Perpetual Traffic

Tier 11

Perpetual Traffic is a weekly podcast for CMOs, marketing directors, and business owners who want to master paid advertising, scale their businesses profitably and stay one step ahead of the shifting paid advertising landscape of today. Hosted by Ralph Burns (CEO of Tier 11, managing $200M+ in ad spend), the show covers digital marketing strategy, paid traffic optimization, and performance marketing, featuring expert interviews, case studies, and actionable campaign breakdowns. If you’re tired of wasting ad spend on campaigns that don’t convert, struggling to prove marketing ROI to executives, or overwhelmed by constantly changing platform algorithms and marketing tactics that promise results but deliver disappointment you’re in the right place. This show will give you the proven strategies from agencies managing millions in ad spend, behind-the-scenes campaign optimizations that actually work, and expert insights on marketing metrics that matter for real business growth. From Meta Ads and Google optimization to landing page conversion tactics and marketing attribution, each episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately to improve your ROAS and scale your marketing efforts. Get all the free episode resources at perpetualtraffic.com 13+ million downloads | 700+ episodes | Weekly since 2015

  1. 19H AGO

    How to Become a Supercommunicator (Ask These Questions)

    Do you often feel like your conversations aren't going anywhere? Or that you’re not connecting as deeply as you'd like? It turns out, most of us are missing a key ingredient in our communication. We're not asking the right questions. In today’s episode, we share part of the conversation we had with Charles Duhigg on becoming a supercommunicator. Charles reveals why traditional conversations fail and what you can do differently to spark real engagement. He explains how asking the right questions can shift a conversation from shallow small talk to deep, emotionally resonant discussions. Want to know how to break through the surface level and start having real conversations? Tune in for practical examples of how to ask deep questions that invite others to open up and share their honest thoughts and feelings. You’ll learn: - How to ask deep questions that drive real connection - The psychology of persuasion and trust-building - Why most “practical” conversations fail to persuade people - How emotional conversations impact decision-making - How to use empathy to lead tough conversations - The role of vulnerability in creating strong relationships - Tips for switching from a practical to an emotional conversation - The secret to making your customers feel heard and understood Mentioned in the Episode: Charles’ Book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection: https://amzn.to/3Xj0ioW Charles’ Book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business: https://amzn.to/4adpO6o Listen to the Full Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7yot6sWy34 Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf Connect with Charles Duhigg: Website: https://charlesduhigg.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesduhigg/ Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode: We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot! Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

    18 min
  2. APR 28

    Scaling Ads Is Killing Your Profit (Here’s the Fix That Works)

    Are you spending more on traffic than you’re actually making and calling that “growth”? Business owners often chase scale, obsess over ROAS, and completely miss the bigger picture. Most of them don’t have a traffic problem but a strategy problem. And if you don’t fix it, you’re just working for Meta, Google, or whoever owns your traffic source. Today, we revisit a conversation we had with Kasim Aslam. He breaks down a hard truth about scaling: diminishing returns are still returns, but most businesses quit too early. We explain why entrepreneurs stop at the peak of performance instead of riding the full curve, how margin obsession kills growth, and why doubling down on what’s already working beats chasing every new platform or tactic.  We get into what’s actually happening with AI, automation, and why “scalable” might be the most dangerous word in your business right now.  We also unpack what really drives sustainable business growth and why the future belongs to those willing to do what doesn’t scale. In This Episode: - Why traffic sometimes costs more than profit - Doubling down on what works - Riding the bell curve of ad performance - Margin vs net profit - Incalculable business advantages - The flip-and-exit mentality - How AI is killing easy business models Mentioned in the Episode: Apply to Work With Tier 11’s Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply  Previous episodes on the law of inverse profitability: https://perpetualtraffic.com/?s=inverse+profitability  Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491  Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK  Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/  Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf  Connect with Kasim Aslam: Website: https://kasimaslam.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasimaslam  Connect with Ralph Burns:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/  Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now  Mentioned in this episode: https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot! We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! Apply now by visiting www.perpetualtraffic.com https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

    20 min
  3. APR 21

    156% More App Subscribers in Six Months! Here’s How We Did It

    Download your free Tier 11’s nCAC calculator at: https://www.tiereleven.com/ncac How do you acquire new customers without frustrating the ones you already have? It’s a delicate balance that’s harder than it seems, especially when you think you've reached your market saturation. In this episode, we revisit a case study of a business that thought it had tapped out its market but was still able to scale quickly and profitably. We offered data-driven customer segmentation, personalized ads, and targeted creative hooks.  Our results within about six months included a 52.7% year-over-year increase in total subscribers, nearly 20% growth in web subscribers despite a price increase, and 156% growth in app subscribers.  In This Episode: - New customer acquisition and targeting challenges - How data-driven insights helped scale memberships - Solution: personalizing ad creatives and hooks by state - Results and key takeaways from the case study Mentioned in the Episode: Partner with Tier 11’s Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply  Tier 11’s Data Suite https://www.tiereleven.com/what-we-do/data-suite   Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491  Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK  Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/  Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf  Connect with Ralph Burns:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/  Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now  Mentioned in this episode: We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot! Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot!

