New data from $1.3B in Meta ad spend shows creative output — not creative intuition — drives paid social performance. Here’s how to build a creative testing system that wins.
Author: Haley Nininger
Haley Nininger is Director of Performance Creative at Silverback Strategies — part analyst, part creative strategist, and firmly convinced that the best marketing lives at the intersection of both. With over five years at Silverback and a background spanning paid media, creative strategy, and UX design, she helps brands stop guessing which ads will work and start building the systematic testing programs that find out.
A James Madison University graduate, Haley's blend of analytical and creative thinking showed up early. While at JMU, she captained an all-female team that became a finalist in the 2018 Global Online Marketing Academic Challenge (GOMAC), earning an Honorable Mention for excellence in Google Data Studio reporting. That same year, she won a design competition to create the 40th-anniversary bus wrap for the Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation — a piece celebrating the Shenandoah Valley that was seen by the entire city. She also co-founded the first national Digital Marketing Honors Society, built to connect top-tier digital talent with the recruiters and companies looking for it.
Haley writes on the power of psychology in advertising, media and creative strategy, performance creative trends by channel, and activating research insights in paid media campaigns.
Creative Strategy in Digital Advertising
Creativity without a strategy is art. Creativity with a strategy is advertising. Silverback Strategies shows you why your business needs a creative approach to digital advertising. We’ll show you where to start and the pros and cons of various creative team structures. The Importance of Creative Strategy in Digital Advertising Creativity is the most significant… Continue reading Creative Strategy in Digital Advertising
Why You Need Audience Research in Paid Media: The Signal AI Can’t Generate For You
Content may convert, but only if it’s reaching people who actually want what you’re selling. Every year, an estimated $37 billion is wasted on ads that fail to engage their target audience. Audience research is how you avoid becoming part of that number. It connects your campaigns to your buyers’ actual pain points and purchase… Continue reading Why You Need Audience Research in Paid Media: The Signal AI Can’t Generate For You
Creative Testing: How to Maximize Success
When it comes to running successful paid social campaigns, there’s more to do than simply set up your ads, make some tweaks, and watch them perform. You need a comprehensive creative testing plan that helps you determine which elements of your creative strategy are resonating and which could use some improvement. By testing your ads,… Continue reading Creative Testing: How to Maximize Success