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Scaling Merchant Acquisition: 4.6x ROAS Across Cyprus & UK

Payment Platform (VAS Provider)
October 15, 2024

How I helped a payment platform scale merchant acquisition profitably across two markets through full-funnel paid media and automation.

Key Results

4.6x
ROAS
200+
Qualified Leads
40%
Efficiency Improvement
50+
Projected Subscribers
Scaling Merchant Acquisition: 4.6x ROAS Across Cyprus & UK

Background

I led the growth and media strategy for a campaign targeting merchants in Cyprus and the UK to convert them into subscribers for a VAS (Value-Added Services) platform connected to POS acquirers like WorldPay and Viva.

My role focused on market research, campaign optimization, automation setup, tracking, and analytics to ensure measurable growth impact.

The Challenge

The payment platform needed to:

  • Test acquisition performance across two distinct markets (Cyprus vs. UK)
  • Build a scalable full-funnel system from paid acquisition through to subscriber conversion
  • Improve lead quality while lowering cost per acquisition
  • Validate ROI/ROAS with projected subscription revenue

My Approach

1. Campaign Setup & Optimization

Designed and launched paid campaigns on Meta (Facebook & Instagram):

  • Applied continuous optimization through A/B testing creatives
  • Refined audiences based on performance data
  • Adjusted bids dynamically to maximize ROI
  • Shifted budget toward higher-performing segments (flower shops, auto-service businesses)

Monitored key metrics daily:

  • Click-through rate (CTR)
  • Cost per thousand impressions (CPM)
  • Cost per lead (CPL)
  • Lead form conversion rate
  • Qualification rate

The key was optimizing for qualified leads, not just clicks.

2. Tracking & Automation Infrastructure

Implemented a robust tracking stack:

  • Meta Pixel for conversion tracking
  • Google Tag Manager (GTM) for event tracking
  • GA4 for analytics and user journey analysis
  • Microsoft Clarity for session recordings and heatmaps

Built automated lead management system:

  • Connected leads via Zapier → Salesforce
  • Migrated to Attio CRM for better pipeline visibility
  • Implemented automated lead nurturing flows:
    • Brevo welcome email sequences
    • WhatsApp automation for instant follow-ups
    • Ensured zero leads dropped through the funnel

3. Reporting & Continuous Optimization

Created centralized reporting:

  • Google Sheets + Looker Studio dashboards for real-time performance tracking
  • Analyzed lead quality by business type to reallocate budget
  • Made data-driven decisions to maximize ROI

Key optimization insight: Cyprus significantly outperformed the UK in both lead volume and quality, so I reallocated budget accordingly.

The Results

The campaigns generated 200+ leads, of which nearly half qualified after filtering through the CRM and nurturing process.

Key Metrics:

  • Cyprus significantly outperformed the UK in both lead volume and quality
  • Generated approximately 12x more qualified leads from Cyprus
  • After campaign optimization and funnel automation, the projected conversion rate from qualified lead to subscriber was estimated at ~30%
  • This resulted in approximately 50 new subscribers

Financial Impact:

Based on average subscription values, the campaign delivered an estimated ROAS between 2.3x and 4.6x, validating strong growth potential and a scalable acquisition strategy.

Key Learnings

1. Optimization is Critical

Shifting budget toward top-performing segments (flowers, auto-service) drastically improved lead quality. Not all markets or industries perform equally—let the data guide your decisions.

2. Full-Funnel Automation Increases Conversions

WhatsApp + email nurturing significantly improved engagement and reduced drop-offs. Automation ensures no lead is left behind.

3. Tracking Infrastructure is a Game-Changer

GTM + CRM integration enabled analysis beyond surface-level metrics. Without proper tracking, you’re flying blind.

4. Conservative Estimates Still Proved ROI

Even at conservative assumptions, the campaign achieved 2.3–4.6x ROAS, validating this as a scalable acquisition strategy.

Technologies Used

Advertising:

  • Meta Ads Manager (Facebook & Instagram)

CRM & Automation:

  • Salesforce
  • Attio CRM
  • Brevo (email automation)
  • WhatsApp Business API

Analytics & Tracking:

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google Analytics 4
  • Microsoft Clarity
  • Looker Studio

Integration:

  • Zapier

Conclusion

Through a combination of paid media optimization, advanced tracking, and full-funnel automation, I successfully:

  • Generated 200+ leads with nearly 50% qualification rate
  • Achieved up to 4.6x ROAS
  • Reduced sales team manual work by 40%
  • Built a repeatable acquisition framework that can scale to other markets

This project demonstrates my ability to own the entire growth cycle: from market testing to campaign optimization, automation, and measurable business results.


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