Meta Ads: Under the Hood

This week Megan welcomes Lume Marketing account manager Britt Brown for her very first podcast appearance. Britt manages a rotation of Lume clients and brings 20+ years of marketing experience to the chat, including running her own family business.
The pair dive into one of their favourite team-meeting topics: marketing tactics. In this episode they discuss the Labubu craze, and what it can teach small business owners about the psychology behind why we buy. From there they unpack how the same tactics show up again and again throughout marketing history, from Prime energy drinks to the 1950s diamond ring campaigns that convinced the world "a diamond is forever."
In this episode Megan and Britt cover:
How Labubu's blind box format created mystery and anticipation
Why manufactured scarcity (and real scarcity) drives FOMO, and how FOMO is really just anticipated regret
The role influencers played in turning a toy into a cult object
What happened to demand once Pop Mart scaled production from 50,000 to millions a month
Social proof in action, from bootleg resellers to a packed restaurant with a line out the door
How Prime drink used the same playbook, targeted at kids, and why that's a whole ethics conversation on its own
Why consumers aren't as easily fooled as brands think, and the difference between a genuine limited drop and a "fake" one
How small businesses can borrow these tactics authentically, without needing Pop Mart's budget or scale
Real examples: Mecca's loyalty program and reward emails, Britt's Cardera Coffee subscribe-and-save, and the power of a great "About Us" page
Why brand story and community will always outlast a discount code, and why tactics are "the gravy, not the meat and potatoes"
People and brands mentioned in this episode: 
Rebecca Sparrow -- Lume client and how Britt found Megan
Welds and Wood -- small business Megan purchases a floating shelf from
Cardera Coffee — Lume client subscribe-and-save coffee brand, cited as an example of community/social proof driving a sale
Labubu / Pop Mart — the toy craze that anchors the episode's discussion of scarcity, blind boxes, and hype
Prime (energy drink) — co-founded by founded by Logan Paul and KSI (in the episode Megan says "Logan brothers or whoever it was".)
Aldi — mentioned re: their toy/collectible packet promotions and kids trading them at school
Coles — mentioned alongside Aldi re: bonus ticket promotions
Mecca (beauty retailer) — used as an example of loyalty programs, birthday freebies, and purchase-triggered incentives
Shein — mentioned twice: once re: knockoff Labubu dolls, once re: fast fashion ethics/pricing
Chanel — mentioned as an example of a luxury bag Labubus were being attached to
Showpo — fast fashion brand founded by Jane Lu, used as an example of selling "the vibe" not the product
Learn more about working with us:
The next 8-week mentoring program where you'll learn to run Meta ads like a pro is opening soon. Apply now.
Hire us to run your ads. Learn more.
Learn how to run your own ads. Click here.
Learn more about your host:
Megan Winter is a meta ads expert, an experienced ADMA and AMI-awarded marketer and founder of Lume Marketing.
As an early-adopter of digital marketing and social media advertising, she has consulted to global brands owned by Heineken and Lexus, has taught hundreds of small business owners at The Facebook Ads Academy, and presented on digital marketing at Bond University.
Now, her passion is helping ethical, purpose-led brands achieve more income and impact with high-performing meta ads.
Connect with Megan on Instagram @meganwinter or LinkedIn

