Paid Channel Sequencing Ladder
The order to adopt paid platforms: user-driven search first, disruptive media next, expensive targeting last
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 93%
A decision order for which paid platforms to invest in and in what sequence. The core distinction is 'user-driven' media (paid search, where a user must type a relevant keyword) versus 'disruptive' media (feeds, video, where you interrupt attention). Because search captures existing intent, it should be nearly universal; disruptive channels are added based on where your data already shows users; and expensive, precision-targeted channels like LinkedIn come last unless you're enterprise.
Origin
Timothy Davis's own sequencing heuristic developed across Shopify, IBM, Pinterest, LinkedIn and consulting engagements.
Core principles
- 01Paid search is user-driven — the user types a relevant keyword for your ad to show — so it is the safest near-universal starting point
- 02Everything else (Meta feeds, YouTube pre-roll) is disruptive media and depends on whether your users are actually there
- 03Video is a channel to be bullish on if you can sustain a creative refresh flywheel
- 04LinkedIn's targeting (job title, company, industry) is powerful but ~3x more expensive, so it fits high-LTV/high-ACV or enterprise only
How to run it
- 1
Start with Google Search
Begin with paid search because it is user-driven: the user must type a relevant keyword for your ad to appear, so you are capturing existing intent rather than manufacturing it.
Pro tip With Google now taking the first several spots above organic, search is closer to pay-for-play than most founders assume.
- 2
Add Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
Move to Meta next, but only if you have creative strong enough to convert and your user base is actually on those platforms.
Watch out Weak creative on Facebook turns users off; if your users aren't on Facebook the channel is moot regardless of creative.
- 3
Add YouTube if you have video
If you can produce video and keep a creative-refresh flywheel running, add YouTube — video performs strongly when measured correctly.
Pro tip Lead video with emotion — comedy or happiness — so the user feels something and remembers the brand, which drives the later favorable action.
Watch out One good video isn't enough; without a refresh flywheel performance decays.
- 4
Add TikTok/Snap where your data shows users
Chase emerging feed channels like TikTok only when your analytics already show users arriving from there; repurpose similar content across similar platforms (e.g. TikTok to Snap) to test.
- 5
Consider LinkedIn last (or first only if enterprise)
Reserve LinkedIn until after Google and Meta are tested, because it runs ~3x more expensive — unless you are an enterprise/high-ACV business, where starting on LinkedIn's precise job-title and company targeting can make sense.
Pro tip LinkedIn lets you target and geo-fence specific decision-makers at a named account — a powerful account-based play.
In the wild
At SoftLayer (later acquired by IBM), the sales team learned Coca-Cola had two objections — recency and security. They ran LinkedIn ads targeted at anyone working at Coca-Cola showing security and recency messaging, and geo-fenced the actual decision-makers in LA (not Atlanta as assumed). On the next sales call the buyer said security and recency were fine.
→ The ABM-style LinkedIn campaign surrounded the decision-maker and their circle, materially advancing the deal.
Common mistakes
Jumping to LinkedIn before proving Google and Meta
LinkedIn costs roughly 3x more; spending there before validating cheaper user-driven and disruptive channels burns budget unless you are genuinely enterprise/high-ACV.
Is it for you?
Best for
Founders and growth leads deciding which paid platform to launch first and how to expand the channel mix
Not ideal for
Enterprise/high-ACV B2B where LinkedIn's decision-maker targeting justifies leading with it instead
From the transcript
“paid search is user driven you have to type in a relevant keyword for your ad to show anything else is more disruptive media”
“if you're just kind of starting out and you're just want to get your feet wet into something I would say start with Google search…”
“I would not recommend getting into LinkedIn until you've uh tested Google and meta first now you could be an Enterprise level company and it…”
From the episode
The ultimate guide to performance marketing
Timothy Davis (Shopify)