The Counterintuitive Move That Made Paid Media More Profitable

🎧 In this episode of the Trivera Deep Dive, Chip and Nova unpack how FireCrown — a historic publisher behind iconic niche brands like Trains.com, FlyingMag.com, and The Space Store — achieved major digital growth and a nearly 40% boost in return on ad spend. But the real story isn’t about bigger budgets. It’s about redefining success, modernizing measurement, and building a scalable marketing engine that empowers internal teams instead of replacing them.

You'll learn:
 ✅ How legacy brands can scale with AI-driven ad strategies
 ✅ Why “quality intent” beats raw traffic every time
 ✅ The role Performance Max, Demand Gen, and Criteo played in measurable ROI
 ✅ How FireCrown doubled conversions while lowering costs
 ✅ Why knowledge transfer is the real long-term differentiator

👉 Read the blog that inspired this episode:
FireCrown Case Study: From Legacy Brands to Scalable Digital Growth

Transcript

[Chip]
What if I told you a legacy publisher... built on nearly century-old niche brands... unlocked major digital growth and lifted their Return on Ad Spend by nearly 40%? And without increasing spend. The real breakthrough wasn’t a new tool or a bigger budget. It was a shift in how success was defined, measured, and scaled. In today’s Deep Dive, we're breaking down the strategy behind that transformation — and why it might change the way you think about your own campaigns.

[Narrator]
[instrumental music] Welcome to Trivera's AI Deep Dive podcast, hosted by Chip and Nova, our AI co-hosts. Together, they transform top marketing insights from our blogs, articles, and events into actionable strategies you can use. Ready to dive in? Let's get started. 

[Nova]
Welcome to the Deep Dive. I'm Nova. 

[Chip]
And I'm Chip. We are so glad you're joining us. Today, we're unpacking a really successful case study right here from Team Triverra. 

[Nova]
Yeah, it's a great one. It's a perfect example of how these legacy brands can not only survive, but just really thrive and evolve in the digital era. 

[Chip]
Absolutely. 

[Nova]
So our mission today is pretty specific. We're diving into the partnership we forged with FireCrown. They're a respected publisher that, you know, shepherds those incredible enthusiast brands. 

[Chip]
Mm-hmm. 

[Nova]
We started collaborating with them back in 2020, and the whole goal was to pull out the essential strategic nuggets from how we helped them modernize their paid marketing. We're gonna show you the shift that unlocked all this growth. 

[Chip]
And the challenges FireCrown faced were, well, they were really complex. 

[Nova]
Yeah. 

[Chip]
And honestly, they're challenges that I think resonate with almost every established niche publisher out there. 

[Nova]
For sure. 

[Chip]
I mean, sure, they had loyal audiences, the rail enthusiasts, the pilots, space aficionados, but they needed a unified data-backed strategy. 

[Nova]
Mm-hmm. 

[Chip]
They had four critical goals they had to meet. 

[Nova]
That's right. 

[Chip]
And they couldn't just throw money at the problem. They needed systematic, measurable solutions. The first goal was, uh, pretty straightforward but also comprehensive, increasing search visibility. Okay, so what does that actually mean in practice? 

[Nova]
It meant dominating both branded searches, so for their specific magazine titles, and also non-branded queries for the deep content they covered, things like best model train layouts- 

[Chip]
Yeah 

[Nova]
... or you know, private pilot licensing. Got it. Goal number two was the modern revenue driver, increasing free trial signups specifically for the Trains.com digital subscription. Yes, the lifeblood of modern publishing, you have to get users locked into that recurring revenue. 

[Chip]
Yeah, that's right. 

[Nova]
And third? 

[Chip]
Third, they needed to drive a measurable, profitable e-commerce performance for their online retail outlets. We're talking shop.trains.com and thespacestore.com. We needed to make sure every ad dollar translated directly into, well, physical product sales. 

[Nova]
And I think the fourth goal is maybe the most forward-thinking one. It's really unique to our philosophy. 

[Chip]
I agree. 