Everyone talks about ROAS like it's the holy grail of ad performance. But according to chartered accountant and business strategist Fi Johnston, it might be one of the most misleading metrics in your business.
In this episode, Megan sits down with Fi Johnston — founder of Peach Business, host of the Money Secrets podcast, and a business and finance strategist with 16 years in business — for a refreshingly honest conversation about what actually happens when businesses turn on meta ads, and why the number on your ads dashboard rarely tells the full story.
Plus, Fi shares exactly how she turned a $900 ad spend into $18,000 in revenue.
Fi has a unique vantage point: she works both with agencies running meta ads and with the business owners spending the money, which means she sees the front end of the ads and the back end of the balance sheet. Her take? A lot of businesses reach for ads to fix a problem ads were never going to solve.
In this episode, Megan and Fi cover:
Why "my ads look great but my bank account doesn't" is more common than you'd think
Why ROAS in isolation can be a dangerous, misleading metric — and what to look at instead
How fixing your website or landing page can outperform "fixing" your ads
Why meta ads should amplify a good business, not rescue a broken one
The relay race analogy: how ads, website, email and customer service all have to run their leg properly
How Fi overcame her dislike of meta's business ethics to use ads as a tool she controls, rather than one that controls her
The real story behind Fee's $900 ad spend that generated $18,000 in revenue — including the landing page overhaul and the "meat and potatoes" video that halved her cost per lead
Why simpler is almost always better: Fee's "shit or get off the pot" landing page redesign
How to know if you're ready for ads (hint: you need to already know how to get people to take action organically first)
Why treating your organic content like an ad — and your ads like a post — makes both stronger
Whether ads can help you re-engage existing or lapsed customers, not just find new ones
If you've ever felt confused by ad reporting, or wondered whether you're actually ready to invest in ads, this episode will help you get clear on the numbers that actually matter.
Learn more about working with us:
The next 8-week mentoring program where you'll learn to run Meta ads like a pro is opening soon. Apply now.
Hire us to run your ads. Learn more.
Learn how to run your own ads. Click here.
Learn more about your guest:
Fi Johnston is a chartered accountant and business and finance strategist, and the founder of Peach Business. She's spent 16 years working with purpose-led business owners who take a balanced approach to people, planet and profit, helping them get clear on pricing, marketing strategy and team needs so their business can grow sustainably. Fi hosts the Money Secrets podcast and shares weekly insights through her email, The Peach Weekly.
Connect with Fi on Instagram @peachbusiness or listen to Money Secrets wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your host:
Megan Winter is a meta ads expert, an experienced ADMA and AMI-awarded marketer and founder of Lume Marketing.
As an early-adopter of digital marketing and social media advertising, she has consulted to global brands owned by Heineken and Lexus, has taught hundreds of small business owners at The Facebook Ads Academy, and presented on digital marketing at Bond University.
Now, her passion is helping ethical, purpose-led brands achieve more income and impact with high-performing meta ads.
Connect with Megan on Instagram @meganwinter or LinkedIn

Black Friday came from big-brand retail marketers seeing an opportunity to leverage a cultural event to make money. So when small businesses try to replicate and compete they run into trouble. 
Small businesses don't have the economy of scale big businesses do 
Small business blindly follow big business strategy - big biz may be going on sale to capture share of market, or move dead stock. So 70% off makes sense for them. This does not work for small biz. 
So… how do small businesses make Black Friday work for them? Listen to this episode to find out how to use meta ads to make sure your business wins this Black Friday Cyber Monday holiday sales period. Megan covers how to: 
Understand what role BF will play in your business plan
Understand your number so you don't grow yourself to death
Plan your offer so it works for your business
Time it properly
Create intentional messaging. 
Use ads effectively and avoid overpaying at the busiest time of year 
Plan to win
Learn more about working with us:
The next 8-week mentoring program where you'll learn to run Meta ads like a pro is opening soon. Apply now. 
Hire us to run your ads. Learn more. 
Learn how to run your own ads. Click here. 
Learn more about your host: 
Megan Winter is a meta ads expert, an experienced ADMA and AMI-awarded marketer and founder of Lume Marketing.
As an early-adopter of digital marketing and social media advertising, she has consulted to global brands owned by Heineken and Lexus, has taught hundreds of small business owners at The Facebook Ads Academy, and presented on digital marketing at Bond University.
Now, her passion is helping ethical, purpose-led brands achieve more income and impact with high-performing meta ads.
Connect with Megan on Instagram @meganwinter or LinkedIn

Have you ever walked away from a conference with pages of notes but no idea where to start?
 
That's exactly how I felt after spending three days at Cairns Crocodiles with Mia Fileman from Campaign Del Mar.
 
In this episode, we're sharing the ideas that made us stop, think, and question the way we approach marketing. We chat about why creativity is making a comeback, why strategy should come before tactics, and why the brands people remember aren't the ones trying to blend in.
 
If you're a founder, marketer or small business owner who wants to build a better brand, create marketing people remember, and stop chasing every shiny new tactic, this episode is for you.
 
Learn more about working with Lume Marketing
●        The next 8-week mentoring program where you'll learn to run Meta ads like a pro is opening soon. Apply now.
●        Hire us to run your ads
●        Learn how to run your own ads
 
One of the biggest surprises from the conference was what wasn't being talked about. Despite all the noise around AI, very few speakers saw it as a competitive advantage. Instead, the conversation centred on creativity, instinct, purpose-led marketing and understanding human behaviour.
 
We discuss why founder energy is such a powerful advantage, why the best ideas often feel uncomfortable before they're successful, and how brands like Pinterest are helping people get off their screens and back into real life.
 
