Better data to better margins

Most brands don’t have an ad spend problem — they have an ad efficiency problem. ROAS and CAC might look solid, but they only tell part of the story. What actually drives profit per session starts after the click. 

Right after a purchase, your customer is in what we like to call a “first day of school” mindset. They found something they needed. You earned their trust. That moment is golden. But if you want to turn that one-time win into long-term growth, you’ve got to listen.

That’s where post-purchase surveys come in and they’re a game-changer for CRO.

By capturing feedback at the point of conversion, you can:

✅ Identify which channels drive purchases (not just traffic)

✅ Understand what messaging made people click so you can replicate it

✅ Spot disconnects between your ads and the site experience

✅ Refine creative, copy, and targeting based on buyer insight

✅ Cut wasted spend and reinvest in high-margin campaigns

Bottom line: Better data = better decisions. Better decisions = healthier margins.

Traditional CRO vs new CRO and how it impacts your ads

In a world where CPCs keep climbing, optimizing just your landing page isn’t enough. Brands need better insights that drive better performance—across the entire journey.

“The goal isn’t to stop traditional CRO. It’s to combine old methods with new insights—to triangulate your data and drive better results.”

– Bar Bruhis, General Manager // KnoCommerce

At the core of this shift? Talking to your customers especially right after they buy.

Post-purchase surveys are the simplest way to turn your customers into a continuous feedback loop for your ads, landing pages, and product experience.

Here’s how the smartest brands are using that insight:

• Validate attribution beyond the click. Know which channels and even which creators actually drive purchases.

• Pinpoint high-converting messaging. Ask what made people buy—and use their words in your copy.

• Find the friction. Ask simple Qs like “Was anything confusing?” to uncover site blockers.

• Segment smarter. Tailor offers based on buying motivations or context like “buying for my kid’s sports team.”

The importance of combining both traditional and new CRO

You know how frustrating it is when you drop a puzzle piece or lose one, and you just can’t see the full picture? You kinda know the picture, but like… you don’t really know. Consumer insights are like the missing piece to the puzzle you’re trying to solve with your customers.

By combining both traditional data and new CRO, you’re seeing things more clearly and in more depth than what a simple number would have shown.

It’s the brands that pull both qualitative and quantitative data via consumer engagement that can:

1. Truly understand buyer intent across channels, pages, and products
2. Identify pain points that limit conversion, and therefore points you in the direction of where to improve.
3. Optimize every part of the customer journey, not just the checkout page.

Sometimes numbers don’t tell you the full story, that’s where surveys come in as the missing piece. And what conclusions can surveys help you pull? They can help: 

1. Identify top creators and ad campaigns that drive intent.
2. Optimize ad creative and landing pages to help with conversion.
3. Seeing the impact of individual channels in your broader media mix.
4. Refine navigation, search functionality, product categorization, and personalized upsells.
5. Talk to your ideal customer, especially using AI.

Tips to boost ad profitability using buyer data + funnel performance

Ad performance today isn’t just about creative or CPCs. It’s about how your marketing performs across the entire funnel—and how it lands with real customers.

Here’s how to combine buyer feedback with performance data to improve targeting, creative, and conversion.

1. Segment your profit per session by channel but not just overall

Blended metrics hide what’s really working.

Use tools like Reactiv’s profit per session calculator to break down Meta, Google, TikTok, and more—side by side.

💡 Lesson: Not all clicks are created equal. Let profit, not just ROAS, guide your spend.

2. Look for “conversion dead zones” by device

Mobile usually underperforms desktop—but few brands dig into why.

Compare funnel performance by device. If mobile is weak, tools like Reactiv Clips can help reduce drop-off and streamline the experience.

💡 Small tweaks to mobile UX can lead to big wins.

3. Ask both: “Where did you first hear about us?” and “What made you decide to buy?”

These two questions unlock both awareness and conversion drivers.

Example: A customer first saw you on TikTok, but converted from a Meta retargeting ad. Don’t over-credit the first touch.

💡 Use this to optimize spend by funnel stage—not just top-of-funnel.

4. Analyze the specific language your customers use to describe what made them click

The best copy? Your customers already wrote it.

Examples from KNO responses:

• “It looked super easy to use.”

• “The ad mentioned a problem I’ve been having for months.”

• “The video showed exactly how it worked.”

💡 Real customer language = more relatable, higher-converting ads.

5. Create feedback loops between surveys and ad creative

Don’t just look at CTR—ask which ad they clicked.

With post-purchase surveys, you can reference UTMs or image thumbnails to find which creative actually converts.

💡 No more guessing what worked—the data tells you.

6. Use survey logic to route feedback by channel or product

Different entry points = different context. Use logic to route survey questions:

• From Meta? → “What stood out in the ad?”

• From Google? → “What did you search before clicking?”

💡 Channel-specific insights = better creative + targeting.

7. Retarget based on survey responses, not just behavior

Someone said they were looking for “something that wouldn’t irritate my skin”? Use that info in your next ad.

💡 Behavior shows what people did. Survey feedback shows why. Combine both.

The result: Every session gets more valuable

This isn’t about gathering feedback for feedback’s sake. It’s about using that insight to guide real decisions that impact your bottom line.

You’ll stop wasting money on:

• Traffic that doesn’t convert

• Ads that sound good but fall flat

• Channels that look great in-platform but don’t drive margin

And you’ll start doubling down on:

• Creators + platforms that actually drive purchases

• Messaging that reflects why customers buy

• Landing pages that feel like a natural next step

• Products and promos your customers are asking for

CRO isn’t just a line item for your website team anymore. It’s a strategic growth lever that touches paid social, product development, email, and retention. And it all starts with asking the right question right after someone clicks the “buy now” button.