses' to specifically addressing scenarios like foreclosure or inherited properties, emphasizing how we provide win-win solutions and point people in the right direction even if we're not the best fit. That transparency resonated, bringing in sellers who genuinely needed our ethical approach.

Ajinkya Thete · Answer

We once experienced a significant loss of $50,000 on Facebook advertising for a product our team strongly believed in, which clearly signaled we needed to change our approach. This led us to implement regular "Kill Your Darlings" sessions where team members proactively identify potential failures before they consume too many resources. This process helped us step back and look objectively at our strategies, as demonstrated when we worked with a D2C beauty client to discover their blind spots and develop a new approach. The revised strategy resulted in a 47% increase in customer retention over just three months.

Sergio Aguinaga · Answer

My engineering background trained me to spot system inefficiencies, and our advertising was a clear one--our ad spend was high, but the quality of leads was low. I treated our marketing funnel like an assembly line from my automotive days, analyzing each step for the bottleneck. We found our messaging wasn't connecting with a key part of our community, so we launched a targeted campaign in Spanish, which immediately improved trust and brought in motivated sellers we'd been missing.

Vincent Carrié · Answer

The outdoor gear campaign for our client failed to produce results because it generated many views, but users ignored the ads and made no purchases. The fast bounce rate from the website revealed the problem to me because the ad creative did not match the user experience on the landing page. The advertisement promoted freedom and nature, but the checkout process on the landing page felt like a traditional e-commerce experience.
We abandoned the product-focused approach to create a storytelling campaign which used authentic customer images and emotional headline copy instead of product specifications. The client achieved a 45% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) during the first three weeks of the new campaign. The solution to the problem often lies in changing the overall atmosphere rather than the marketing channel.

Bryan Philips · Answer

When our campaign wasn't resonating with customers, I made the decision to pause it immediately after noticing confusion in the ad comment sections. Customer feedback served as the critical signal that our message wasn't landing as intended, prompting quick intervention rather than waiting for performance metrics to decline further. Our process involved a rapid assessment of the creative assets, followed by strategic adjustments to the headline and visual elements to clarify our message while maintaining brand consistency.

Sahil Gandhi · Answer

When we noticed our campaign performance dropping while an industry policy change was dominating LinkedIn conversations, we quickly recognized the need to pivot our strategy. We paused our planned content, reframed our messaging to address the trending topic, and mobilized our leadership team to share data-backed insights on the emerging issue. This strategic shift allowed us to triple our engagement metrics and position our brand as responsive to market changes rather than stubbornly sticking to an underperforming approach.

Taylor Humphries · Answer

At Ranked, we pivoted when a polished ad campaign drew almost no engagement. The signal was silence: no clicks, no conversation. We shifted quickly to creator-led storytelling, allowing micro-creators to speak in their own voices. The process involved listening, testing on a small scale, and then scaling up. Results flipped immediately: engagement spiked, and sales followed because the message felt authentic.
As I tell my team: culture will tell you when to pivot, if you are listening.

Andrew Dunn · Answer

When our digital campaigns underperformed, I recognized that we needed a more collaborative approach to identify what wasn't working. I established a weekly cross-functional innovation squad that brought together team members from different departments to analyze performance metrics and brainstorm new solutions during monthly virtual sessions. This structured yet creative process allowed us to quickly test new approaches and make data-driven adjustments to our advertising strategy. The results were significant, with our campaign performance ultimately improving by 40% as we implemented the insights generated by this collaborative framework.

Lewis Hammond · Answer

The clearest signal that our advertising wasn't working was a surge in inquiries from outside our target neighborhoods, meaning our broad approach was missing the mark. Drawing on my community development background, I refocused our strategy to hyper-localize our message, showcasing how we've helped specific families right here in our community rather than using generic pitches. This immediately resonated because people saw themselves in our stories and trusted our local commitment.

