Mitch from Austin runs a successful consumer lending business, but lately, his once-solid stream of high-quality leads has taken a hit. In this episode, Marc digs into what could be causing the shift—even when the strategy seems unchanged.

You'll learn how to investigate drop-offs in lead quality by looking at both internal marketing changes and external channel shifts. From tweaking ad targeting to understanding changes in SEO traffic, this episode is your troubleshooting guide for diagnosing lead issues fast.

00:00 – Intro Mark sets the stage and reads Mitch’s question about declining lead quality.

01:30 – Step 1: Audit What’s Changed Internally

• Review all recent changes to your marketing strategy—even tiny ones.

• Key areas: ad targeting, website copy, form fields, blog updates.

• Tip: Ask your team for a detailed breakdown of recent changes.

04:15 – Step 2: Trace Bad Leads to the Source

• Determine which campaign, channel, or asset is producing low-quality leads.

• Paid media and organic search are likely suspects.

• Use analytics to connect the dots between traffic source and lead quality.

06:30 – Deep Dive: Paid Media Troubleshooting

• Audit targeting settings: Are you reaching the wrong audience?

• Reevaluate ad messaging: Has your positioning changed?

• Ensure alignment between ads and what the landing page promises.

08:00 – Deep Dive: SEO Traffic Shifts

• Have new blog posts outranked older, higher-converting content?

• Are lower-quality keywords bringing in more traffic?

• Use tools to analyze shifts in keyword rankings and top-performing pages.

10:15 – Final Thoughts: Diagnosis Before Prescription

• The solution starts with clear, structured troubleshooting.

• Track everything to isolate the real issue—and fix it fast.

• Even subtle marketing changes can affect lead quality—review everything.

• Always trace bad leads back to their origin (campaign, keyword, or ad).

• Inconsistent messaging or new SEO traffic can attract the wrong audience.

• You can’t fix what you can’t trace—analytics are your best friend.

• Google Search Console (for SEO insights)

• Your paid media platform (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.)

• Website and form analytics (GA4, Hotjar, HubSpot, etc.)

Send a Loom video or email Marc directly at heymarc@squeezethefunnel.com and your question may be featured on the podcast.

Listener Question: Chandler from San Mateo wants to take his online investing course beyond Skillshare and grow it under his own brand. He asked for help with growth marketing—and got a full breakdown of what to do next.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

• Why relying on marketplace platforms might be costing you more than you think

• A simple, powerful framework to unlock your ideal customer’s attention

• The truth about content vs. paid growth—and how to choose the right path

• One overlooked tactic that most entrepreneurs skip (and why you shouldn’t)

• And yes… the reason you should just ask for the damn sale

Plus: a San Mateo local’s guide to unbeatable coffee and bagels (don’t sleep on this combo).

📍 If you’re building a digital product and wondering how to attract (and convert) real customers—this one’s for you.

In this episode, Marc takes us back to his high school days in Seattle, where being a 90-pound sophomore surrounded by NFL-sized seniors made full-size lockers a terrifying prospect. 😅

But it’s not just nostalgia. Marc answers a thoughtful listener question from Anne in Seattle, who’s crushing it with her digital product business but wondering if she should stick with Meta and Google ads or branch out.

Marc breaks down four killer reasons why:

1. Paid media only gets more expensive

2. One channel marketing strategies are risky

3. Content + SEO = cheaper, compounding growth

4. Ads aren’t evergreen

Whether you're running a solo biz or scaling a startup, this is the wake-up call to stop relying on ads alone and start building a brand that lasts.

Got a marketing question for Marc?

Send a Loom video or email Marc directly at heymarc@squeezethefunnel.com and your question may be featured on the podcast.