Ep 559: 3 High‑Leverage CRO Moves Before Black Friday – with Jordan Gordon
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupWelcome to the episode: we’ve got Jordan Gordon back on the mic — the guy leading email, retention and CRO at Pilot House, with 25 years in ecommerce under his belt.Role‑Based Hook (for DTC growth/marketing audience):For DTC founders & growth marketers scaling from $5M–100M in revenue, this is your CRO check‑list for Q4.Here’s what we dig into:Why your headline conversion rate is a shaky metric — and why “direct conversion” gives you better signal.The one page type (your top product page) you can fix in time for Black Friday to move the needle.How to push “bundling and recommendations” tools to unlock +8–30% lift in AOV with zero extra ad spend.The eight choke‑points across homepage → category → PDP → cart/checkout you must optimize right now.Real copy & button tips: How a tiny phrase (“Feel organic again”) can flip the homepage from meh to go‑time.Who this is for: DTC brand leads, ecommerce CRO/optimization folks, retention & growth marketers who already run advertising and now need to tighten the funnel.What to steal:Run quick benchmark: Are you hitting 5‑7% Add‑to‑Cart, ~2% conversion, ~1.25% direct conversion in Shopify?Pick your top 3‑5 PDPs and make them ultra‑fast (under 3s load) using a tool/tech stack like Niche.Install a bundling/recommendation engine (like Rebuy) across the site and measure +8% lift in AOV by pushing “people like you bought this + add it” flows.Timestamps00:00 Highest Leverage CRO Insights for Q402:10 Benchmarking Add-to-Cart and Conversion Rates04:45 Why Direct Conversion Is a Better Signal07:00 Speeding Up PDPs with Niche for Instant Wins10:05 Boosting AOV with Rebuy Bundling13:00 The 8 Critical Website Choke Points15:45 Optimizing Copy Around Key Conversion Areas18:20 Homepage Strategy for High-Volume Traffic21:40 What Big Brands Get Right on Their Homepages24:30 Final Q4 CRO Checklist and Fast WinsHashtags#dtcpodcast #q4ecommerce #cro #conversionrateoptimization #ecommercetips #shopifygrowth #blackfridayprep #aov #d2cbrands #onlinescaling Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF559Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
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Bonus: The Future Is Human: How to Scale Your Creator Marketing Program (Without Losing Trust)
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupWelcome to the DTC Podcast. Today we’re joined by Donatas Smailys, Co‑Founder & CEO of Billo, a creator‑marketing platform that helps DTC brands turn authentic creator videos into high‑performing ads. Explore Billo We dive into how brands can build a repeatable creator/content engine that integrates with ad funnels, why follower‑counts are becoming less relevant, how to brief creators with performance in mind, and why AI should support—not replace—human creators.Key TakeawaysWhy creator marketing must be treated as a systematic channel, not ad‑hoc influencer blastsHow to identify and match creators based on performance metrics (hook rate, CTR, ROAS) rather than follower sizeThe role of AI and data in briefing creators, generating content variants, and feeding back into ad performanceHow brands at the $3‑M‑$10‑M revenue stage can structure the first 90 days of creator‑led campaignsWhy authenticity still matters: synthetic avatar creators may work short‑term but risk long‑term trust and accountabilityThe emerging concept of “Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)” and how creator/social assets feed into future search ecosystemsWhether you’re a DTC brand marketer responsible for scaling ads, or a founder looking to build long‑term acquisition engines, this episode gives you a clear blueprint for building creator marketing into your growth stack.Timestamps00:00 AI brief generator and purchase data02:05 Why Billo started content at scale04:15 Creator marketing as a system06:20 Andromeda and creative diversity08:25 Segmenting by the why10:30 Let creators experiment and avoid fatigue12:35 AI influencers vs authenticity14:40 Meta partnership ads and Spark ads16:45 Answer Engine Optimization AEO18:50 Future of authenticity and human only20:55 First three months on Billo plan23:00 Performance backed creator selection25:05 Pricing and ad volume cadence27:10 Data loops AI variations and reuse29:30 Scaling creator content into paidHashtags#DTCPodcast #CreatorMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #UGC #EcommerceMarketing #PaidSocial #MetaAds #PartnershipAds #SparkAds #Andromeda #PerformanceCreative #AnswerEngineOptimization #AEO #Whitelisting #TikTokMarketing #AdCreative #CustomerAcquisition #DirectToConsumer #BilloApp #MarketingPodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
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Ep 559: How Nate Lagos Quadrupled Original Grain’s Growth Using Persona-Based CRO
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupNate Lagos just wrapped his first week as CMO of Adapt Naturals after a breakout run that saw him quadruple Original Grain’s revenue. In this episode, Nate joins Eric Dyck for whiskey and wisdom on persona-driven marketing, CRO as a growth engine, and why you don’t need 100 ads a week to win on Meta.For DTC founders and marketers optimizing for LTV and profitable scale in 2025.How to uncover true customer motivations and build actionable personasCRO testing frameworks that compound results across ads, email, and retentionThe “Better Than Black Friday” offer that boosted LTV by 30%Creative volume vs. creative quality — where the real lever isBuilding bundles and pricing for high-AOV buyersWho this is for: DTC founders, growth marketers, and CMOs looking to turn creative and CRO into profit levers.What to steal:Persona-based landing pages mapped to Meta ad