When new direct-to-consumer brands ask me about paid advertising strategies, I often see them searching for some secret channel or hidden opportunity that will magically drive their growth. The reality is much simpler—and perhaps less exciting.
Despite all the hype around emerging platforms, the two most effective digital advertising channels remain the same as they’ve been for over a decade: Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Google. This isn’t just my opinion; it’s what the data consistently shows across the thousands of brands we’ve worked with at Hawke Media.
The digital landscape has certainly evolved, but these two giants continue to dominate for good reason. They have the most sophisticated targeting capabilities, the largest user bases, and the most refined advertising systems. For D2C brands looking to establish themselves, these platforms should form the foundation of your paid strategy.
Beyond the Big Two: Complementary Channels
That said, there are other platforms worth exploring as complementary channels:
- TikTok and TikTok Shop have created interesting opportunities, especially for brands targeting younger demographics
- Pinterest works exceptionally well for visually-driven products in categories like home decor, fashion, and DIY
- Reddit can be powerful for very specific niches where communities gather around particular interests
These platforms can certainly add value to your marketing mix, but I’ve rarely seen a successful D2C brand that didn’t have Meta and Google as core components of their strategy.
The Real Challenge: Execution, Not Selection
The question isn’t really which channels to use—it’s how to use them effectively. This is where many emerging brands get stuck. They run a few campaigns, don’t see immediate results, and declare that “Facebook doesn’t work for our product” or “Google is too expensive for our category.”
This mindset is fundamentally flawed. If you’re building a consumer brand and Meta isn’t working for you, the problem likely isn’t with Meta—it’s with your approach. Either your product, pricing, messaging, creative, or targeting needs adjustment.
I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly: brands blame the platform when they should be examining their execution. The truth is that these platforms work for virtually every consumer category when approached correctly.
Making the Platforms Work for You
Success on these channels requires several key elements:
- Creative that stops the scroll and communicates your value proposition quickly
- Clear messaging that resonates with your target audience
- Proper campaign structure and optimization
- Patience to allow the algorithms to learn and optimize
Many brands give up too quickly or invest too little to generate meaningful data. Advertising on these platforms is both an art and a science—you need compelling creative combined with analytical rigor.
For new D2C brands, I recommend starting with Meta, particularly Instagram. The visual nature of the platform makes it ideal for product discovery, and the targeting capabilities allow you to reach people based on interests and behaviors relevant to your offering.
Google should typically be your second focus, capturing demand from people actively searching for solutions your product provides. Together, these platforms create a powerful combination of demand generation and demand capture.
The Mindset Shift
The most successful D2C founders I’ve worked with approach digital advertising with this mindset: “These channels will work for my business—my job is to figure out how.”
This perspective leads to testing, learning, and optimizing rather than giving up and platform-hopping. It acknowledges that finding the right approach takes time and iteration.
So if you’re launching or growing a D2C brand, don’t waste time searching for magical alternative channels. Master Meta and Google first. Once you’ve established profitable campaigns there, then explore complementary platforms that make sense for your specific product and audience.
Remember that digital advertising isn’t about finding a channel where you can simply “set it and forget it.” It’s about continuous improvement, testing, and optimization. The brands that win aren’t necessarily those with the biggest budgets, but those most committed to figuring out what works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much budget should a new D2C brand allocate to digital advertising?
Starting budgets vary by industry and product price point, but you need enough to gather statistically significant data. For most new brands, I recommend at least $3,000-5,000 per month on your primary channel to start. This allows for proper testing of different audiences, creative approaches, and messaging before scaling what works.
Q: How long should I test a channel before deciding if it works?
Give platforms at least 30 days with consistent spending to properly evaluate performance. The algorithms need time to optimize, and you need sufficient data to make informed decisions. Many brands give up too quickly before finding the right approach.
Q: Should I handle digital advertising in-house or hire an agency?
For early-stage brands, I recommend working with specialists who have proven experience in your category. Digital advertising has become increasingly complex, and the learning curve can be expensive if you’re figuring it out yourself. As you scale, you can consider building an in-house team with the right expertise.
Q: What metrics should I focus on when evaluating ad performance?
While many brands fixate on cost per acquisition (CPA), I recommend focusing on return on ad spend (ROAS) and customer lifetime value (LTV). Understanding the full customer journey and long-term value is more important than just the initial acquisition cost. This perspective allows you to make better scaling decisions.
Q: Is organic social media still important for D2C brands?
Absolutely. While paid advertising drives acquisition, organic social builds brand credibility, community, and provides content that can be repurposed for ads. The most successful D2C brands integrate their paid and organic strategies, using insights from each to improve the other. Organic content also helps reduce your overall customer acquisition costs over time.
