Est. reading time: 4 minutes

The Situation

C&D Scrap Metal Recyclers came into Q1 with a clear objective: not to reinvent the account or chase growth at all costs.
The goal was simpler and harder: keep performance steady while tightening efficiency.
Spend was intentionally capped at roughly $5,000 per month. The account was already converting, but like most local campaigns, it lived under two constant threats: creative fatigue and real-world interruptions.
In March, one of those interruptions showed up: a brief website outage that temporarily disrupted results and pushed CPA well above its normal range.
The real question was not if performance would wobble. It was whether the structure could absorb that wobble without turning into a mess.

Key Outcomes

• 8% improvement in CPA on 29% less spend
• 12% improvement in CPC quarter over quarter
• 1,266 total conversions across prospecting and retargeting
• 80% reduction in CPA on residential retargeting

The Primary Challenge

Maintain reliable, cost-efficient conversions across multiple campaigns while navigating early signs of ad fatigue and a short-term website issue without overcorrecting or destabilizing what already worked.

The Goal

Hold CPA in a predictable range while improving efficiency, and let data drive decisions instead of reactions to short-term noise.

Our Approach

We focused less on fixing performance and more on controlling it.
Instead of spreading budget thin or reacting to every fluctuation, we leaned into what was already proven and treated fatigue as something to manage, not something to fear.
The account was structured to favor prospecting, with retargeting playing a supporting role rather than driving scale. This kept volume healthy without creating overdependence on small, easily saturated audiences.
We also paid close attention to where conversions were actually coming from, by audience, device, placement, and demographic, letting delivery decisions follow data instead of assumptions.

Execution Highlights

Held Spend Steady While Optimizing Efficiency

Rather than increasing budget to smooth out noise, we kept spend consistent and focused on tightening CPA and CPC.

Identified Clear Conversion Drivers

Residential and Contractor Prospecting consistently delivered the majority of conversions at strong CPAs. These campaigns became the backbone of performance.

Refreshed Creative With Intent, Not Urgency

Creative updates were introduced deliberately, especially after March’s downtime, addressing fatigue without disrupting what already worked.

Prioritized What Actually Converted

Performance data made the decision-making clear. Facebook main feed outperformed other placements, mobile drove the majority of conversions, and older audiences (65+) and male demographics were the most cost-efficient. Instead of fighting these patterns, we leaned into them.

Results

The outcome matched the strategy: better efficiency with fewer surprises.
CPA improved by approximately 8% to $11.87, and CPC improved by 12% to $1.33, even as overall spend dropped by roughly 29%.
The quarter produced 1,266 total conversions. Residential Prospecting delivered 583 conversions at approximately $11.29 CPA, and Contractor Prospecting followed with 515 conversions at approximately $11.56 CPA. Residential retargeting, while smaller in scale, saw an approximately 80% reduction in CPA. Facebook outperformed Instagram and Audience Network throughout, with mobile and main feed placements driving the majority of results.
March’s website outage temporarily pushed CPA as high as approximately $22. Once the issue passed and creative was refreshed, performance settled back into its normal range without dramatic intervention.

Why This Worked

Just as important as the improvements was what did not happen. There was no performance spiral after the site outage, no budget thrashing in response to temporary CPA spikes, and no creative churn driven by panic instead of data.
For local businesses especially, this matters. You do not need constant reinvention. You need a system that performs predictably, absorbs disruption, and keeps costs in check.

Strategic Takeaway

This approach is a strong fit for local advertisers who care more about dependable results than flashy spikes.
When budgets are finite and real-world issues are unavoidable, steady optimization beats dramatic swings every time.
That is how accounts stay profitable without constant intervention.