Where SMB marketing budgets leak: the numbers
Across the 74 audits we’ve completed — every one published as a case study — the leaks cluster into five categories, and most audits carry three or more of them simultaneously.
The five leak categories, by average impact
Found in 68% of audits: broad-match bleed, blended ROAS hiding unprofitable campaigns, retargeting fatigue, paying for demand you already own organically.
Stale prices on bestsellers, fixed fees set years ago, surcharges never passed into contracts, orders below true cost.
Missing post-purchase and winback flows, unmanaged failed payments, no nurture on the 95% of leads that don’t convert today.
Checkout drop-off at the shipping step, trial-to-paid gaps, pause flows that leak to cancellation.
Far more indirectly: double-counting inflates reported ROAS by ~20–30%, which misallocates every other dollar.