Consciously raising “four kids”: my two sons and two startups | Follow me for valuable insights on how to lead your marketing strategy and team effectively

We're a senior paid media team. We help B2B companies generate qualified leads and DTC stores drive profitable sales through Google & Meta Ads.

How we work:

- One clear plan: keep, stop, test next.
- Creative pods: 3–4 angles, weekly trims. Winners get budget.
- Audience targeting that converts: remarketing, lookalikes, and cold prospecting.
- Spend guardrails: start small, scale only when performance holds.
- Simple reporting: 2-minute weekly notes tied to results.

Proof:

- B2B SaaS: Cost per SQL dropped 62% in 6 weeks. Lead volume up 3x.
- Fashion brand: ROAS 3.09→7.33 in 8 weeks. Purchases 111→216. Similar spend.

18 years in paid media. Expert-vetted. Case studies + client videos https://marketingo.com/testimonials

Offer:
Free Paid Ads Strategy Plan in 48h: short audit → 3 quick wins → optional 20-min call.

DM "LEADS" for B2B or "SALES" for eCommerce.

Andrei Haret

If you're comparing Google ROAS to Meta ROAS, you might be misleading your client. Here's how to align metrics.

Most agencies treat all ROAS the same.

That's a mistake.

Google and Meta serve different roles in the funnel. Comparing their ROAS 1:1 is like comparing a closer to a lead generator.

Here's why direct comparison breaks down:

1. Intent vs. interruption

Google captures demand. Meta creates it.
You can't expect the same conversion rate from someone searching "buy CRM software" vs. scrolling Instagram.

2. Attribution windows differ

Google defaults to 30-day click. Meta uses 7-day click, 1-day view.

Same conversion, different credit. Your "winner" might just have a longer window.

3. Conversion types aren't equal

Google drives bottom-funnel actions: demos, purchases, sign-ups.

Meta often captures top-funnel: content downloads, webinar regs, email opt-ins.

A $50 CPL on Google isn't the same as a $50 CPL on Meta if one converts at 30% and the other at 8%.

4. Incrementality is invisible

Meta might assist Google conversions without getting credit.
Someone sees your Meta ad, searches your brand on Google, and converts.

Google gets the ROAS. Meta gets blamed for "not working."

5. Blended metrics tell the real story

Track MER (marketing efficiency ratio): total revenue divided by total ad spend.

If Google ROAS drops but Meta scales and MER holds, you're winning.

What's your go-to metric when comparing channels?

We turn Google & Meta Ads into B2B meetings and eCommerce revenue | CEO, MarketinGO

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I saw this post about office life:

"Top 3 things you hear:
1. Did the money come in?
2. Anyone want something from the cafe?
3. Can you turn the music down?"

Made me smile.

Because my entire team works remotely.

From home. From coworking spaces. From cafes.

Sometimes I don't even know what country they're in.

So here's my version for remote teams:

1. You're on mute.
2. Can you see my screen?
3. The Wi-Fi just died.

I've heard all three in the same call before.

What's the most common phrase you hear on your team calls?

Google rolled out Analytics Advisor AI in GA4.

It's supposed to answer data questions in plain English.

Ask "What's my bounce rate trend?" and it pulls charts.
Ask "Why did traffic drop?" and it runs diagnostics.
Ask "Which channels convert best?" and it visualizes the answer.

Sounds useful on paper.

The real question: does it save time or just add another layer between you and the data?

Does it catch what manual analysis would miss?

Or does it give surface-level answers that still need validation?

I'm curious about the practitioner view here.

If you've used Analytics Advisor AI in GA4, what's your take?

Did it actually help you spot something faster?

Or did you end up going back to custom reports anyway?

Last week, we audited a B2B Google Ad account. Prospect asked: "Why do my remarketing campaigns have zero conversions?"

We pulled the Content Suitability report.

Their Display remarketing was running on YouTube kids channels. Cocomelon. Baby Shark. Toddler nursery rhymes.

The audience: 2-year-olds watching cartoons on their parents' devices.

I hear this a lot: "Don't exclude placements in remarketing. The user already visited your site. They know you."

True. But intent matters.

A site visitor watching Peppa Pig isn't in buying mode. They're not even the decision maker. They're a toddler.

Remarketing works when you layer intent with context.

Check your placements. Run the Content Suitability report. Exclude the noise.

Your remarketing budget should chase pipeline, not pacify toddlers.

What's the weirdest placement you've found eating your remarketing budget?

90% of GTM setups I audit have at least one of these issues. Quick checklist inside.

After 8 years managing paid media budgets up to $1M/month, I've seen the same GTM [Google Tag Manager] mistakes kill attribution over and over.

Here are the 3 that cost you the most:

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟭: 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿

Your conversion tag fires on page load instead of form submit. You count visits as conversions. Your CPA looks great until you check the CRM.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮: 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽

You installed the tag but skipped the user data variables. Your reporting becomes unreliable. Your optimization runs on incomplete data.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟯: 𝗡𝗼 𝗤𝗔 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

You push changes live without preview mode testing. Tags break. Data gaps appear. You don't notice until the client asks why leads dropped.

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝟭𝟬-𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁:

1. All tags fire on correct triggers
2. Enhanced Conversions variables mapped
3. Consent mode tag fires first
4. Conversion linker tag active
5. No duplicate tags firing
6. UTM parameters captured
7. Form submissions tracked properly
8. Phone clicks tagged
9. Preview mode tested before publish
10. Version notes documented

Clean tracking beats creative genius every time.

