Stephen has been running a Sponsored Content campaign for one month and has four creatives live. Two of the creatives are showing a very low CTR and a very high CPL. What could he do next?

Pausing underperforming creatives is a strategic action that allows Stephen to optimize his Sponsored Content campaign effectively. By identifying and halting the creatives displaying low click-through rates (CTR) and high cost-per-lead (CPL), he can redirect his budget towards the more effective ads. This practice is a key aspect of campaign management, as it helps focus resources on elements that yield better performance, thereby maximizing overall campaign efficiency.

The decision to pause those creatives recognizes that underperforming ads may not only fail to contribute positively but could also drain resources that could be better utilized elsewhere. This ensures that Stephen's campaign evolves based on performance data, allowing for continuous improvement.

Considering alternative options, simply increasing the budget without addressing the low-performing creatives may lead to further inefficiencies, as it could mean pouring more money into ads that are not resonating with the target audience. Changing the target audience might be beneficial, but it may also lead to untested creative formats being shown to a new audience without diagnosing the current creative issues. Doubling the ad spend would likely exacerbate the problem rather than improve the performance of those specific creatives. Therefore, pausing the underperforming creatives stands out as the most logical and effective next step for optimization.