    21 min
  4. APR 14

    5 Missed Forecasts. Then One Budget Shift. Then 4 Straight Hits.

    Are you scaling ad spend but getting worse results? If your ROAS looks amazing while your growth stalls, you might be optimizing for the wrong thing, and it’s costing you more than you think. In this episode, I sit down with Scott Desgrosseilliers from Wicked Reports to break down one of the best case studies we’ve ever run at Tier 11. After five consecutive missed forecasts, we made a bold move and achieved incredible results. We cut over 90% of Amazon spend and reallocated the budget to top-of-funnel channels. The result? Four straight quarters of growth, lower customer acquisition costs, and a massive increase in MER. We show you how we used multi-touch attribution, incrementality testing, and creative strategy to drive real business outcomes. If you’ve ever questioned whether your “best” channels are holding you back, this case study will help rethink and optimize your ad budget allocation. In This Episode: - Case study: Five missed forecasts and rising CAC - Meta’s recycling loop explained - AOV and LTV of premium products - Why Google’s nCAC is misleading - Decoding direct traffic on Google  - Incrementality testing of Amazon and Google - Results of cutting Amazon spend by 91% - Analyzing the risks of budget reallocation  - Scaling the top funnel mix - Wicked Reports breakdown - Organic lift and MER from paid ads - Action steps for brands Mentioned in the Episode: Partner with Tier 11’s Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply  Tier 11’s Data Suite https://www.tiereleven.com/what-we-do/data-suite   Watch the Episode on YouTube: https://perpetualtraffic.com/youtube   Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491  Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK  Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/  Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf  Connect with Scott Desgrosseilliers:  Website - https://www.wickedreports.com/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottd71/  Connect with Ralph Burns:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/  Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode: Apply for an ad spot on Perpetual Traffic for Q1 or Q2. Visit www.perpetualtraffic.com today to secure your spot! We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

    54 min
  5. APR 7

    Stop Saying This on Sales Calls (It Hurts Your Deals)

    Apply for our free $10,000 audit of your digital strategy: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit  Why do some prospects respect you while others walk all over you? When you feel like you’re chasing the sale instead of controlling it, you’re already losing. Neediness kills deals, and most marketers don’t even realize how often they signal it. In this episode, we revisit a conversation I had with Oren Klaff on why traditional sales tactics, including being polite, agreeable, and even “professional,” actually sabotage your results. We get into frame control, status dynamics, and the subtle behaviors that instantly shift power in high-stakes deals.  If you’re running an agency, selling high-ticket services, or managing enterprise clients, this conversation will challenge how you show up on every call. You cannot sell from a low-status position. Listen to the discussion closely, and you’ll start spotting where you’ve been giving away leverage without even knowing it. In This Episode: - Oren’s “lose my number” story - Why neediness kills deals - Stop saying please and thank you - Reframing the status and power dynamics - Anchoring your value system - Handling discount requests from buyers - The “final boss” negotiation tactic Listen to the Full Episode with Oren Klaff:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s82Goe9d2k   Website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-745-stop-losing-clients-master-saying-the-quiet-part-out-loud-to-close-deals/  Buy Oren Klaff’s Books: Pitch Anything: https://a.co/d/fRAqAby     Flip The Script: https://a.co/d/hTcp9lP  Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491  Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK  Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/  Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf  Connect with Oren Klaff: Website - https://orenklaff.com/     LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenklaff/    Newsletter- https://pitchanything.com/   Connect with Ralph Burns:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/  Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode: https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://www.tiereleven.com/audit https://www.tiereleven.com/audit

    24 min
  6. APR 3

    Why Pausing Meta Ads Based on CPA Is a BIG Mistake!

    Has your business growth stalled? You need to audit all aspects of your marketing strategy to uncover the reasons. We are giving away our $10,000 audit process to a few brands.  Book your spot: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit  Ever been told to cut your losers and let your winners run? It sounds simple enough, but what if this popular advice is actually hurting your ad performance? In today’s episode, we’ll uncover why focusing on CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) might be misleading and what you should do instead to optimize your ad strategy. Tier 11’s John Moran walks us through an experiment where we tested ad sequencing and creative strategies. The results prove that cutting ads based purely on CPA could cost you more than you think.  We’ll also break down the right approach to assessing ad performance in the Andromeda era and how understanding traffic stages can completely change the way you think about your ad spend. In This Episode: - Meta Andromeda’s changes after recording the episode - The dangers of cutting your “losers” based on CPA  - Case study: Cold traffic trends and clicks to add carts - Examples of user journeys when running UGC ads - Why you should not pause ads Mentioned in the Episode: Partner With Our Digital Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply   Tier 11’s Data Suite: https://www.tiereleven.com/what-we-do/data-suite  Full Episode, Stop Pausing Ads: Why “Bad” Meta Ads Could Be Your Best Ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g6N9ZlcW_8  Still Relying on Old Funnels? Here’s What’s Working in Meta Ads Right Now: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-785-still-relying-on-old-funnels-heres-whats-working-in-meta-ads-right-now/   The Funnel Is Dead. Here’s What Full-Funnel Actually Means Now: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-787-the-funnel-is-dead-heres-what-full-funnel-actually-means-now/ Why the Funnel Is Dead (And What Actually Drives Growth Now): https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-788-why-the-funnel-is-dead-and-what-actually-drives-growth-now/  The New Meta “Feeder Strategy” That Breaks Andromeda (Full Walkthrough): https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-757-the-new-meta-feeder-strategy-that-breaks-andromeda-full-walkthrough/ Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491  Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK  Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/  Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf  Connect with John Moran: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmorangads Connect with Ralph Burns:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/  Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now  Mentioned in this episode: https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://www.tiereleven.com/audit https://www.tiereleven.com/audit

