Why we publish this
Most diagnostic tools are black boxes. You answer questions and receive a score with no visibility into how it was calculated or what assumptions it makes. We think that is not good enough for a tool intended to inform real advertising decisions.
Publishing the methodology does two things. It lets you judge whether the model makes sense for your situation. And it holds us accountable to keeping it accurate as platforms, benchmarks, and UK advertising norms change over time.
One caveat upfront: six questions cannot capture every nuance of an advertising setup. The score is directional, not definitive. It is designed to identify the most likely structural constraints quickly, not to replace a full account review.
The five scored dimensions
Five of the six questions contribute to the numeric score. The sixth (what triggered the check) informs your Mix Profile narrative but does not affect the number. The five scored dimensions and their approximate weights are:
How each answer contributes to the score
The score starts at a base of 50 and adjusts up or down based on your answers. Each answer has a defined point contribution. The final score is capped between 0 and 100.
Channel breadth (Q1) — Where do you currently advertise?
Investment level (Q2) — Monthly ad spend band
Brand visibility (Q4) — How well-known is your brand?
Performance signal (Q3) — Biggest current advertising frustration
Growth readiness (Q5) — What has held you back from new channels?
Score calculation
Base score = 50. Each answer adds or subtracts points as shown above. The five dimensions combine for a maximum possible contribution of approximately +55 points (a perfect setup would score 100) and a maximum negative contribution of approximately -50 points (a minimal setup would score near 0). Scores are always capped between 0 and 100.
The five Mix Profiles
Alongside the numeric score, your answers determine a Mix Profile: a qualitative description of your advertising structure. The profile is determined by a priority order of conditions based on your answers, and is designed to give a plain-language description of what your setup looks like today and what it typically needs.
- Balanced Media Mix: You are already using both demand-capture and demand-creation channels. Priority: integration, not addition.
- Awareness Gap: Your performance channels are working but brand visibility is low. Priority: channels that build recognition ahead of the purchase moment.
- Ready to Test: You have the spend level and motivation to test new channels but have not yet done so. Priority: a structured first test with clear measurement.
- Performance-Dependent: All budget is on demand-capture channels (Google, Meta). Working now but approaching a ceiling. Priority: a small demand-creation test.
- Too Early for Broader Media: Foundations are not yet in place for broader channel testing. Priority: consistent spend and performance on core channels first.
The three score bands
Attention needed
A significant structural issue will limit results regardless of how much you spend. Most commonly: budget below platform learning-phase thresholds, single-channel concentration with insufficient spend to optimise, or no consistent advertising activity yet established.
Leaky mix
Advertising is partially working but has clear inefficiencies. The most common pattern: full budget on demand-capture channels with no upper-funnel awareness activity. Performance may be consistent but growth is likely approaching a ceiling.
Healthy mix
Advertising is functioning well across multiple dimensions. Priority at this score: channel integration, sequencing awareness activity ahead of performance pushes, and cross-channel attribution.
Limitations
The Health Check is a high-level diagnostic, not a substitute for a full account audit. Six questions cannot capture:
- Account-level issues such as broken conversion tracking, wrong bidding strategy, or paused campaigns
- Creative quality or landing page performance
- Sector-specific factors that significantly affect what constitutes a healthy mix (e.g. retail vs B2B services)
- Recent changes to your setup that have not yet had time to affect performance
The score is most useful as a starting point: a structured way to identify where to look first, not a final verdict on your advertising health. If your score is significantly different from what you would expect based on your account's actual performance data, the account-level data should take precedence.
How we keep the model current
Platform norms, learning-phase thresholds, and UK advertising costs change over time. We review the scoring model at minimum annually, and update it when:
- A platform makes a material change to how its algorithm works (e.g. Meta's changes following iOS 14)
- UK cost benchmarks shift enough to change what constitutes "viable" spend
- Aggregate results from the Health Check show consistent patterns that suggest the score is not calibrating correctly for certain business types
The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent review. If you notice something in the methodology that looks out of date or incorrect, please contact us.
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