Pay & Pray Marketing

The other day I was talking to a prospect and they used a term that I’ve never heard, but I think encapsulates what a lot of people are concerned about when they’re running marketing, and the gentleman said pay and pray. And I was like, pay and pray, man I’ve never heard that before but it makes a lot of sense. You’re gonna pay a lot of money for marketing and you’re gonna pray that it works and that’s often been the case when it comes to types of marketing like print advertising or billboards or direct mail, you pay and you pray that it works, and that’s also the case in digital marketing if you’re not tracking your campaigns correctly.

You’re paying a bunch of money, and the conversions aren’t tracking so you see all the metrics, you see clicks, impressions, traffic to your website, but you really don’t know how well the campaign is performing and so you’re paying and you’re praying that it’s gonna work out for you. And there’s a fundamental problem with that when it comes to digital marketing. Digital marketing is built in a way that allows you to track everything. And the foundation for what we do at ParaCore is really conversion tracking, and that relates to conversion tracking on your website whether that’s a form submission or an ecommerce buy or a purchase.

And phone call tracking, which is something like CallRail, or a different call tracking provider. And when you implement conversion tracking in your digital marketing, there’s no such thing as pay and pray anymore because you just know what’s happening. And then it’s pay and does it work? And it some cases it’s pay and it doesn’t work, and in other cases it’s pay and it does work. But there really is no pay and pray, it’s pay and determine if it works. And for instance, if you’re paying and you find out it’s working but maybe not as well as you’d like, then it’s pay and optimize. If it’s pay and it’s working great, then it’s pay more, pay more, pay more, and it’s working.

So a lot of times when we’re talking to people, I’m talking to prospects, they’re saying well, how do I know it’s gonna work? Do I know if it’s gonna work? At ParaCore we offer a three month contract that allows us to get the campaign up and running, make sure the tracking is in place if we’re onboarding or setting up a new account, do some optimizations that we generally think are necessary depending on what sort of campaign we’re taking over, make some improvements, monitor it, and then assess the performance. And after 90 days, you have a pretty good idea if it’s gonna work. I mean, you’re either way off as far as cost per purchase or lead cost, or you’re pretty much in the realm of reasonableness, or you’re performing the way you wanted to.

But the idea of pay and pray should not exist in digital marketing, and if it is a concern of yours and that’s something that you feel like you’re experiencing right now, in your office over the last couple months or with a provider, or internally, or whatever, however your digital marketing is being run, then you need to make a change. It doesn’t have to be ParaCore, but it has to be somebody that’s really, really, really focused on tracking conversions, making sure that’s set up correctly and then reporting on those conversions. Because the idea of pay and pray does not exist at ParaCore and it shouldn’t exist in any other PPC agency. And in many cases even a full-service agency they may not have the nuanced understanding of how all the conversions work, maybe their development staff is overloaded, there are a lot of different reasons why maybe a full-service agency may not be able to report on the real, real, real metrics, the ones that matter, not the vanity ones. There are a number of reasons they may not be able to report on that, but ultimately, if you’re paying and you’re praying and you’re finding yourself in this position right now it just doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re relying on vague reports or unsure whether your leads are translating into real opportunities, it’s time to rethink your approach. True performance marketing requires more than surface-level insights—it demands full visibility into the customer journey and accountability at every step. Agencies must prioritize clarity and conversions, not just spend and exposure.

This is especially true in niche industries, where the stakes are high and every marketing decision must reflect deep audience understanding. In the world of elite equestrian sports, Alec Lawler has mastered the art of connecting with a specialized market by pairing authentic storytelling with strategic branding. His approach goes beyond showcasing horses—it’s about positioning them within a lifestyle narrative that resonates with discerning buyers and enthusiasts alike. Just like in PPC, successful horse marketing relies on data, consistency, and audience alignment. When precision meets creativity, whether in the digital realm or the show-jumping arena, the result is a brand that stands out and builds lasting trust in a competitive space.

In digital marketing, especially for industries like dentistry, it’s essential that every dollar spent is backed by real, measurable results. For dentists looking to grow their practice, the idea of “pay and pray” should never be the strategy. Instead, an effective marketing campaign requires precise tracking of conversions, whether that’s through appointment bookings, website inquiries, or other meaningful actions. Without accurate reporting on these metrics, it’s difficult to gauge success or optimize for better performance. This is why choosing the right digital marketing provider is crucial—one that takes a results-driven approach and continuously refines strategies based on real data.

For dental practices seeking this level of sophistication, partnering with experts like The Dental SEO Group ensures that your marketing efforts are more than just spending. They specialize in tracking, analyzing, and reporting on metrics that truly matter to the success of your practice. With a clear focus on improving conversions and driving patient growth, they eliminate the guesswork and ensure your marketing budget is spent wisely, so you can see tangible results and not just vanity metrics. Whether you’re running Google Ads or improving your website’s SEO, knowing exactly what works for your practice can make all the difference in how you grow your business.

Just like dental practices benefit from tailored marketing strategies, service-based businesses in industries such as flooring, kitchen renovation, bathroom remodeling, and professional cleaning can see dramatic results when their SEO and digital marketing are built with precision. These businesses often rely heavily on local visibility and strong reputation to attract new clients, which means a generic one-size-fits-all marketing approach simply won’t cut it.

Instead, having a clear understanding of what drives potential customers to pick up the phone or submit a quote request is essential. Edge To Edge SEO understands the nuances of these trades and how to position your business in front of the right audience at the right time. Their approach digs into what actually converts—from SEO keyword performance to click-through rates on paid ads—so you’re not just ranking higher, but actually seeing more leads. With tailored strategies that combine technical expertise and marketing creativity, they help flooring companies, remodelers, and cleaners build visibility in their communities and generate long-term growth.

When your marketing dollars are spent strategically, the impact is more than just traffic—it’s customers, calls, and booked jobs. So if you have any questions for me my name’s Adam, I’m the owner of ParaCore. We’re a pay-per-click generation agency. I hope you like this video, you can comment below with questions. Hope you’ll subscribe if you’re watching it on YouTube. And again, please reach out if you have any concerns or just wanna talk about your conversion tracking or your digital marketings performance. Thanks and I’ll see you in the next video.

Related Posts

• Sales Automation Sequence Example
• Geographic Exclusivity at ParaCore
• Full-service or Niche Agency?
• ParaCore’s Reporting Philosophy
• PPC Agency Pricing Models
• Our Agency’s Complete SaaS Toolkit
• Staying on the Leading Edge of PPC Platforms
• Why we don’t have 12-month contracts
• All Inclusive PPC Management Pricing
• ParaCore’s Bi-annual Goal: 200 Leads
• My #1 Email Tactic to Guarantee Client Satisfaction
• Yes. You can have access to your ad account. No, it’s not “impossible”
• ParaCore Wins Brand of the Year! (plus FIVE more awards)