You’re in a good place.
You’ve built a solid marketing and growth foundation for your surf biz.
You’re consistent with your posting on Instagram. Your newsletter pulls its weight. And your community knows who you are and actively engage with you.
But now you find yourself wondering… what’s next?
If you want to move beyond organic growth and get your brand in front of fresh eyes (fast!), paid ads might be the next logical step. That said, they’re not for everyone. And they’re definitely not a shortcut.
Let’s run through a few things:
- What paid ads actually are
- The pros and cons for surf brands
- A quick checklist to help you decide if it’s the right time to give them a go
What’s the difference between organic and paid marketing?
Organic marketing
This is everything you do to build visibility without paying directly for reach. Things like:
- Social content
- Newsletters
- SEO
- Referrals and community
- Brand collabs and partnerships
Organic costs time, energy and creativity… but no ad spend! The upside is it’s usually more trusted. The downside? Growth can be slow. And your reach is limited to the people already in your world (or just outside it).
Paid ads
This is when you pay platforms like Meta, Google or TikTok to put your message in front of new audiences. You can control who sees your stuff, how much you spend and how quickly you scale.
Sounds good, right? It can be.
But only if the rest of your setup is ready to go.
The pros and cons of paid ads for surf brands
The upside
Reach new people, quickly
You’re not relying on the algorithm. You can find new customers, whether they be locals, tourists, beginners, experts, and get straight in front of them.
Test and scale fast
Paid ads give you data. You’ll quickly see what works and what doesn’t… and you can scale up what’s working or pivot fast if it’s not.
Smooth out the seasonal stuff
If your surf biz has quiet months, ads can help fill the gaps. Run campaigns when bookings slow down or sales dip.
The risks
They won’t fix deeper problems
If your offer isn’t clear or your website doesn’t convert, running ads will be the digital equivalent of emptying your wallet into the dunny (that’s “toilet” in the Australian parlance).
They need patience
No matter what you’ve heard, it’s rare for a campaign to work straight out of the gate. You’ll need to test, refine and test again.
You need strong systems behind the scenes
It’s not just about the click. Can you handle more leads? More orders? If someone buys, can you deliver a solid experience?
Are you actually ready for paid ads?
It’s easy to jump in too early. But ads only work when the foundations are solid. If your messaging is fuzzy, your site is clunky or your offer isn’t converting already… paid traffic probably won’t help.
Here’s a quick checklist to help you work it out.
My personal paid ads readiness checklist
1. You know who your audience is
Not just age or gender. You know their habits, frustrations and dreams. You understand what they want and how they talk.
2. Your offer already sells
People are already buying what you’re offering without paid traffic. That’s a good sign. Ads amplify what’s working. They don’t create demand.
3. You’ve nailed your message
You know what makes you different. Whether it’s quality, price, sustainability, story or something else… it’s clear. And your customers get it.
4. Your website (or landing page) converts
It’s clean, fast, mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. People know what to do when they get there.
5. You’ve got tracking in place
You’re already using things like Google Analytics, Meta Pixel or TikTok tracking to monitor what people do after they click.
6. You’ve set a clear goal
You’re not just running ads because everyone else is. You know what success looks like: more bookings, more sales or more leads.
7. You can handle the extra demand
If an ad goes well, can you scale quickly? Do you have the inventory, time or team to deliver? Is your retreat equipped to handle more people? Increased demand? More enquiries?
8. You’re ready to test (and maybe fail a little)
Ads are an experiment. You’ll probably burn a little cash at the start. That’s normal. What matters is what you learn and how you adapt.
Still not sure?
Here’s a simple way to assess your readiness:
Work through the checklist above and answer yes or no to each item.
If the majority of your answers are yes, there’s a strong indication your surf business has the infrastructure, clarity and marketing foundations to begin testing paid ads with confidence. Well done, you.
If you’re leaning towards more no responses, it’s a sign to pause.
Prioritise tightening up your organic systems, refining your offer or improving your conversion pathways before investing in ad spend.
Paid ads work best when they’re amplifying what’s already effective and NOT compensating for what’s missing.
Final thoughts
Paid ads aren’t a silver bullet. But when you’ve already built something solid… when people like what you do, your brand is clear and your offer delivers. Ads can help you grow faster and reach further.
If you’re not quite there yet, that’s totally fine!
It just means you’re paying attention.
Keep building. Keep refining. You’ll know when it’s time.
And when that time comes… you’ll be ready.
Want help?
I work with surf brands to make sure their marketing is solid before they ever spend a cent on ads.
If you want support getting things lined up or want a second opinion on whether now’s the right time.
Reach out by hitting the button below!