Marketing Operators

In today’s episode, we’re talking channel expansion and diversifying our media mix - when to think about launching on new channels, what to test, and how to approach those decisions with more clarity.

We break down our current media mixes, the journeys that got us here, and the mental frameworks we use to decide what to try next.

We’re also joined by Austin Santino, Client Development Manager at Tatari, who shares his perspective on how DTC brands are approaching TV. He breaks down what it really takes to get started with TV advertising, why it’s more accessible than most brands think, and how Tatari is helping brands treat TV more like a performance channel. We talk about starting budgets, creative expectations, how attribution actually works, and what kinds of brands should (and shouldn’t) be thinking about TV right now.

If you’re thinking about where to go next with your paid strategy, or how to evolve your channel mix beyond Meta, this episode will help you sense-check your timing, avoid wasted spend, and expand with more confidence.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

04:14 Exploring Channel Expansion and Diversification

07:01 Current Media Mix and Strategies

17:16 The Evolution of Media Mix Over Time

25:50 Testing New Channels and Creative Strategies

36:23 Insights from the Media Mix Journey

42:06 Testing and Scaling Ad Strategies

49:15 Creative Diversity and Measurement in Advertising

01:01:04 Navigating TV Advertising: Insights and Strategies

01:12:07 The Evolution of TV Creative: UGC vs. High Production

01:21:25 Final Thoughts on TV Advertising and Measurement

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Tatari.

https://www.tatari.tv/?utm_campaign=16263599-Marketing%20Operators%20July&utm_source=marketing%20operators&utm_medium=podcast

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

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When we heard Eric Seufert talk at the Meta Summit we knew we had to have him on the show.

Eric is the founder of Mobile Dev Memo and partner at Heracles Capital, and he joins us today for a deep dive into how today’s smartest marketers approach measurement. We unpack the difference between deterministic and probabilistic attribution, why incrementality testing beats last-click reporting, and how to make sense of CAC, LTV, and payback periods across different business models. Eric shares insights on Meta’s evolving AI infrastructure, signal loss, and platform opacity, explaining why a single tool can’t give you the full picture, and why the greatest marketers are the ones that think like data scientists. He also introduces the concept of signal engineering: how to guide automated ad platforms by sending higher-quality signals and intent data.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please hit the subscribe button, comment, share and like - it helps us reach more people, get more great guests on the show and keep bringing these episodes to you every week.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠.

00:00 Introduction

06:42 The Role of Discord in Gaming Advertising

09:21 Eric's Journey in the Gaming Industry

19:04 Understanding Freemium Models in Mobile Gaming

26:08 Incentivized Advertising in Gaming

29:55 Understanding Measurement Tools in Advertising

30:24 Deterministic vs. Probabilistic Measurement

33:14 Attribution Models and Measurement Tools

39:16 Geo Lift Studies and Their Application

43:03 Common Sense in Marketing Measurement

54:10 Operationalizing Incrementality Testing

56:25 Understanding Incrementality and Testing Strategies

01:00:33 Navigating the Meta Ecosystem and AI Changes

01:06:40 Signal Engineering and Optimizing for Conversions

01:09:44 Radical Experimentation in Creative Strategies

01:21:55 Breaking Out of Targeting Loops

Meta's AI advertising playbook (with Matt Steiner):

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/season-5-episode-23-metas-ai-advertising-playbook-with/id1423753783?i=1000711081020

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Today, we dig into the Meta performance issues we’ve been seeing firsthand - where spend is up, reach is down and performance isn’t tracking the way it used to. We unpack what’s been going wrong, and share the tactical changes we’ve tested to get better results.

We get into where we’ve historically over-invested or moved too slowly, how we’re thinking about creative and spend caps right now, and why simplifying account structure might be more powerful than layering on more campaigns. We also discuss where performance has started to turn around as a result of strategic shifts and tests.

We also touch our amazon prime day results so far, recent product drops and more.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 introduction05:16 Event Insights and Networking

08:06 Product Launch Challenges

11:30 Marketing Strategy and Tier Systems

13:56 AI Automation in Marketing

17:14 Prime Day Performance Analysis

20:04 Meta Advertising Roadmap

26:07 Channel Diversification Strategies

29:04 New Product Launches and Incrementality

31:50 Funnel Diagnostics and Performance Metrics

34:36 Creative Strategies for Different Audiences

37:42 Testing and Optimizing Campaigns

40:35 Leveraging Partnership Ads

43:51 Final Thoughts on Meta and Future Strategies

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

In this episode, we’re joined by James from Boring Marketing to dig into how smart DTC marketers are actually using AI - not just to move faster, but to build more efficient systems and workflows.

We talk about how AI can support content systems and internal processes, the difference between prompting and system-building, and why using AI just to generate content won’t drive results on its own. James shares how he’s using MCPs to improve creative output, how agents differ from real workflows today, and how to get more out of your team by designing AI to work alongside them.

