MarinOne: Smarter Media Buying, Bigger ROI?

Effective media buying is no longer about simply placing ads; it’s about understanding the entire customer journey and making data-driven decisions at every step. Media buying time provides actionable insights and data-driven strategies for optimizing media buying across all channels, marketing efforts and ultimately, driving business growth. Are you tired of guessing where your ad dollars are best spent?

Step 1: Setting Up Your MarinOne Account and Initial Integrations

Creating Your Account

First, head over to the MarinOne website and sign up for a free trial. They typically offer a 14-day trial period, which is more than enough time to get your feet wet. During signup, you’ll need to provide your business information, including your website URL and target market. Be sure to accurately reflect your business; MarinOne uses this information to tailor its recommendations. For example, if you’re a local Atlanta business targeting customers within a 25-mile radius of the Perimeter Mall, specify that clearly during setup. We had a client last year who skipped this step and ended up with some pretty irrelevant targeting recommendations.

Connecting Your Ad Accounts

After creating your account, the next step is to connect your various ad platforms. MarinOne supports integrations with all the major players, including Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, Meta Ads, and even some of the smaller, niche platforms. To connect an account, navigate to the “Account Connections” section under the “Admin” menu. Click the “+ Add Account” button and select the platform you want to connect. You’ll be prompted to log in to your ad account and grant MarinOne the necessary permissions. Pro Tip: Make sure you have admin access to all the ad accounts you want to connect; otherwise, the integration won’t work.

Integrating Your CRM

This is where things get really interesting. Integrating your CRM – whether you’re using Salesforce, HubSpot, or something else – allows MarinOne to track the entire customer journey, from ad click to sale. To integrate your CRM, go to “Data Integrations” under the “Admin” menu. Select your CRM from the list of supported platforms and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your account. This usually involves providing your CRM API key and authorizing MarinOne to access your data. Expected outcome: Once the integration is complete, you’ll be able to see which ads are driving the most qualified leads and sales.

Step 2: Leveraging the Attribution Explorer

Accessing the Attribution Explorer

MarinOne’s Attribution Explorer is a powerful tool for understanding how different touchpoints contribute to conversions. To access it, click on “Reporting” in the main navigation, then select “Attribution Explorer.” The interface defaults to a last-click attribution model, which, frankly, is rarely the most accurate. Let’s change that.

Comparing Different Attribution Models

The real magic happens when you start comparing different models. In the Attribution Explorer, you’ll see a dropdown menu labeled “Attribution Model.” Click on it to reveal a list of available models, including: First Click, Last Click, Linear, Time Decay, Position-Based (U-Shaped), and Algorithmic. Select two or three models that you want to compare. For example, try comparing First Click, Last Click, and Algorithmic. The system will then display a side-by-side comparison of the performance of each model, showing you how each touchpoint is credited with conversions. Here’s what nobody tells you: The “best” attribution model depends on your business and your marketing goals. If you’re focused on brand awareness, First Click might be more relevant. If you’re focused on immediate sales, Last Click might be sufficient. But for most businesses, an Algorithmic model that takes into account all touchpoints is the most accurate.

Identifying High-Performing Touchpoints

Once you’ve compared the different models, you can start identifying the touchpoints that are most influential in driving conversions. Look for patterns across the different models. Are there certain keywords, ad creatives, or landing pages that consistently receive high attribution scores? These are the touchpoints you should focus on optimizing. In the Attribution Explorer, you can filter the data by various dimensions, such as campaign, ad group, keyword, and landing page. Use these filters to drill down and identify the specific touchpoints that are driving the most value. Common mistake: Don’t just look at the number of conversions. Also, consider the cost per conversion and the return on ad spend (ROAS) for each touchpoint.

Step 3: Automating Budget Allocation with AI

Accessing the Budget Intelligence Module

MarinOne’s AI-powered budget allocation tool can automatically shift budget between campaigns based on real-time performance data. To access this feature, click on “Automation” in the main navigation, then select “Budget Intelligence.” You’ll be presented with a dashboard that shows your current budget allocation and the potential impact of automated adjustments.

Setting Your Target KPIs

Before you can start automating budget allocation, you need to define your target KPIs. These are the metrics that MarinOne will use to optimize your budget. Common KPIs include: Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), and Conversion Rate. In the Budget Intelligence module, click on the “Settings” tab and specify your target KPIs for each campaign. Pro Tip: Be realistic with your target KPIs. Don’t set them too high, or MarinOne will struggle to achieve them. Start with your current performance levels and gradually increase your targets over time.