anglesBetter Than BFCM: discount + gift card offer structureThe “one thing remarkably well” mindset for scalingTimestamps00:00 Better-than-Black-Friday offer boosts LTV02:10 Nate’s path into DTC and giftable wood products04:30 Scaling Original Grain with Meta and partnerships06:50 Persona marketing before Andromeda09:10 Landing pages and CRO for each persona11:40 Split testing with Intelligems on Shopify13:50 Creative volume vs quality debate16:10 CMO at Adapt Naturals and LTV mindset18:40 Pre-BFCM $50 voucher play21:00 Raising prices and premium bundles to lift AOV23:20 New channels, influencers, and offer testing25:40 Remote leadership and alignment28:00 Why marketers spot patterns and conspiracies30:20 Copywriting rituals and research workflow32:30 Do one thing remarkably wellHashtags#DTCPodcast #DTC #Ecommerce #BFCM #PreBlackFriday #LTV #MetaAds #CreativeStrategy #Andromeda #CRO #SplitTesting #Shopify #AOV #Bundles #OfferTesting #InfluencerMarketing #AdaptNaturals #OriginalGrain #Intelligems #MarketingPodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
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Ep 558: Creative Strategy in the Andromeda Era: What Actually Works on Meta Now
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupIn this episode, we sit down with Aves, Creative Lead & Partnerships at Pilothouse Digital, to unpack how DTC brands must rethink their creative strategy in the age of Meta’s Andromeda algorithm.For performance marketers and DTC founders scaling from $5–20M+.Tactical Takeaways:Why the “one winner ad” model no longer works in Meta’s current landscapeHow to identify customer motivations (not just demographics) and map them to creativeA practical framework for testing hooks: swap visuals first, not just voiceovers or copyHow to build a full creative range — from low-effort UGC to high-budget studio work — for each personaWhat creative audits should look like heading into Q4 and how to avoid “noise” in your ad accountWho this is for: DTC brand founders, heads of creative, performance marketersWhat to steal:Steal the “motivation-based segmentation” mindset in your ad strategySteal the 3–5 second visual hook test framework (visual first, audio later)Steal the creative range checklist (iPhone shot → studio shot) to audit your account this weekTimestamps00:00 Understanding Motivations and Creative Diversity02:00 How Meta’s Andromeda Update Changed Creative Strategy05:00 Building a Full Creative Range from UGC to Studio Content07:00 Why Niching Down Helps You Scale Up09:00 Moving Beyond “Winner” Ads and Budget Distribution11:00 How to Research Audiences Using Reddit and Reviews13:00 Avery’s Hook Testing Framework and Meta Insights17:00 Common Creative Mistakes and Noise in Ad Accounts19:00 How to Audit Creative Diversity for Q4 Success21:00 Creative Audits, Partnerships, and Avery’s Process23:00 Lessons from Hosting the Ad-Venturous PodcastHashtags#DTCpodcast #AdVenturous #CreativeStrategy #MetaAds #AndromedaEra #PerformanceMarketing #AdCreative #Pilothouse #EcommerceGrowth #DigitalMarketing #CreativeTesting #AdOptimization #MarketingStrategy #UGC #AgencyLife Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF558Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
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Bonus: How &Collar Uses Intelligems to Drive Growth with Pricing, Persona & Shipping Tests
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupIn this episode of the DTC Podcast, we talk with Ben Perkins, founder of &Collar — a men’s performance dress shirt brand that’s scaling smart by rigorously testing what works. Ben breaks down how they use Intelligems to uncover pricing and shipping threshold wins, and how they’re segmenting customers to align messaging and creative for maximum return.What you’ll learn in this episode:How a 4-way price test on a single SKU using Intelligems led to an extra $1.99/unit without conversion lossThe impact of testing free shipping thresholds ($75, $125, etc.) on AOV vs. conversionHow to define and target “recurring & required” customer personas for profitable acquisitionWhy your core SKU may deserve more focus (50% of &Collar’s sales are still from their white dress shirt)How to evaluate agency and team performance with contribution margin logicIf you’ve ever relied on intuition or competitors when setting prices or shipping offers, this episode will challenge you to test with precision — and scale what works.Timestamps00:00 – Price testing with Intelligems on &Collar’s best-selling dress shirts03:00 – Founding story and early years of &Collar’s growth journey06:00 – Post-pandemic market shifts and targeting “recurring & required” buyers09:00 – SKU expansion challenges and focusing on the white shirt advantage12:00 – Persona-based creative strategy and micro-segmentation for growth15:00 – Discovering the $49.99 price sweet spot through A/B testing18:00 – Testing free-shipping thresholds and increasing conversion rates21:00 – Focusing on new customer acquisition and top-of-funnel strategy24:00 – Always be testing: CRO roadmap and platform optimization27:00 – Tracking profitability per visitor, product, and employee30:00 – Long-term vision for &Collar and the road to a potential exitHashtags:#DTCpodcast #Intelligems #AndCollar #PricingStrategy #ABTesting #EcommerceGrowth #DTCbrands #ConversionRateOptimization #ShopifyBrands #EmailMarketing #CustomerAcquisition #BusinessStrategy #Profitability #Ecommerce Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Weekly discussions between disruptive direct to consumer ecommerce brands and our amazing team about marketing, funnels, and everything scaling related. Subscribe to our newsletter for highlights and step by step tactical insights 👉🏻 📦 directtoconsumer.co
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