Last week on YouTube: we ran a tight set of campaigns at roughly $565/day.
Three key lines posted 6.52x, 6.00x, and 4.88x ROAS.
These are cold audiences with proof-led creative and a direct CTA.
It’s the sort of early momentum I look for before we open the throttle.
Last year’s Q4 baseline: the same brand finished at $795K in tracked revenue from $180K in Google Ads spend with 4.41x ROAS.
We documented what worked and what didn’t, and we’re applying those lessons now.
What we’re changing this year:
We’re shifting the mix to YouTube as the lead engine (80–90% within Google), with Search structured to capture the demand YouTube creates (branded, high-intent non-brand, and competitor terms).
Scripts are built around pain → proof → CTA in under 60 seconds, with 3–5 hooks per concept.
Tracking is clean (GTM verified), landing pages are mapped to the video angles, and Shopping feeds (where used) are pruned for margin.
This isn’t a one-off, two quick data points from recent work:
Jan 1–Feb 17, 2025: $178K revenue on $9.9K spend, 1,520 conversions, 17.97x ROAS driven by intent capture + clean tracking + conversion-ready pages.
28 days, YouTube + Search: $106K revenue on $24.8K spend, 920 conversions, 4.28x ROAS classic full-funnel pairing: YouTube creates demand, Search closes it.
If you’re a DTC brand planning for Q4, here’s what to prioritize now:
Scripts before spend: Build 3–5 hooks per concept., lead with pain, show real proof, make the CTA explicit.
Let YouTube create, let Search capture: Protect branded impression share, segment high-intent non-brand, and add a tight competitor layer.
Tight tracking and pages: Verify conversion actions, fix speed and friction, map pages to queries and video angles.
Budget guardrails: Budgets follow performance, not emotion.
Daily rules, margin thresholds, and clear pause/scale criteria.
Q4 is won in Q3.
Last week’s YouTube momentum tells me we’re on the right track and now it’s about consistent execution.
If you want a second set of eyes on your Google & YouTube setup, reply to this email and I’ll share the checklist we use internally.
If you prefer a deeper dive, you can grab a 30-minute slot here: calendly.com/ad-lab-io/free-audit.
Patrick
Founder, Ad-Lab