What's the worst GTM mistake you've inherited from a previous agency?

Everyone wants to exit Meta's learning phase fast.
I used to think the same.

Until I realized the learning phase isn't always the enemy.

Here's what changed my mind:

The learning phase forces Meta to test delivery patterns before locking in.

For stable accounts with proven creative, yes, exit fast.

But for new accounts or fresh angles? Let it run.

I've seen campaigns hit their stride on day 6 of learning because Meta needed time to find the right audience pockets.

Here's my rule:

If you have conversion history and proven creative, optimize to exit learning fast. Stable budgets, clear signals, tight targeting.

If you're testing new offers or entering cold markets, give learning phase 7-10 days with steady budget. Let Meta map the terrain.

The mistake is treating every campaign the same.

Some need speed. Some need patience.

I've cut learning time to 3 days with proper setup.

I've also let it run 10 days and watched CPAs drop 40% after exit.

Context matters more than the phase itself.

What's your take on Meta's learning phase? Waste of budget or necessary evil?

graphical user interface, text, application

15 types of agency chaos that would be hilarious to imagine (if they weren't so real).

It's Friday, another week survived 😎

Here's a lighthearted break to laugh at scenarios we can all picture happening somewhere:

1. Pixel Panic: that heart-stopping moment when you realize the tracking pixel hasn't fired since 2022.

2. ROAS Delusion: when you keep refreshing the dashboard hoping the return magically doubles.

3. Campaign Amnesia: when you forget why you launched that ad set, but you're too deep in optimization to delete it now.

4. Attribution Anxiety: the existential crisis of trying to explain to a client why Google says 50 conversions and Meta says 4.

5. Creative Fatigue: when every new ad looks like the last one, just with a different emoji and slightly more authentic stock photo.

6. Audit Therapy: the strangely calming process of tearing apart someone else's ad account to remind yourself you're not that messy.

7. CPC Depression: that quiet sadness when your click cost triples overnight and no one knows why.

8. Landing Page Limbo: where conversions go to die slowly while everyone blames UX, copy, or the weather.

9. Learning Phase Denial: pretending everything's fine while Meta still hasn't exited learning for 3 weeks.

10. Budget Roulette: the art of moving $200 from one campaign to another like it's going to change your life.

11. Tracking Existentialism: realizing that in the cookieless future, maybe we never truly knew our users.

12. UTM Chaos: the spiritual pain of seeing one link tagged utm_source=fb and another utm_source=Facebook_ads_v3_finalFINAL.

13. Retargeting Déjà Vu: when you see your own ad for the 100th time and start to believe you should buy the product.

14. Conversion Therapy (Agency Edition): that moment when the only thing you can still optimize is your expectations.

15. Client Dashboard Zen: accepting that no matter how perfect your results are, the client will still say, so can we scale this?

Which one hit closest to home for you? 😅

SMarketing Lab

SMarketing Lab is a leading regional team in high class Sales & Marketing services for the Healthcare industry, specifically for the Dental offices. Geography of our main clients: Romania, Moldova, Italy, UK. 

As a result of amplifying more than 5 medical brands in Europe to get over 1 mil EUR revenue in less than 6 months, SMarketing Lab developed a proprietary solution, entitled “Smagnify system”. With SMagnify system - dental offices can reach over € 8 mil ARR per location in less than 5 years. 

The team is managing a marketing budget of over € 7 mil per year and is offering integrated digital marketing & CRM services in order to scale up your business and reach the top of your niche, amplifying the efficiency of your business model and go-to-market strategy. 

With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and direct sales (contact-center), we have developed brands such as: DentOP, Smile Dent Team, Clinica Cappellin, Dent Park, Olio Rinaldi, San Lorenzo, Pineta Vini, Beautaly, Dermafutura, Denta Clinic, Unident, Darwin.md, Zbor.md/Zbor24.ro, IQOS Moldova, Viorica.md and many others.

Director, Co-Founder

Pedersen & Partners

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search and Leadership Consulting firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 50 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values of Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

Strategic Marketing Manager

Philip Morris International

Consumer Experience Manager

Darwin.md

Chief Marketing Officer

Public Relations Manager

Ion Botnaru is the Director and Co-Founder of SMarketing Lab Moldova. Before that, he was the Marketing Director at Darwin, Consumer Experience Manager at Philip Morris International, and Strategic Marketing Manager at Pedersen & Partners.

Ion has organized commercial events with up to 10,000 participants.
Has managed marketing budgets of up to $1 million per year.
Has managed teams of up to 20 marketers and 16 call center operators.

Between 2020 - 2024, he consulted the marketing teams of Viorica Cosmetic (beauty), Zbor.md/Zbor24.ro (travel), Azart (fashion), and other brands from the Republic of Moldova.

Together with Vadim Cușnir, he launched the AI learning course “Omul Viitorului” (People of the Future) and generated revenue of over 50k EUR from the first webinar targeted at audience from Romania. 

Ion has consulted the marketing team of BNM (National Bank of Moldova) for the launch of the national instant payments system “MIA”. 

Skilled in Omni-Channel Marketing, Sales and Client Relationship Management (CRM). 

“I love to work with teams and brands that are looking to improve their Unit Economy, GTM Strategy and Consumer Journey. Let’s get in touch to see how we can help you achieve your OGSM or OKRs faster.”

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