Solved: Structuring Ad Accounts for Sleep App User Acquisition

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on scaling user acquisition for your sleep tracking app. It sounds like you've got some great momentum after your Series A, and getting the ad structure right is gonna be key to capitalising on that.

You probably should think about avoiding over-segmentation...

I'd start by saying don't get too granular too soon with your account structure. I know it's tempting, especially with a fresh round of funding, to create loads of different campaigns and ad sets for every single audience segment you can think of. But honestly, in my experience, it often does more harm than good, certainly initially.

The problem is, if you over-segment, you end up spreading your budget too thinly. Each ad set doesn't get enough data to learn and optimise effectively. The algorithms on platforms like Facebook and Google need a certain amount of conversion data to figure out who to target and what ads resonate. If you're only getting a handful of conversions per ad set, it's really hard for them to do their job properly. It's like trying to bake a cake with only a teaspoon of flour - it's just not gonna work.

Instead, I'd suggest starting with broader targeting. Think about your core audience segments – athletes, shift workers, people with insomnia – but maybe group them into slightly larger buckets. For example, you could have one campaign targeting "health-conscious individuals" and then use ad sets to further refine the targeting within that campaign. This gives the algorithm more data to work with and allows it to find the best performing audiences more quickly.

We'll need to look at lookalike audiences...

Next, I'd really recommend diving deep into lookalike audiences. They can be an absolute goldmine, especially once you've got a good number of conversions under your belt. I remember working with a software company where we set up lookalike audiences based on their existing customer base and saw a massive improvement in their conversion rates. It was like the platforms suddenly knew exactly who to target.

The way it works is, you upload a list of your existing customers (or, even better, your highest-value customers) to the ad platform. The platform then analyses the characteristics of those customers and finds other people who are similar to them. It's like magic, but it's actually just clever algorithms doing their thing.

The important thing is to make sure your pixel is set up correctly to track conversions. You need to be tracking everything: installs, sign-ups, in-app purchases, whatever your key metrics are. Without accurate conversion tracking, lookalike audiences are basically useless. It's like trying to navigate without a map – you'll just end up getting lost.

Don't be afraid to test different percentages of similarity. Some times a broader lookalike (e.g., 5% similarity) can work better than a narrower one (e.g., 1% similarity). It depends on your audience and the platform's algorithms. Just experiment and see what works best for you.

I'd say you need to test different creatives...

And finally, you really need to focus on your ad creatives. I can't stress this enough. No matter how good your targeting is, if your ads are boring, uninspired, or just plain rubbish, people simply won't click on them. Think about it: you're competing for attention with hundreds of other ads, posts, and videos. You need to stand out from the crowd.

Spend some time crafting compelling ad copy and visuals that speak directly to each of your target segments. What are their pain points? What are their aspirations? How can your app help them sleep better, feel more rested, and improve their overall well-being? Address these questions in your ads, and you'll be much more likely to grab their attention.

Most importantly, A/B test everything. Try different headlines, images, videos, and calls to action. See what resonates best with each audience segment. It's a bit of a pain, I know, but it's worth it in the long run. I recall a campaign where we changed just the headline – from "Get More Sleep" to "Wake Up Feeling Refreshed" – and it doubled the click-through rate. It was a tiny change, but it made a huge difference.

One thing we've had a lot of success with recently is UGC (user-generated content) videos. People are much more likely to trust a review from a real user than a polished, professionally produced ad. If you can get some of your existing users to create short videos talking about their experiences with your app, that could be a really powerful way to build trust and drive conversions.

You'll need some kind of a plan...

Right now, you need to consolidate your strategy. I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

These are just a few initial thoughts and suggestions, of course. Every business is different, and what works for one company might not work for another. The best way to figure out what's right for you is to experiment, test, and track your results closely. But it sounds like you're in a good place to really make the most of your Series A funding.

Scaling a sleep tracking app can be tough, and honestly you might find expert help beneficial. We've got quite a bit of experience scaling software campaigns. For example, we helped one software client get 3,543 users at £0.96 cost per user using Google Ads. We're always happy to hop on a call and chat about your specific challenges and see if we can help you achieve your goals. If you're interested, feel free to get in touch for a free consultation, and we can review your strategy together.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh