Performancemarketing used to be the holy grail of advertising. You spend ₹1, and earn ₹3back. Simple, trackable, and scalable.
But fastforward to 2025—things aren’t so simple anymore.
Manybrands are feeling the sting of rising costs, lower returns, and unpredictableplatform behaviour. The once-reliable formula of performance marketing isstarting to crack. So, what changed?
And moreimportantly—how can you fix it?
Let’s break down the key reasons why performance marketing is underperforming in2025, and what smart brands are doing to stay ahead.
1. Ad Costs Are Skyrocketing
Why it’s happening:
- Privacy changes have reduced targeting accuracy
- Major platforms are saturated with similar ads
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As demandrises and audience pools shrink, CPC (Cost per Click) and CPA (Cost PerAcquisition) are steadily increasing. This means marketers have to spend more just to get the same results.
The Fix:
Stop relying only on conversion-focused ads.Instead, combine performance marketing with brand-building campaigns.Brand campaigns foster long-term relationships, improve recall, and ultimately loweracquisition costs over time.
Think of performance as the sprint and brand-building as the marathon—you need both towin.
2. Over-Reliance on Meta & Google
The Problem:
Mostbrands still pour 90% of their budget into Facebook, Instagram, and Google. Butalgorithms are shifting fast, privacy policies keep evolving, and competitionis fierce.
The Fix:
Diversify your ad spend. Explore emerging and under-utilized platforms:
- LinkedIn Ads for B2B and high-ticket products
- YouTube Shorts and TikTok for visual storytelling
- Programmatic ads for scale
- Influencer marketing for trust and reach
Don’t put all your ad eggs in one algorithmic basket.
3. Poor Creative = Poor Performance
The Problem:
Even with laser-targeted audiences, boring creatives kill campaigns. If your ad looks like everyone else’s, people will scroll right past it.
The Fix:
Invest increative variety and testing:
- Use UGC-style videos, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content
- Incorporate motion graphics and bold hooks
- Refresh creative every 7–14 days
- A/B test visuals and messages
- Remember, in 2025, your creative is your targeting.
The Problem:
Too many brands expect strangers to click and buy on the first touch. But audiences today are more sceptical—and more distracted—than ever.
The Fix:
Build a full-funnel marketing strategy:
- Top of Funnel (TOFU): Awareness content like videos, reels, blog posts, or influencer collabs
- Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Retargeting ads with testimonials, case studies, or product demos
- Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Offers, limited-time discounts, and strong CTAs
- Guideusers through a journey. Don’t just pitch—nurture.
- Top of Funnel (TOFU): Awareness content like videos, reels, blog posts, or influencer collabs
- Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Retargeting ads with testimonials, case studies, or product demos
- Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Offers, limited-time discounts, and strong CTAs
Guideusers through a journey. Don’t just pitch—nurture.
5. Ignoring Lifetime Value (LTV)
The Problem:
Brands chasing quick wins often attract low-quality buyers. These users convert once,then disappear—hurting long-term growth.
The Fix:
Focus on customer retention, not just acquisition. Raise your LTV through:
- Email and WhatsApp flows
- Loyalty programs and exclusive offers
- Cross-sell and upsell strategies post-purchase
Your best customers are the ones who already bought from you. Serve them better.
6. Attribution Is Messy
The Problem:
Thanks to iOS privacy updates and multi-device usage, tracking performance is more difficult than ever. It’s hard to know exactly what’s working.
The Fix:
Use server-side tracking and tools like GA4 for deeper insights
- Use server-side tracking and tools like GA4 for deeper insights
- implement marketing mix modelling to see broader patterns
- Accept that not every result is perfectly trackable
Insteadof obsessing over isolated metrics, look at overall trends and business impact.
7. Lack of Patience
The Problem:
Many marketers expect results in a week. If ROAS isn’t positive in 5 days, the campaign gets shut down. But that’s not how performance marketing worksanymore.
The Fix:
Let yourcampaigns run and learn. Set clear learning phase
- Test for 2–4 weeks
- Optimize creatives, audiences, and placements
- Scale gradually with data-backed confidence
Conclusion: Performance isn’t dead—it’s Just Smarter Now
Performance marketing isn’t failing—it’s evolving.
Brandsthat rely on outdated tactics are losing ground. Rising ad costs, tighter privacy laws, and shifting consumer behaviours require a more intelligentapproach.
But the good news is—it’s fixable.
If your campaigns are struggling in 2025:
- Don’t just cut budgets—optimize your foundation
- Rework your funnel
- Refresh your creative assets
- Focus on retention and LTV
- Be patient, and let data guide your growth
Learn, Adapt, and Grow with Brandveda
In this fast-changing digital landscape, staying ahead means continual learning.
That’s where Brandveda Digital Marketing Academy can help.
With expert-ledtraining, live case studies, and hands-on project experience, Brandveda empowers marketers and business owners to master performance marketing in 2025.
Whether you’re a beginner or a professional looking to upskill, Brandveda gives you the tools, strategies, and community support to succeed.
Stay ahead of the curve—learn, adapt, and grow with Brandveda.