James also walks us through how he’s thinking about building repeatable content frameworks using AI, and later breaks down a Shopify product page to show how vague, vibe-based copy, often the result of poor AI implementation, can fall flat.

To wrap up, James shares his take on what the biggest implementation of AI in the second half of 2025 will be, and what marketers should be paying attention to now.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠.

00:00 Introduction

04:33 The Evolution of Boring Marketer

08:41 Understanding Agents vs. Workflows

12:50 The Year of Efficiency in AI

17:40 Getting Started with AI Workflows

21:27 Research and Analysis with AI

28:46 Vibe Coding vs. Traditional Automation

36:25 Tactical Approaches to Creative Generation

42:32 Scraping Ads and Analyzing Competitors

46:19 Building a Unique Marketing Brief

48:16 Learning to Use AI Tools Effectively

50:08 The Future of AI in Marketing

58:59 Creating a Brand Analysis

01:01:00 The Future of AI Tools in E-commerce

01:05:09 Closing the Loop with AI Workflows

01:11:31 Building a Shopify Site with AI

01:22:45 The Future of Media Buying with AI

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

In ecommerce marketing today, acquisition costs are rising, tariffs are up, and growth is harder to come by, which means DTC brands are under pressure to do more with leaner teams. That got us thinking about where are marketers - and our teams - wasting time, and how can we work more efficiently without sacrificing performance?

In this episode, we break down the marketing workflows, habits, and internal processes that slow teams down and drain resources, from spending too long refining content that should’ve shipped, to full landing page redesigns, creative testing that never scales, and attribution deep dives that don’t lead to action.

We also talk about how to run a lean marketing team without losing output, where DTC marketers tend to overcomplicate, and how to better prioritize what actually drives performance, and much more.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Kickoff and Prime Day Preparations

02:53 Marketing Strategies for Major Sales Events

05:45 Driving Traffic to Amazon: Strategies and Insights

09:07 The Importance of Attribution Links

11:54 Exploring Paid Traffic for Amazon

14:52 Wasting Time in E-commerce: Identifying Inefficiencies

17:54 The Balance of Ad Volume and Quality

21:11 Learning from Product Launches: Successes and Failures

23:46 The Role of Plain Text Emails in Retention

27:13 Leveraging Existing Products for New Launches

41:49 Wasting Time and High Leverage Attachments

48:29 Customer Service Tools and Efficiency

57:01 Evaluating SEO and Affiliate Marketing

01:01:08 Setting Clear Goals for Marketing Functions

01:04:32 Retail as a Growth Channel

01:10:40 Operationalizing Marketing Insights

01:18:49 The Interconnectedness of Digital and Retail Revenue

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

This week, we’re talking AI creative, product page testing, and Shopify updates - plus, we’re joined by Steve Rekuc from Common Thread Collective who walks us through how he built the Spending Power metric at CTC, what it tells us about shifting consumer demand, and how brands can use it to adjust spend and planning month to month. We also dig into seasonality vs macro-driven variability, and why awareness of your environment is key to making smarter decisions.

We also discuss the viral Kalshi ad and discuss how we’re approaching AI tools for creative development, from visual quality to concept support. We also talk about recent PDP testing wins, what changed, and how to think about the structure of your product pages going into peak season.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠Click here⁠.

00:00 Introduction

02:57 Analytics Reporting and Year-Over-Year Comparisons

07:12 Data Warehousing and Shopify Analytics

10:54 AI in Marketing and Creative Strategies

16:53 Consumer Confidence and E-commerce Predictions

23:00 Insights from Common Thread Collective

34:20 Understanding Spending Power

37:14 Incrementality Testing for Marketing Efficiency

40:01 Seasonality and Brand Performance

43:41 Predicting Future Spending Power

46:59 Consumer Confidence and Spending Trends

49:47 Insights from Data for Brand Strategy

52:27 Iterating on Product Design and User Experience

Kalshi Ad: https://x.com/PJaccetturo/status/1932893260399456513

Steve's X Thread: https://x.com/RSteveData/status/1931107166792159711

Episode 64 with Dylan Anders:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/QJvj3z68rbE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iwer8FNwuwzDDnAV5X7JV?si=ab23e70a86404639

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Today we’re joined by Dylan Ander, founder of heatmap.com, to talk attribution, LTV, CAC, creative testing, and what actually moves the needle in media buying performance.

We unpack why conversion rate alone isn’t the best indicator of success and what to look at instead, from holdout testing and CAC payback windows to 60-day LTV. Dylan shares his approach to attribution when platform data (especially from Meta) falls short, and how to build creative testing frameworks that truly help scale spend.

We also dive into the nuances of media buying across channels, how to interpret noisy performance data, and the signals that actually matter. Dylan breaks down how to use on-site surveys to gather clearer attribution insights - what to ask, how to ask it, and how to use the data. Plus, we get into pricing strategy: why many brands hesitate to raise prices, and how pricing impacts both conversion and LTV.

