eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Experts Share Strategies for Acquisition, Conversion, Retention | Grow Your Shopify Store with DTC Marketing Tips

The Best Way To Run Facebook And Google Ads In 2025

Mar 11, 2025

Sam Piliero, Founder and CEO of The Moonlighters, shares his extensive experience in media buying for Shopify brands. He delves into the skyrocketing costs of Facebook and Google ads and introduces the M3 method for optimizing ad strategies. Sam emphasizes the power of authentic marketing and effective customer engagement. He discusses the shifting dynamics of digital advertising, the impact of strategic placements like during the Super Bowl, and the importance of nurturing product quality to ensure sustainable growth in e-commerce.

44:21

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Episode guests

Sam Piliero

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Quick takeaways

In response to rising ad costs, brands must strategically allocate budgets based on effective insights and adapt to new advertising landscapes.

Authenticity in ad creatives, particularly through user-generated content, significantly boosts engagement and conversion rates amidst increased competition.

Deep dives

Rising Advertising Costs and Its Implications

Advertising costs have significantly increased, with current rates being three times higher than they were in 2021, creating challenges for Shopify merchants. This sharp rise in costs is due not just to increased competition but also to the evolving landscapes of Facebook and Google advertising, which have become more monetizable for all users. Smaller brands, especially those generating between one to ten million dollars in revenue, face difficulties as larger companies can continue to reinforce their spending and maintain their established positions. Successful scaling in this environment requires a strategic pivot towards understanding the changes in ad platforms and adapting to the new cost structures.

Intro

2min

Navigating Advertising Challenges in the Digital Era

24min

Authentic Marketing Strategies

7min

Navigating the Evolving Digital Advertising Landscape

2min

Maximizing Advertising Impact and Sustainable Growth Strategies

6min

Opportunities in Social Media Marketing and Special Offers for E-commerce Growth

3min

Are your Facebook and Google ad costs skyrocketing? Feeling like you’re throwing money into a black box with minimal returns? You’re not alone.

Today, we’re diving into the trenches of paid advertising with Sam Piliero, the Founder and CEO of The Moonlighters a specialized media buying agency laser-focused on helping Shopify brands conquer Facebook and Google Ads.

Sam brings incredible experience to the table, having worked with Gary Vaynerchuk at VaynerMedia and Director of Marketing at BarkBox. With over a decade of experience helping DTC brands grow and scale, Sam’s here to unpack the challenges of today’s ad landscape and share actionable strategies for success.

Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.

For more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog.

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eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Experts Share Strategies for Acquisition, Conversion, Retention | Grow Your Shopify Store with DTC Marketing Tips

The Best Way To Run Facebook And Google Ads In 2025

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Rising Advertising Costs and Its Implications

Navigating Attribution Challenges in Advertising

The M3 Method: A New Approach to Media Buying

The Importance of Authentic Creative Content

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts