Stop Splitting Budget Evenly Across Platforms
A common but flawed instinct is splitting paid media budget evenly across Meta, Google, and TikTok simply because all three are "important." This produces underfunded campaigns on each platform that lack enough volume to optimise effectively, and it ignores the fact that each platform plays a genuinely different role in a customer’s decision journey.
A more effective approach starts with mapping each platform to the funnel stage it naturally serves best, then allocating budget based on where your specific business has the biggest current gap or opportunity.
A Funnel-Stage Framework for Budget Allocation
Google Search captures demand that already exists — people actively searching for a solution. This typically deserves a meaningful allocation for any business with measurable search volume around their category, since it converts at the highest intent of any channel. Meta and TikTok are better at creating demand and building awareness among people who were not actively searching but match your target profile, making them essential for newer brands or new product categories without established search demand.
- High existing search volume for your category: weight budget toward Google Search
- New or unfamiliar product/brand: weight toward Meta and TikTok for awareness and consideration
- Established brand with existing customer base: allocate meaningfully to retargeting across all platforms
- Limited total budget: concentrate on one platform with enough volume to optimise, rather than spreading thin
Revisit Allocation Monthly, Not Quarterly
Platform performance shifts faster in Nigeria than many businesses’ budgeting cycles account for — auction dynamics, seasonal demand, and competitive activity can shift the relative efficiency of a platform within weeks. We review and adjust client budget allocation monthly at minimum, sometimes more often during high-competition periods like festive seasons, rather than locking in a quarterly split and leaving it untouched.