[Nova]
It wasn't just about us generating results for them. It was about equipping their internal teams with the knowledge and the confidence to understand, manage, and scale their campaigns all by themselves. 

[Chip]
That's the secret sauce for long-term sustainability. 

[Nova]
It really is. So the solution was... Well, it was far from a simple cookie-cutter playbook. Our team developed tailored strategies for each brand. 

[Chip]
Right, because a model railroader searching for a new subscription has a totally different behavior profile than someone buying an asset T-shirt. 

[Nova]
Exactly, but here's the strategic consistency. We implemented a cohesive, scalable methodology for project management, for reporting, for optimization, which allowed us to manage the entire portfolio really efficiently. So let's zero in on the three big ones first, Trains.com, Flyingmag.com, and Shop.Trains.com. For these, we didn't just rely on basic keyword targeting. We rolled out a diverse, pretty comprehensive tactical approach. 

[Chip]
Indeed, it required a full suite of specialized tools. We used Google Ads for traditional search, of course, but we layered in Performance Max campaigns, Demand Gen, Criteo, and even hyperlocal geofencing. 

[Nova]
Okay, hold on a second there, Nova. We just rattled off a string of terms, and that might sound like insider marketing jargon to a lot of our listeners. 

[Chip]
That's a fair point. For anyone who isn't living in the Google Ads interface every day, can you quickly explain why we chose tools like Performance Max and Criteo for a niche publisher? What did they do? 

[Nova]
Absolutely. That's a great distinction to make. So we chose Performance Max, or PMax, because it lets Google's AI leverage FireCrown's massive legacy data signals- 

[Chip]
Okay 

[Nova]
... and deploy them across all of Google's channels, Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, all at once. For an established brand, this is crucial. It takes all that immense historical data they already have and automatically finds new high-value customers. 

[Chip]
So you don't have to micromanage 10 separate campaigns. 

[Nova]
Exactly. It maximizes efficiency by automating the reach. 

[Chip]
Got it. PMax finds new customers from old data. What about Criteo? 

[Nova]
Criteo is a key retargeting engine. Since FireCrown is a publisher, people often browse multiple times before they commit to a trial or a purchase. 

[Chip]
Makes sense. 

[Nova]
Criteo ensured we were dynamically showing customized ads to those past website visitors, constantly reminding them of the value they left behind. It's laser-focused on bringing that past intent back to convert. 

[Chip]
Okay, that makes a ton of sense. So you built a sophisticated toolbox, but for a publisher trying to keep budgets tight, with a small internal team, wasn't there a risk of just overcomplicating everything? How did our team manage that complexity? 

[Nova]
That's where the infrastructure focus came in. We established complex tracking across the board to measure meaningful interactions. These often span third-party providers, which is especially critical for subscription signups and multi-step checkouts. 

[Chip]
So the complexity was in the setup, not the day-to-day. The management focus was simple.... monthly campaign management aimed specifically at maximizing conversions at the lowest possible cost per acquisition, or CPA. Everything was geared toward efficient spend- 

[Nova]
Yeah 

[Chip]
... and that empowerment goal. We weren't just running campaigns in a black box, right? 

[Nova]
No, far from it. 

[Chip]
Uh-huh. 

[Nova]
We worked directly with the FireCrown team on everything from developing digital display ad sets to campaign strategy. And to achieve that crucial fourth goal, that knowledge transfer, we delivered ongoing training, detailed reporting packages, and held monthly review meetings through Teamwork. 

[Chip]
So it wasn't a basic handover. It was a commitment to continuous collaborative improvement. 

[Nova]
That's it. 

[Chip]
Okay. Now let's pivot to The Space Store. Their strategy was a little different, wasn't it? Because they already had a functional pure e-commerce store. 

[Nova]
Exactly, so they focused more intensely on consultation and enablement rather than our team doing full-scale management. 

[Chip]
How did that start? 

[Nova]
We started with a deep audit of their existing Google Ads campaigns. This initial audit is... it's just crucial because it immediately reveals low-hanging fruit and strategic blind spots. 

[Chip]
Right. 

