Didion Recruitment Ad Performance: Meta vs. Google Analysis
Overview
After approximately nine months of running parallel recruitment ad campaigns on Meta and Google, performance data shows a significant disparity: Meta is outperforming Google on a cost-per-application basis by a wide margin. This analysis covers the campaign breakdown, the proposed budget reallocation, open questions about geographic targeting, and a planned LinkedIn expansion for salaried roles.
This analysis was reviewed with Diana Henry (Didion) during a working session in December 2025. See [1] for broader account context.
Campaign Performance Summary
| Platform | Spend (9 months) | Conversions | CPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta (TOFU) | ~$1,500 | 65 applications | ~$11 |
| Meta (MoFu) | Higher per-conversion spend | 35 applications | Higher |
| Google Ads (total) | ~$4,500 | Lower conversion rate | Significantly higher |
| Total blended | ~$6,000 | 299 total conversions | ~$20 blended |
"Your Meta campaigns are actually doing the best out of — they're outranking your Google Ads at the moment, specifically the Top of Funnel." — Melissa Cusumano
Key observations:
- Meta TOFU delivered the lowest CPA at ~$11 per application
- Google Display was flagged as a "significant concern" — high spend, poor conversion rate
- A one-off boosted post for a Maintenance Tech role generated a notable volume of landing page visits (outcome unclear)
- Website health score is strong (96/100 via Ahrefs), so landing page quality is not a primary drag on performance
Proposed Budget Reallocation
The recommendation is to shift spend away from Google Display and redirect it into Meta TOFU, while keeping total monthly budget roughly flat.
Current allocation (approximate monthly):
- Google Display: ~$300/month
- Google SEM: lower
- Meta TOFU: ~$300/month or less
Proposed direction:
- Reduce or pause Google Display (down to ~$50–60/month)
- Increase Meta TOFU budget ($8–10/day target)
- Maintain or modestly increase Google SEM
Projected impact: 60–80% increase in conversions at the same total budget, with blended CPA dropping from ~$20 toward a lower target.
⚠️ Note: Diana flagged that the math in the proposal slide did not reconcile — the "no change in total budget" claim conflicted with line items showing Google SEM increasing ~350% and TOFU increasing ~240%. This needs to be corrected before presenting to Didion leadership.
Open Questions & Concerns
Geographic Reach on Meta
Diana raised a critical concern: Meta campaigns are currently targeted within a 30–50 mile radius around Cambria, WI. For hourly/production roles, this may be sufficient. However, salaried positions typically require candidates from a broader geography and are unlikely to be sourced from that tight a radius.
Action required: Asymmetric to audit the current Meta geographic targeting settings and assess whether the radius should be expanded for any active campaigns — particularly before reallocating additional budget to Meta.
Budget Math Discrepancy
The proposed budget transformation slide showed inconsistencies between the stated goal (same total budget) and the individual line-item increases. Asymmetric to revise the proposal so the numbers reconcile clearly before Diana shares it internally.
LinkedIn Campaign Proposal
Diana requested a formal proposal for a LinkedIn recruitment advertising campaign targeting salaried roles. LinkedIn is better suited for professional/salaried candidate targeting than Meta or Google Display, and has not been used for Didion recruitment to date.
Requested scope:
- 60–90 day campaign
- Focused on salaried/professional roles
- Include estimated costs, targeting approach, and expected outcomes
Diana intends to present the proposal to Didion's internal recruitment team for approval.
Action Items
| Owner | Action | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Asymmetric | Audit Meta geographic targeting radius for all active recruitment campaigns | Next check-in |
| Asymmetric | Revise budget reallocation proposal so math reconciles (no phantom budget increases) | Next check-in |
| Asymmetric | Prepare 60–90 day LinkedIn recruitment ad campaign proposal | Next check-in |
| Diana | Review LinkedIn proposal and share with recruitment team | TBD |
Strategic Notes
- Meta TOFU is the clear winner for hourly/production role recruitment at current spend levels. Doubling down here is well-supported by the data.
- Google Display should be paused or dramatically reduced — the cost-per-conversion is not competitive with Meta at current targeting and creative.
- Google SEM may still have value for intent-based searches (e.g., "jobs near Cambria WI"), but needs clearer conversion tracking before increasing spend.
- LinkedIn fills a gap that neither Meta nor Google can address well: reaching passive, professional candidates for salaried roles outside the immediate geographic area.
- The blended CPA of ~$20 across 299 conversions over nine months is described as performing well for recruitment — context matters here, as recruitment conversion benchmarks differ significantly from e-commerce or lead gen.
Related
- [1]
- [2]
- [3]
- [4]