I sat down with Collin Slattery, founder of Taikun Digital. He has helped scale brands from scrappy startups to multi-million revenue machines using Google Ads. We had real talk about Google Ads and how to ensure your spend actually drives incremental revenue not vanity metrics.

We dig into what actually moves the needle in Google Ads today, including:

• Why Google brand is NOT bringing incremental revenue - 90% of the time
• How incrementality testing can reveal what’s really driving sales
• What most brands get wrong about Google Shopping
• Why Performance Max isn’t the growth engine you think it is
• How to use scripts to cut ad waste and scale efficiently
• Tools like Triple Whale and NorthBeam that give you an edge in attribution

00:00 Welcome to the E-Commerce Impact Podcast

00:24 Introducing Colin Slattery: Google Ads Expert

00:46 Colin's Agency and Client Success

03:11 From Rags to Riches: Colin's Inspiring Journey

04:33 Navigating the Global Financial Crisis

06:30 Early Career and Skill Development

07:46 Launching and Growing the Agency

09:45 Specializing in Google Ads

10:14 Current Trends and Strategies in Google Ads

16:12 Challenges and Insights on P Max

21:35 Dynamic Search Ads and Incrementality Testing

24:40 Trust Issues with Google Data

24:53 Choosing the Right Time for Testing

26:15 Understanding Ngram Analysis

29:21 The Role of Scripts in Google Ads

30:51 Brand Bidding and Holdout Tests

35:04 Navigating Client Challenges

37:13 Attribution and Incrementality Testing

40:26 Optimizing Google Shopping Campaigns

43:21 Importance of Merchant Center Maintenance

47:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Collin doesn’t just talk theory, he brings battle-tested strategies from managing millions in spend across eComm brands.

If you’re an eCommerce founder or growth marketer tired of flying blind with Google Ads, this episode is your wake-up call.

Connect with Collin Slattery: Taikun Digital Website, LinkedIn, X

Dive into strategies on how to navigate the rising costs of Meta advertising. The discussion covers making ad accounts more efficient, utilizing data and tracking, and employing psychological and emotional insights for better creative. Key topics include optimizing campaign structures, understanding attribution models, leveraging first-party data, and crafting diverse and effective ad creatives. Listeners also get practical tips on monitoring key performance metrics and a chance to access valuable freebies to enhance their e-commerce marketing efforts. The episode wraps up with a reminder to subscribe, leave a review, and consider booking a strategy call for personalized guidance.01:17 Strategies to Combat Rising Ad Costs

01:31 Phoenix on Data and Tracking
01:39 Sarah on Psychological Driven Creative
01:46 Jessie on Media Buying Process
02:36 Jessie's Background and Experience
03:23 Key Metrics to Monitor
06:26 Improving Ad Efficiency
10:59 Campaign Structure and Setup
15:47 Phoenix on Attribution Models
16:07 Understanding Attribution
16:57 First Click vs. Last Click Attribution
18:33 Linear Attribution
19:38 Full Impact Attribution
21:28 Lighthouse Optimization Model
23:38 Click vs. View Attribution
25:25 Third Party vs. First Party Data
27:05 Unlocking First Party Data
28:29 The Power of Attribution in Advertising
29:48 Understanding Customer Journeys and Creative Strategies
32:37 The Importance of Identity in Creative Advertising
37:32 Effective Creative Testing and Ad Strategies
44:16 Navigating Health and Wellness Advertising Challenges
47:17 Q&A: Creative Testing and Account Structuring
54:00 Freebies and Final Thoughts

Jessie chats with Ruben Posthuma, Head of Sales & Marketing at Dr. Bugs Popcorn, a New Zealand-based brand shaking up the snack aisle with indulgent popcorn made for adults. Ruben shares how the business went from a lifestyle venture to a DTC powerhouse—scaling 10x in revenue—thanks to inventive flavors, smart ad strategies, and clever product development.

We dive into the brand’s monthly flavour drop strategy, UGC playbook, balancing DTC vs. retail, optimizing subscription boxes, and how Dr. Bugs manages to keep CACs low while fuelling consistent growth. This one is packed with gold for food brand operators and marketers alike.

What we cover in this episode:

• How Ruben helped grow the brand 10x in 7 years
• The strategy behind monthly limited-edition flavour drops
• The UGC-first paid ad engine that fuels Meta success
• How they manage SKU creep without killing margin
• Balancing grocery pricing with DTC offers and bundles
• Subscription product design: why less is sometimes more
• The difference between creators vs. influencers and how they use each
• How content energy > polish for ad performance
• Using product innovation to unlock new consumer “wallet buckets”
• Ruben’s playbook for launching new products & driving retention
• CRO strategies that actually moved the needle
• If Ruben had to double revenue in 12 months, here’s exactly what he’d do

Links & Resources:

• Dr. Bugs Popcorn
• Ruben on Twitter