Finally, Dylan walks through an audit of Cody’s website using heatmap and revenue data, offering tactical, high-leverage feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and what to test next.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Meta Summit Takeaways

02:47 AI in Marketing Strategies

06:08 Introduction to Dylan Ender

09:04 Core Web Analytics Insights

11:55 Customer Feedback and CRO

15:13 The Importance of AOV and Conversion Rate

17:58 Revenue Per Session vs. Conversion Rate

20:50 Price Testing Strategies

39:41 Revenue Testing and Feedback

42:08 The Importance of Price Testing

43:36 Challenges in SaaS Pricing

44:57 Understanding Heat Maps and Analytics

52:58 Live Testing vs. Split Testing

56:20 The Role of Customer Feedback in Marketing

01:01:12 Understanding Funnel Metrics

01:08:53 Optimizing Navigation for Better User Experience

Episodes discussed in the show:Episode 1 - A Deep Dive into Attribution and Measurement Episode 27 - How We Set Goals, Attribution Limitations and KPIs for Growth?

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

In this episode, we dive into Meta ad performance, Shopify’s latest AI features (including Sidekick), and we answer your DTC marketing questions from our MOps Hotline.

We start with unpacking how Meta is performing for us right now - why it’s still the most powerful channel in the stack, but also less forgiving than it used to be. Cody shares the thinking behind his recent tweet on Meta volatility and how we’re adapting creative and media buying to respond.

Next, we discuss to Shopify’s latest AI announcements and tools - from Sidekick to generative features inside the Shopify platform. We discuss whether these updates are useful for ecommerce operators, or just more hype.

Ad finally, we get into a round of your questions from our MOps Hotline, covering email vs SMS strategy, SKU-level segmentation, channel prioritization, and more.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.

00:00 Introduction

04:34 Leveraging AI in Marketing

07:05 The New Metric: Cost Per 1000 Accounts Reached

19:26 Optimizing Meta Advertising Strategies

27:38 AI Innovations in Shopify

37:34 The Future of E-commerce with AI

44:12 Incrementality Testing for Ad Spend

51:41 Effective Marketing Measurement and Reporting

01:02:54 Pricing Strategies and Conversion Rates

Mehtab's X Thread:https://x.com/mehtabkarta/status/1924547703373189179?s=46

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Disclaimer: Meta participated as a guest on this podcast episode, However, Meta does not endorse or sponsor this podcast, its content, or any of its commercial partners or sponsors. Any views expressed are those of the individual participants and do not represent the views of Meta.

The Marketing Operators hosts have a live discussion about marketing at the Meta Summit. They discuss the concept of incrementality in marketing, exploring its significance, measurement techniques, and the evolving landscape of marketing tools. They discuss the importance of understanding which conversions are truly incremental and how to effectively measure them using various tools and strategies. They emphasize the need for a culture of experimentation and the role of data triangulation in optimizing marketing efforts.

The discussion also touches on the challenges faced by marketers in adapting to changing consumer behaviors and the future of incrementality in the marketing industry. They explore the role of AI in creative development, emphasizing the need for diverse and culturally resonant content.

00:00 Introduction to Incrementality in Marketing

02:45 Understanding Incrementality: Definitions and Examples

06:04 The Role of Measurement in Incrementality

09:08 Tools and Strategies for Measuring Incrementality

12:01 Operationalizing Incrementality in Marketing

18:03 Triangulation of Data for Better Insights

20:48 The Future of Incrementality in Marketing

29:23 Driving Brand Outcomes through Incrementality

33:30 Revisiting Past Ads for New Opportunities

35:43 The Future of Creative Testing with AI

39:30 Cultural Resonance vs. AI-Generated Content

43:54 The Balance of AI and Human Creativity

47:32 Exploring Creative AI Platforms

51:08 Actionable Insights for Future Campaigns

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

How can DTC brands run sweepstakes that actually drive results? In this episode, we break down the full sweepstakes checklist: how to plan, set up, promote, and track a campaign that performs.

We’ve been getting a lot of questions from marketers and DTC founders about sweepstakes, and for good reason - when done right, they can drive serious attention, grow your email list, and create a brand moment that doesn’t depend on constant discounting.

We walk through everything you need to know to run a sweepstakes for your ecommerce brand: how to time it, what to offer, how to promote it with paid, what legal considerations to keep in mind, and the one element that can make or break your results.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out Ep 17 - The Sweepstake Tactics To Create Tentpole Moments for more sweepstakes strategy discussion:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kzE8uNgBBqy9nU3uloppt?si=5586b656d0e045e8

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wSgVjuh3i6Y

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Introduction

09:05 The Rise of Sweepstakes in Marketing

18:02 Strategizing Sweepstakes Offers

22:29 Branding and Design Language for Campaigns

28:35 Gamification in Sweepstakes

39:36 Maximizing Post-Purchase Revenue

46:41 Legal Considerations for Sweepstakes

50:34 Tracking Entries and Customer Awareness

01:03:28 Building Effective Funnels for Sweepstakes

Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/