[Nova]
From there, we provided strategic, data-driven recommendations based on their past performance. We established custom reporting for their specific key metrics, things like average order value and profit margin, not just clicks. 

[Chip]
So what was the real difference-maker for The Space Store's profitability? What made it all click? 

[Nova]
It was the dedicated training commitment. 

[Chip]
Ah. 

[Nova]
We conducted monthly training and consultation sessions, and we supported that with mid-month check-ins to review results and make real-time adjustments with their team. 

[Chip]
Ah, so you were doing it together? 

[Nova]
Always. Our goal was to teach them the why behind the adjustments, empowering their internal team to manage optimization and take full ownership of their results long-term. They had the reins, and we were the strategic navigators. 

[Chip]
That empowerment philosophy is truly the core secret ingredient. I mean, it's what turns a short-term win into sustained success. 

[Nova]
And before we dive into the hard numbers, the measurable results that prove exactly how successful these shifts were, let's take a moment. 

[Chip]
When we come back, Nova and I will break down the, uh, kind of counterintuitive efficiency gains across Trains.com, Flyingmag.com, and critically, that near 40% profitability lift at The Space Store. Don't go anywhere. 

[Webster]
Hi, I'm Webster, Trivera's AI assistant, here to help your business thrive in today's fast-changing digital marketing world. Since 1996, Trivera has partnered with Southeastern Wisconsin's strongest brands, delivering digital marketing that drives measurable results. Now, we're leading the way with next-generation AI solutions, branded podcasts, fully trained AI agents, predictive analytics, automated content creation, and optimization tools that work like your digital dream team, engaging audiences, capturing leads, optimizing campaigns, and delivering round-the-clock support. From SEO-optimized websites and ROI-driven campaigns to custom AI tools built for real business impact, Trivera is the partner you can trust to help you own what's next. Visit trivera.com today and make the rest of 2025 your smartest, most successful year yet. Trivera, where three decades of expertise meet AI innovation to deliver digital marketing that converts. 

[Narrator]
Welcome back to Trivera's AI Deep Dive. Now, back to our conversation with Chip and Nova. 

[Chip]
Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Before the break, we laid out the cohesive strategy, tailored tools for specific needs, and a really heavy focus on enablement and training across FireCrown's brands. Now, Nova, let's talk about the measurable reality. Across the entire portfolio, FireCrown achieved four key general outcomes, greater ad visibility, vastly improved efficiency in ROI, a repeatable operational framework for their internal teams, and scalable advertising processes. Let's start with the subscription engine, Trains.com. We're comparing a focused 30-day period against the prior year. And this story is all about the strategic shift toward quality intent over just, you know, sheer traffic volume. Conversions increased sharply. They moved from virtually no trackable activity to a solid sustainable conversion flow. And this is the massive efficiency gain. Their cost actually decreased year over year. Improving conversion volume while simultaneously lowering the acquisition cost, I mean, that is the definition of efficiency. And here's the nuance that confirms the strategy worked perfectly, and this is the strategic nugget you need to pay attention to. 

[Nova]
Mm-hmm. 

[Chip]
They saw lower impressions and clicks. For many marketers, that might trigger a panic. But here, it reflects a strategic shift toward tighter, more qualified targeting, and drastically reduced ad waste. 

[Nova]
Yeah, we weren't chasing every single keyword. We were finding the right keyword, which led to much stronger intent and a healthier bottom line despite that reduced traffic volume. 

[Chip]
Exactly. 

[Nova]
So moving to the e-commerce side, shop.trains.com. Here, we see a story of successful scaling. Unlike Trains.com, here, impressions actually increased by a wide margin. 

[Chip]
Which is what you want for a retail operation, broader reach. 

[Nova]
That's what you want. You get higher visibility across shopping and search. 

[Chip]
And the performance metrics followed that increased visibility, right? Conversions rose significantly, more than doubling year over year. That scaling was validated because the quality of buyer intent stayed high, it signaled a healthy, well-optimized funnel. 

[Nova]
And crucially, conversion efficiency remained steady despite that higher volume. This validates the entire campaign structure. The increased investment translated directly into higher conversion volume without diluting the quality of the traffic. 