Neda Hovaizi · Answer

When we first launched our advertising, I leaned heavily into the technical side of dentistry - things like advanced equipment and treatment names. While accurate, it didn't resonate with people. The signal was clear when our engagement stayed flat and patients weren't reaching out. That's when I realized people weren't looking for a lecture on procedures; they wanted reassurance, comfort, and trust in a place that understood their fears and their hopes for their smile.
From there, our strategy focused on what makes Lumiere Dental Spa different: personalized, gentle care in a calming, luxury setting. Whether it's cosmetic treatments like veneers and whitening or restorative solutions like implants and crowns, we began highlighting how these services change lives, not just smiles. The results spoke for themselves. Consultations increased, but more importantly, patients came in saying they chose us because they felt understood. For me, that confirmed the power of shifting from talking about dentistry as a procedure to sharing it as an experience that restores both health and confidence.

Yarden Morgan · Answer

When our analytics revealed a 15% decline in click-through rates, we immediately recognized the need to pivot our advertising approach. We implemented rapid A/B testing across different content formats to identify what would resonate better with our target audience. This quick response allowed us to completely shift our strategy within 48 hours, ultimately revealing that video content was generating three times the engagement of our traditional image advertisements.

David Zhang · Answer

When an ad strategy wasn't performing well, I started by looking at the data to find the problem. I noticed engagement was low and bounce rates were high, suggesting the messaging or targeting wasn't connecting with the audience. I went back to review our audience profiles to ensure we were reaching the right people. Then, I checked the ads and messaging to ensure they were clear and met customer needs.
Next, I ran A/B tests to try out new visuals, headlines, and offers. I also shifted budgets to the platforms where we saw better engagement. I monitored the results closely and made quick adjustments as needed. This process not only saved the campaign but also helped us learn more about what works with our audience for future campaigns.

Andy Danec · Answer

We were spending money on advertising that looked like everyone else's. We used professional-looking ads with stock photos and all the right words. We were getting clicks, but the real signal for me was that we weren't getting calls from people who were serious about getting help. The ads felt empty because they were.
My "aha" moment was a gut feeling: our most powerful asset wasn't a bigger ad budget; it was the stories of our clients. The pivot was to stop trying to look like a polished, perfect brand and start being a vulnerable, authentic one.
Our process was simple. We stopped running the generic ads. I sat down with my team, and we talked about how to tell the real story of recovery. We decided to create a video series called "My Recovery Story." We just turned on a camera and listened to our alumni talk about their journeys, raw and unedited.
The impact was immediate. The calls we started getting were different. The people on the other end said they saw a video of one of our alumni, and it gave them hope. The conversion rate was higher, but the real win was knowing we were finally reaching the right people. My advice is simple: in a world full of noise, authenticity is the only thing that cuts through. Don't be afraid to be real.

Aly Johnson · Answer

When our digital campaign wasn't hitting our targets, we needed to look closely at the user behavior data to understand why. Our team used search query analysis to better understand what our audience was actually looking for, which revealed a significant gap between our messaging and user intent. We then developed a new framework for our ads that directly addressed these specific user needs and set up A/B testing to validate our approach before scaling. Tracking improvements through query performance metrics showed us exactly which messages resonated best with different audience segments. The pivot resulted in significantly higher engagement and conversion rates because we finally aligned our advertising with what users were genuinely searching for.

25 Steps to Successfully Pivot Your Underperforming Advertising Strategy

25 Steps to Successfully Pivot Your Underperforming Advertising Strategy

Shift from Awareness to Education

Align Marketing with Sales Process

Integrate Sales Data for Quality Leads

Pivot to Storytelling-Driven Content Strategy

Show Process to Connect with Audience

Address Seller Pain Points Directly

Develop Comprehensive Stress Testing Method

Transform Lead Generation with SMS Marketing

Highlight Unique Features and Testimonials

Focus on Fast, Hassle-Free Experience

Lead with Empathy in Advertising Messages

Address Specific Scenarios with Transparency

Implement Regular Strategy Review Sessions

Target Underserved Communities with Localized Campaigns

Create Authentic Storytelling Campaigns

Quickly Adjust Message Based on Feedback

Pivot to Address Trending Industry Topics

Embrace Creator-Led Authentic Storytelling

Establish Cross-Functional Innovation Squad

Hyper-Localize Message to Build Trust

Shift Focus from Procedures to Experience

Rapidly Test Different Content Formats

Use Data-Driven A/B Testing

Share Real Client Stories for Authenticity

Align Advertising with User Search Intent