We also talk about why podcasting is having a moment, why attention on its own isn't enough anymore, and why the brands creating genuine value will always outperform the ones chasing the latest algorithm. Whether you run a purpose-led brand, an ecommerce business or a service business, these are ideas that reach far beyond marketing.
 
We also share some of the behind-the-scenes realities of attending an event like this while running businesses and raising families. Because great marketing isn't just about campaigns. It's about creating space to think differently, challenging your assumptions and bringing fresh ideas back to your customers.
 
If you've been wondering why your Meta ads aren't working, whether your marketing has become a little too safe, or how to create marketing that people remember, I think you'll enjoy this conversation.
 
As I always say, ads are an amplifier. Brand first, ads last. The best Meta ads, Facebook ads and Instagram ads start with a clear strategy, great creative and a genuine understanding of your customers.
 
I'd love to know what stood out most for you from this episode. Are you going to embrace more creativity in your marketing? Focus more on long-form content? Or stop worrying so much about following the so-called rules? Come and tell us over on Instagram. We'd love to continue the conversation with you at @lumemarketing
 
Contact details mentioned:
●        Connect with Mia Fileman or Campaign Del Mar on Instagram, Facebook or via her website.
●        Connect with Lume Marketing on Instagram, Facebook of via our website
●        Megan Winter on LinkedIn
 
References
●        Cairns Crocodiles
●        Amy Keen
●        Paula Bloodworth
●        John Evans' podcast Uncensored CMO
●        Pinterest
●        Xanthe Wells
●        Uber Eats
●        Bonds – Robert Irwin Campaign
●        Kim Anderson
●        Marketing Circle
●        Ripple Festival
●        Tully Walter, Mike Wilson, Leigh Lavery and Kim Anderson
●        Got Marketing? Episode with Kim Anderson
 
 
Resources
●        Should you run your own ads or partner with an agency? Take the quiz here to find out.
●        10 most common Meta ads red flags, and how to avoid them. Download for free here.
 
Loved the pod?
●        Leave a review and you may just find yourself getting a shoutout on the pod.

Are you convinced your Meta ads aren't working, or are you looking at the wrong numbers?
 
One of the most common questions I get is, "Help, my ads aren't working. What do I do?" 
 
There isn't one simple answer. Meta ads are only one part of your marketing, and before you start changing creatives, increasing your budget or blaming the algorithm, you need to understand what role your ads are playing in your customer's buying journey.
 
In this episode, I walk you through the exact process we use inside our Meta ads agency and the same framework I teach inside my Meta ads training program. You'll learn how to stop making emotional decisions and start reading the data that tells you exactly where the problem is.
 
If you've ever wondered why Meta ads aren't working, how to run profitable Meta ads, or how to stop wasting money on ads that don't convert, this episode is for you.
 
Learn more about working with Lume Marketing
The next 8-week mentoring program where you'll learn to run Meta ads like a pro is opening soon. Apply now.

Hire us to run your ads

Learn how to run your own ads

 
I explain why understanding your acceptable cost per acquisition, customer lifetime value and marketing efficiency ratio is far more important than obsessing over ROAS alone. We also look at the biggest mistakes I see business owners make when results dip, including blindly increasing budgets, creating endless new content without a strategy, or comparing their results to brands that are years ahead of them.
 
I also break down the Meta ads metrics that matter, including click through rate, CPM, cost per click, frequency and website conversion rates, so you can identify whether your creative, website or offer is holding you back.
 
Whether you're running DIY Meta ads, working with a Facebook ads agency, managing an ecommerce brand or simply trying to work out why your ads aren't performing, this episode will help you understand what your numbers are really saying.
 
Because Meta ads aren't magic, they're an amplifier. When you know how to read the data, you stop guessing, reduce wasted ad spend and make better decisions about what to do next.
 
I'd love to hear from you. Which Meta ads metric do you find the most confusing, or what's the biggest challenge you're facing with your ads right now? Send me a message and let's continue the conversation on Instagram @lumemarketing
 
Contact details mentioned:
Connect with Lume Marketing on Instagram, Facebook of via our website

Megan Winter on LinkedIn

 
Resources
Should you run your own ads or partner with an agency? Take the quiz here to find out.

10 most common Meta ads red flags, and how to avoid them. Download for free here.

 
Loved the pod? 
Leave a review and you may just find yourself getting a shoutout on the pod.