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Thinking about running paid ads in 2026? Pump the brakes.

Frazier and Michael are breaking down the truth about paid advertising — what works, what doesn’t, and where most loan officers go wrong. Whether you’re sitting on a 30K marketing budget or barely spending $300 a month, this episode is a tactical deep dive into interruption vs. intent, social vs. search, and why Google still wins if you're serious about ROI.

No fluff. No theory. Just straight talk on what actually drives deals — and what will drain your wallet.

What You’ll Learn

• Why social media ads aren’t dead — but most of them are dumb
• The difference between passive brand amplification and transactional lead gen
• Why low-cost leads are usually garbage (and what actually matters)
• How intent changes everything — and why interruption-based ads have a short fuse
• What to realistically budget for Google or social ads in 2026

Real Talk Quotes

• “You don’t own the customer. You’re just renting attention.”
• “Lead cost means nothing if the leads suck.”
• “You’re never gonna get a CTC on your feelings.”
• “Intent-based leads wait for you. Interruption leads forget you.”
• “We can all get 50-cent leads. That’s not the flex you think it is.”

Tactical Takeaways

• ✅ Expect to spend $1,500/month minimum if you want transactional ROI
• ✅ Social media ads work best to amplify brand — not chase cold leads
• ✅ Google Search ads are still the king of high-intent lead generation
• ✅ YouTube & TikTok are the only social platforms with real search intent
• ✅ If you’re not following up with automation, you’re burning money
• ✅ Don’t run your own ads unless you want to waste time and budget

Why This Episode Matters

Most LOs are playing checkers when it comes to paid ads — this episode helps you play chess. Whether you’re doing consumer direct or trying to convert your social audience, you’ll learn where to invest, what to expect, and how to actually get deals from your dollars.

Want Help Running Ads That Work?

This episode is powered by Empower LO, the trusted team behind hundreds of top-producing LOs running scalable Google ad campaigns.

Learn more at empowerlo.com