A First-Hand Take on Marketing, Growth and Sales From the Trenches

There is a phrase that keeps coming back to me lately:

Do not run before you can walk.

Yes, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is growing fast.
Yes, it was inevitable that OpenAI would introduce paid placements, just like Google did.

But here’s the truth most founders need to hear:

None of that matters if your fundamentals are weak.

Should You Invest in GEO Before Your Core Channels Work?

If you are a founder or senior leader, the fastest way to waste budget is by trying to do everything at once.

The smartest move?

Go deep, not wide.

Before you add more machinery, get one cog turning properly.

That means:

• One platform

• One clear ICP

• One repeatable lead source

• One channel that produces consistent SQLs

Optionality comes after consistency.

What We Learned Scaling PinPoint Media

I say this from direct experience.

Over the last 12 months, we finally took our own advice at PinPoint Media.

We began running:

• Search campaigns

• Paid social campaigns

• Creative testing campaigns

For ourselves.

We had always delivered strong results for clients. But like many agencies, we hadn’t prioritised doing it properly for our own brand.

Where We Went Wrong

At the start, we:

• Spread budget across too many platforms

• Tested too broadly

• Operated without enough data density

• Tried to sell scale before earning signal

The result?

Weak performance signals. Inconsistent lead flow. Fragmented learning.

So we pulled back.

Why We Focused Only on Meta (Instagram & Facebook)

We chose one ecosystem:

Meta — Instagram and Facebook.

Nothing else.

Over the next 3–4 months:

• Efficiency improved

• Creative testing became sharper

• Cost per lead stabilised

• Inbound enquiries began to trickle in

• Then they became consistent

This is what most brands misunderstand:

Data density beats platform diversity.

When you focus spend, you accelerate learning.

When you accelerate learning, you improve creative.

When creative improves, performance compounds.

When Does It Make Sense to Explore GEO?

Fast forward twelve months.

Our 2026 plan:

• Double our marketing budget

• Begin exploring GEO strategically

But here’s the key:

We are only exploring GEO because we now generate consistent daily SQL volume from Meta.

That consistency buys optionality.

Without predictable demand generation, GEO becomes a distraction rather than an accelerator.

The Mistake Most Brands Make With Paid Media

We are frequently asked to deploy modest budgets across:

• TikTok

• Snap

• Meta

• LinkedIn

• Pinterest

• And everything in between

The reality?

Spreading £5–10k across five platforms rarely produces clarity.

Instead:

1. Pause.

2. Identify the platform most aligned to your ICP.

3. Concentrate budget.

4. Optimise deliberately.

5. Build signal before scaling horizontally.

Less Is More — Until More Becomes the Only Option

Expansion should be earned.

Once:

• You have repeatable SQL flow

• Creative patterns that convert

• Clear CAC benchmarks

• Confident budget efficiency

Then — and only then — you layer in:

• Additional paid channels

• Search expansion

• GEO experimentation

• AI placement testing

GEO is powerful.

But fundamentals come first.

Twice-Monthly Growth Insights for Founders

This is the Brucey Bonus.

Short, practical insights from the trenches — not theory.

If you're navigating:

• Paid social scaling

• Channel prioritisation

• GEO strategy

• AI search positioning

By Oliver Bruce, founder and CEO of PinPoint Media. 

I am always happy to walk it through.

👉 Schedule a call with me

Oli