"Where should I advertise?" is the question we hear most from people starting, or restarting, their marketing. The honest answer is: it depends. But it depends on things you can map. A neighborhood clinic, an industrial parts manufacturer and an online clothing store shouldn't start with the same channels, and they almost always do, because they copy what the competition does or what their agency knows how to sell.
This map is the starting point Manáry uses in planning. It doesn't replace testing: it shows you where to start, so you spend less finding out what works.
The four roles a channel can play
Before choosing channels, it helps to understand what each one does. Every channel plays one or more of these roles:
| Role | What it does | Typical channels |
|---|---|---|
| Capture demand | Shows up for people who are already looking for a solution | Google Ads (Search), Shopping, SEO, Google Maps, marketplaces |
| Create demand | Sparks interest in people who weren't looking yet | Meta Ads, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, content |
| Convert | Turns interest into an inquiry or a purchase | Remarketing, WhatsApp, email, outbound prospecting |
| Retain and multiply | Brings customers back and gets them to bring others | Email, WhatsApp, referral programs, partnerships |
The general rule: if your budget is small, start by capturing demand, because that's where the return comes fastest. Creating demand is essential for growth, but it takes longer to turn into sales and needs the cash to sustain it.
Before you create demand, capture the demand that already exists. Before you buy more customers, take care of the ones you already have.
The interactive map
Choose your industry, your average ticket and how the sale happens. The list shows the channels in order of priority. Your media budget is split among the top-ranked paid channels; the others take team time, not media spend.
This split is a starting point for the first 8 to 12 weeks. After that, each channel's cost per customer calls the shots. Channels marked "team time" (Google Maps, SEO, email and WhatsApp, referrals, outbound prospecting) use almost no media budget, but they need a routine and someone in charge.
Download the spreadsheet
The full map of 9 industries and 12 channels, the adjustments by ticket and type of sale, and a budget planner. Opens in Excel and Google Sheets.
The full map
This is the map's baseline by industry, before any adjustments. It reflects the most common pattern in each market; your business may have specifics that change the order.
| Industry | High priority | Medium priority | Complementary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Google Ads (Search), SEO and content | LinkedIn Ads, Email and WhatsApp (CRM), Referrals and partnerships, Outbound prospecting, Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), YouTube and video | TikTok Ads, Marketplaces and portals |
| E-commerce and online retail | Google Shopping and Performance Max, Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), Email and WhatsApp (CRM) | Google Ads (Search), Marketplaces and portals, TikTok Ads, SEO and content | YouTube and video, Referrals and partnerships, Google Business Profile and Maps |
| Financial services | Google Ads (Search) | SEO and content, Email and WhatsApp (CRM), Referrals and partnerships, Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), YouTube and video, LinkedIn Ads | TikTok Ads, Google Business Profile and Maps, Outbound prospecting, Marketplaces and portals |
| Education and training | Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), Google Ads (Search), Email and WhatsApp (CRM) | YouTube and video, SEO and content, TikTok Ads, Referrals and partnerships | Google Business Profile and Maps, LinkedIn Ads, Marketplaces and portals, Outbound prospecting |
| Health and wellness | Google Ads (Search), Google Business Profile and Maps | Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), SEO and content, Referrals and partnerships, Email and WhatsApp (CRM) | TikTok Ads, YouTube and video, Marketplaces and portals, Google Shopping and Performance Max |
| B2B professional services | Referrals and partnerships, Google Ads (Search), LinkedIn Ads | SEO and content, Outbound prospecting, Email and WhatsApp (CRM) | Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), YouTube and video, Google Business Profile and Maps, TikTok Ads |
| Brick-and-mortar retail and local services | Google Business Profile and Maps, Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook) | Google Ads (Search), Email and WhatsApp (CRM), Referrals and partnerships, TikTok Ads | SEO and content, Marketplaces and portals, Google Shopping and Performance Max, YouTube and video, Outbound prospecting |
| Industrial and manufacturing | Google Ads (Search), SEO and content, Outbound prospecting | LinkedIn Ads, Referrals and partnerships, Email and WhatsApp (CRM), YouTube and video | Marketplaces and portals, Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), Google Shopping and Performance Max, Google Business Profile and Maps |
| Real estate and construction | Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), Google Ads (Search) | Email and WhatsApp (CRM), YouTube and video, Marketplaces and portals, Referrals and partnerships, SEO and content, Google Business Profile and Maps | TikTok Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Outbound prospecting |
How ticket size and type of sale change the choice
Two businesses in the same industry may need different channels. The map's adjustments follow this logic:
Low ticket
Each sale leaves little margin, so the channel has to be cheap per customer and work at scale. Meta, TikTok, marketplaces and Shopping gain ground. LinkedIn and outbound prospecting rarely pay for themselves.
