I keep going down rabbit holes trying to understand how the big ad platforms actually decide what you see and what you pay. These are my write-ups, in plain English, each with interactive simulators you can play with.
Memes Do Meme Ads Actually Work? (What the Data Says About Memes on Facebook and Reddit) Why memes win attention and reach but fade or backfire toward the sale, why the famous meme brands mostly won organically rather than with paid ads, why engagement does not predict sales, and how the joke can quietly eat your brand. Four interactive simulators. Google How Google Ads Really Work (and Why the Priciest Clicks Can Be the Cheapest Customers) Why quality lowers your cost per click, why Search is demand you capture rather than create, how the most expensive click on the internet can still be the cheapest customer, and why the Display Network is a completely different game. Four interactive simulators. Reddit How Reddit Ads Really Work (and Why They Are a Different Game to Meta) Why you buy people and not subreddits, how geography decides who sees your ad, why upvotes and downvotes move your cost, and how it all differs from Meta. Four interactive simulators. Meta How Meta Ad Auctions Really Work (and Why They Work That Way) Why Meta sells attention not space, why you bid on outcomes, what the estimated action rate is, and why a smaller bid often wins. Four interactive simulators.
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