🧠 The Challenge:

Octripus came to me at square one. The brand was brand-new. Their product — a web-based platform to connect travelers with experienced travel advisors — was still in development. They were launching ads for the very first time.
The goals were clear:

1. Recruit high-quality travel advisors to join the platform.
2. Drive traffic to the site from users ready to purchase custom guides.
3. Build early brand awareness and start establishing a positive reputation.

All this — with no previous campaign data and a product still in progress.

My Role:

I led the entire marketing launch from the ground up — strategy, creative direction, media planning, execution, and analysis. This included:

• Market research & competitor benchmarking
• Audience profiling
• Geo-targeting strategy
• Landing page structure & copy
• Ad creative briefing and supervision
• Paid ad setup on Google and Meta
• Performance tracking and optimization

🚀 What I Did

1. Built Smart Landing Pages
I created and tested several types of landing pages — some for recruiting advisors, others for attracting potential guide buyers. Each one was designed for clarity, speed, and conversion.
2. Did My Homework
I ran an in-depth market and competitor analysis to uncover positioning opportunities. From that, I mapped out Octripus’ unique value and built clear personas for both key audiences.
3. Chose the Right Test Markets
I started with CIS countries due to their lower CPMs, making it easier to test with a modest budget. Then I expanded into select EU markets (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Hungary) to reach a broader user base.
4. Designed Creatives that Click
Together with a designer, I developed multiple creative directions — from minimalist lifestyle to aspirational travel visuals — to test what would resonate.
5. Launched Google & Meta Campaigns

• On Google Ads, I directed traffic to an advisor-focused landing page with a lead collection form.
• On Meta, I used native lead forms to reduce drop-off and increase submissions.

6. Ran & Optimized Test Campaigns
I monitored results daily, adjusted budgets, audiences, and messaging in real-time to boost performance.

• 📊 The Results✅ 130+ confirmed advisor applications within the first month
• 📉 $1.20 per lead on Google Ads
• 📉 $0.70 per lead from Facebook lead forms
• 💡 Landing pages converted at 20% on average

All this — before the platform officially launched.


Why It Worked:

• I didn’t just run ads — I built a strategy rooted in real data.
• I prioritized clarity and speed across every touchpoint.
• I treated Octripus like my own startup — with care, creativity, and testing at every step.

✅ Takeaways
This project reinforced a few core lessons I always come back to:

• Pre-launch ≠ “too early” for marketing — you can build real traction before you even go live.
• Audience clarity beats big budgets. A well-targeted $100 can outperform a scattered $1,000.
• Test, learn, repeat. Marketing is a loop, not a line.
• Message-market match is everything. Even the best creative fails if it doesn’t speak to the right pain point.