High ticket
A single sale pays for a lot of investment, and the decision is more considered. Channels that reach the right person precisely (LinkedIn, outbound prospecting) and trust-building channels (referrals, content, video) move up the list.
Direct purchase on the website
The path is short: ad, page, purchase. Shopping and remarketing make a difference, and email and WhatsApp bring in repeat purchases.
Conversation with a salesperson
The channel delivers a contact, not a sale. Search and LinkedIn bring in leads with intent; outbound prospecting comes in for specific accounts; and the CRM has to track the entire cycle.
In-store or in-person service
Local search rules: your Google Business Profile, with photos, hours and reviews, is usually the cheapest channel. Meta with radius targeting helps with promotions and events.
How to split the budget at the start
With little data, the best strategy is to concentrate. Spreading a small budget across six channels keeps any one of them from learning. A practical rule that works well:
- Start with two or three paid channels, the top ones on the map, with enough budget to generate conversions every week.
- Set aside a share for testing. Once the first channels are stable, put something like 10% to 20% of the budget toward testing the next one on the list.
- Evaluate in 8- to 12-week cycles. Any shorter and most channels are still learning; with long sales cycles, the evaluation period needs to be longer.
- Add email, WhatsApp and referrals from day one. They cost little in media and improve the results of every other channel.
Want a channel plan for your business?
Manáry builds your media plan from your own numbers: ticket, margin, sales cycle and goal.
When to change channels
The map tells you where to start. The numbers tell you when to change. These are the signals we watch:
The channel's CAC went over the ceiling
If the channel's cost per customer is above what your margin can handle, it needs to improve or give up its budget. Manáry's CAC and LTV calculator shows you that ceiling.
The channel is saturated
More budget no longer brings in customers at the same rate. It's time to open the next channel on the list.
Leads don't turn into sales
High volume with a low close rate points to the wrong audience or the wrong promise. Before switching channels, adjust the targeting and the message.
The cycle ended with no results
After a full cycle with adequate budget and measurement, a channel that didn't produce customers probably isn't right for this stage of the business.
Common mistakes when choosing channels
- Picking the trendy channel. A channel that worked for another company may not work for your ticket and your sales cycle.
- Judging by cost per click or cost per lead. The cheapest channel per lead can be the most expensive per customer.
- Giving up too soon. Two weeks isn't enough for a channel to learn, and even less so with long sales cycles.
- Ignoring your existing customers. Email, WhatsApp and referrals usually have the lowest cost per sale, and they're the ones left out of the plan.
- Not measuring all the way to the sale. Without knowing which customers came from each channel, every choice is a guess. The e-book "The funnel nobody measures" shows how to fix that.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to invest to get started?
It depends on the channel and on the cost per conversion in your market. The minimum is enough to generate conversions every week on your main channel; below that, the platform doesn't learn and results swing too much to base any decision on them.
My industry isn't on the list. Now what?
Pick the closest one in terms of sales model (online, consultative or in person) and ticket. The ticket and type-of-sale adjustments carry as much weight as the industry itself.
Should I be on every channel?
No. Being on lots of channels with a small budget is the most common form of waste. Master two or three before opening the next one.
Does the map work for large companies?
The logic holds, but companies with bigger budgets and well-known brands tend to run more channels at once and invest earlier in creating demand.
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