[Chip]
Okay. Next up, Flyingmag.com. This one proved how quickly you can move from minimal activity to highly engaged audiences. 

[Nova]
Impressions grew significantly, which, you know, naturally expanded brand visibility and reach in that niche aviation space. 

[Chip]
The engagement was remarkable, clicks more than doubled. That told us the ad copying creative were really resonating. People were finding what they were looking for faster. And the key payoff-Conversions increased dramatically, moving from almost nothing to a measurable, reliable flow. It proved the enhanced campaign structure was highly effective, even with only moderate increases in investment. All right. 

[Nova]
Finally, let's look at thespacestore.com. This is the one that benefited most from that training and consultation model. This is where the profitability lift really comes into focus. Their ROAS, return on ad spend, increased nearly 40%. 

[Chip]
40%. Wow. That level of efficiency improvement is... I mean, it's transformative for any retail business. 

[Nova]
It really is. 

[Chip]
And their conversion value also rose year over year, which shows they weren't just getting more transactions, but stronger, higher value purchases. And similar to Trains.com, you see the subtlety of smart targeting here. A slight reduction in impressions paired with these massive financial returns. That is the definition of focused optimization. They generated significantly more revenue from fewer, but dramatically more qualified clicks. It's an incredible story. 

[Nova]
It is. 

[Chip]
It's a powerful set of results, driven by both the technology we deployed and that commitment to knowledge transfer. And FireCrown and our team here at Trivera, we continue to collaborate today, refining strategies, testing new channels. 

[Nova]
Oh, we do. 

[Chip]
But the why behind this success goes back to that philosophy of partnership. 

[Nova]
It does, Chip. And the value of this collaborative partnership is best summarized in their own words. We want to share this quote directly from FireCrown. 

[Chip]
It says here. 

[Nova]
They said, "Trivera has been instrumental in helping us grow our digital marketing ROI across multiple brands. They don't just manage campaigns, they teach and partner with us to understand the why behind every recommendation. That collaboration has made our internal team smarter, more confident, and more effective in optimizing performance long-term." 

[Chip]
Th- that testimonial really hits home the key takeaway for you, the listener. The true lasting success wasn't just hitting a conversion target one quarter, it was the creation of knowledge and confidence within the client's internal team. 

[Nova]
Mm-hmm. 

[Chip]
That's the only way to ensure those impressive results, like the 40% ROAS increase, are sustained and built upon for the long term. So to summarize the comprehensive services our team provided in this successful deep dive. We covered paid search and display campaign management across multiple platforms, that crucial digital advertising consultation and training, detailed campaign reporting and monthly performance reviews, and robust project management. And if your brand, whether it's a 90-year-old heritage publisher or a new e-commerce startup, is looking for that same strategic collaboration, that measurable growth, and internal team empowerment, Team Trivera is ready to help you evolve for the digital era. 

[Nova]
Now, as you go back to your desk, here is a provocative thought for you to mull over. 

[Chip]
Okay. 

[Nova]
If tightening your targeting focus, resulting in fewer impressions and clicks can lead to a drastic increase in conversions and an nearly 40% lift in profitability, are you currently chasing traffic volume when you should actually be optimizing purely for qualified intent? 

[Chip]
Think about redefining what success looks like for your digital marketing. Don't miss our next deep dive. Download, subscribe, and share this episode with anyone looking to maximize their marketing efficiency, and just get smarter about digital strategy. 

[Nova]
And be sure to find Chip and me on our Facebook page. New and old episodes of the Trivera Deep Dive are posted a few times a week, giving you those strategic nuggets whenever you need them. 

[Chip]
See you next time for the next deep dive. 

[Narrator]
Thanks for joining us on Trivera's AI Deep Dive with Chip and Nova. If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more and stay up-to-date with new episodes wherever you listen to podcasts, or find them on our website and our social media channels. And don't forget to visit us at trivera.com to learn how we can help take your marketing to the next level. Ready to talk? Reach out. We'd love to hear from you. See you next time.