Lesson 11 of 30 · 9 min
Give every channel a job
Build a mix from complementary roles, not a checklist.
Channels solve different problems
Video and CTV can build memory at scale. Social can combine discovery with rapid creative learning. Search captures existing intent. Programmatic display can extend reach or reconnect with known visitors.
Avoid accidental duplication
For each channel, write its role, audience, message, and success signal. If two channels have the same answer to all four, consolidate them or design a deliberate test.
Write the job before you write the budget
A channel's job is a sentence: "Reach 40% of category buyers three times to establish that we ship overnight." Once the job exists, the budget question becomes arithmetic rather than opinion, and you can tell whether the channel delivered.
Sequence matters as much as split
The same money spent in a different order produces different results. Building recognition before harvesting intent usually lifts the harvest; running only capture and hoping recognition appears rarely works. Decide what has to happen first.
Takeaway
A channel earns budget by doing a distinct job in the customer journey.
Check yourself
No score, no signup — pick an answer to see why it's right.
Question 1
Which channel role is most defensible?
Question 2
Two channels have the same audience, message, and success signal. What should you do?