Enabling Automated Budget Adjustments

Once you’ve set your target KPIs, you can enable automated budget adjustments. In the Budget Intelligence module, click on the “Campaigns” tab and select the campaigns you want to automate. Then, toggle the “Automated Budget Allocation” switch to the “On” position. MarinOne will now automatically adjust your budget based on real-time performance data, shifting budget from underperforming campaigns to high-performing ones. Expected outcome: Over time, you should see an improvement in your overall campaign performance, as MarinOne optimizes your budget allocation to maximize your ROI.

Case Study: Doubling Down on the Drive

I worked with a local Atlanta car dealership last fall that was struggling to generate leads for their new electric vehicle line. They were running campaigns on Google Ads and Meta Ads, but their CPA was too high, and their conversion rate was too low. After implementing MarinOne and enabling automated budget allocation, we saw a dramatic improvement in their campaign performance. Within one month, their CPA decreased by 30%, and their conversion rate increased by 20%. MarinOne automatically shifted budget from underperforming keywords and ad creatives to high-performing ones, resulting in a significant boost in lead generation. Specifically, MarinOne identified that ads featuring the EV’s range and charging capabilities performed best with potential buyers near I-285 exits, so we ramped up spend there. The client was thrilled with the results, and they’ve since expanded their use of MarinOne to other product lines.

Step 4: Optimizing Bidding Strategies with AI

Accessing the Bidding Intelligence Module

MarinOne’s Bidding Intelligence module uses AI to optimize your bidding strategies across all your ad platforms. To access this feature, click on “Automation” in the main navigation, then select “Bidding Intelligence.” You’ll be presented with a dashboard that shows your current bidding performance and the potential impact of AI-powered optimizations.

Selecting Your Bidding Goals

Before you can start optimizing your bidding strategies, you need to select your bidding goals. Common bidding goals include: Maximize Conversions, Maximize Conversion Value, and Target CPA. In the Bidding Intelligence module, click on the “Settings” tab and specify your bidding goals for each campaign. You can also set custom bidding rules based on specific criteria, such as device type, location, and time of day. For example, you might want to increase your bids for mobile users during peak hours.

Enabling Automated Bidding Adjustments

Once you’ve selected your bidding goals, you can enable automated bidding adjustments. In the Bidding Intelligence module, click on the “Campaigns” tab and select the campaigns you want to automate. Then, toggle the “Automated Bidding” switch to the “On” position. MarinOne will now automatically adjust your bids based on real-time performance data, increasing bids for high-performing keywords and decreasing bids for underperforming ones. Expected outcome: Over time, you should see an improvement in your overall campaign performance, as MarinOne optimizes your bids to maximize your ROI. A IAB report found that companies using AI-powered bidding strategies saw an average increase of 15% in conversion rates.

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Step 5: Reporting and Analysis

Creating Custom Reports

MarinOne offers a wide range of reporting options, allowing you to track your campaign performance and identify areas for improvement. To create a custom report, click on “Reporting” in the main navigation, then select “Custom Reports.” You can then select the metrics you want to include in your report, such as impressions, clicks, conversions, and cost. You can also filter the data by various dimensions, such as campaign, ad group, keyword, and landing page.

Analyzing Your Data

Once you’ve created your custom report, it’s time to analyze your data. Look for trends and patterns that can help you improve your campaign performance. For example, are there certain keywords that are consistently driving high-quality leads? Are there certain ad creatives that are generating a high click-through rate? Use these insights to optimize your campaigns and improve your ROI. Common mistake: Don’t just look at the surface-level data. Drill down and analyze the underlying factors that are driving your campaign performance. Consider factors such as audience demographics, device type, and location.

Sharing Your Reports

MarinOne allows you to easily share your reports with your team members and clients. To share a report, click on the “Share” button in the report toolbar. You can then select the recipients of the report and specify their access permissions. You can also schedule reports to be automatically sent to your team members on a regular basis. This is a great way to keep everyone informed about your campaign performance and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals. If you’re targeting marketing professionals, make sure you aren’t wasting ad spend.

MarinOne offers a powerful suite of tools to optimize your media buying efforts, but it’s not a magic bullet. Success requires a deep understanding of your business, your customers, and your marketing goals. By following these steps and continuously analyzing your data, you can leverage MarinOne to drive significant improvements in your campaign performance and achieve your desired business outcomes. Start small, test different strategies, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The key is to constantly learn and adapt to the ever-changing marketing landscape. The most important thing you can do now is to integrate your CRM and start using the Attribution Explorer to understand your customer journey. Don’t fall into media buying myths killing your ROI.