    22 min
  7. MAR 31

    Why the Funnel Is Dead (And What Actually Drives Growth Now)

    Stop spending more on an outdated digital strategy. Let our experts audit it and give you the blueprint you need to scale fast. Book your spot: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit (only 3 spots available). Are you still optimizing channels in isolation, thinking Meta is broken while Google “works”? That mindset is exactly what’s killing your growth. If you’re chasing last-click ROAS or shifting spend based on siloed performance, you’re missing the bigger picture, and it’s costing you more than you think. In this episode, we challenge the entire concept of the traditional funnel. We look at why spending more doesn’t always mean scaling, and how improving conversion rates, content, and product pages can outperform increased ad spend. We share real examples, from Amazon ad spend cuts with zero revenue loss to brands hurting themselves by turning off Meta. We also unpack media efficiency ratio, the halo effect across platforms, and why content is now inseparable from paid media. In This Episode: - Spending more on content and listings to boost ROAS - Insights from Amazon ads case studies - MAP pricing and arbitrage when selling on Amazon - Why siloed attribution is misleading - Media Efficiency Ratio (MER) vs last-click metrics - Marketing history of soap operas Mentioned in the Episode: Partner With Our Digital Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply Part 1: The Funnel Is Dead. Here’s What Full-Funnel Actually Means Now: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-787-the-funnel-is-dead-heres-what-full-funnel-actually-means-now/ Tier 11’s Data Suite: https://www.tiereleven.com/what-we-do/data-suite Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit https://www.tiereleven.com/audit https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

    31 min
  8. MAR 27

    The Funnel Is Dead. Here’s What Full-Funnel Actually Means Now

    Is your digital strategy outdated? Let our experts audit it and give you the blueprint you need to scale. Book your spot: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit (only 3 spots available). Are your ads blending in, allowing cheaper competitors to win? If you’re still leading with product features and price, you’re playing a losing game. The real question is: are you selling what the product does or how it makes people feel? Today, we break down a major shift we’re seeing with Meta and modern performance marketing, where brand storytelling is no longer optional. We walk you through a real case study with a premium hammock brand that couldn’t sell a $4,000 product until we leaned into the founder story, mission, and emotional positioning. We also unpack why relying on Google or Amazon alone is a dangerous strategy and how brands without identity get commoditized overnight. If you want higher margins, better customers, and scalable growth, you’ll need to rethink your entire approach. We’ve got some tips to get you started, so tune in! In This Episode: - Old vs new advertising model - $4,000 Hammock case study - Mini funnel inside ads on Meta - Risks of relying on Google or Amazon only - Emotional brand positioning to boost results Mentioned in the Episode: Partner With Our Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply Previous Episode on Comments as a Sales Floor: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-786-your-comments-section-is-a-sales-floor-is-anyone-working-it/ Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel: Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1 We Appreciate Your Support! Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode: https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ We’re opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/ https://www.tiereleven.com/audit https://www.tiereleven.com/audit

    27 min

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
765 Ratings

About

Perpetual Traffic is a weekly podcast for CMOs, marketing directors, and business owners who want to master paid advertising, scale their businesses profitably and stay one step ahead of the shifting paid advertising landscape of today. Hosted by Ralph Burns (CEO of Tier 11, managing $200M+ in ad spend), the show covers digital marketing strategy, paid traffic optimization, and performance marketing, featuring expert interviews, case studies, and actionable campaign breakdowns. If you’re tired of wasting ad spend on campaigns that don’t convert, struggling to prove marketing ROI to executives, or overwhelmed by constantly changing platform algorithms and marketing tactics that promise results but deliver disappointment you’re in the right place. This show will give you the proven strategies from agencies managing millions in ad spend, behind-the-scenes campaign optimizations that actually work, and expert insights on marketing metrics that matter for real business growth. From Meta Ads and Google optimization to landing page conversion tactics and marketing attribution, each episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately to improve your ROAS and scale your marketing efforts. Get all the free episode resources at perpetualtraffic.com 13+ million downloads | 700+ episodes | Weekly since 2015

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