Why Most Agencies Are Failing (And Brands Donât Notice)
In this episode of Social Commerce Club, Jordan West, Parker, Bryan, and Mateo break down the truth about why 50%+ of agencies still suck at media buying, how TikTok Shop actually works today, and what brands must understand to scale profitably in 2025.
We cover:
â Why outdated agency strategies are still everywhere
â What REALLY drives GMV on TikTok Shop
â The correlation between impressions, GMV & creator volume
â Why most brands misunderstand media buying
â The hidden costs & path to profitability on TikTok Shop
â When brands should hire agencies vs. build in-house
â How creative strategy, content volume & platform structure decide wins
â What brands get wrong about CPMs, ROAS & attribution
â The future of social commerce & brand building
If you're scaling e-commerce, running TikTok Shop, or hiring an agency⊠this episode will save you months of mistakes.
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đTIMESTAMPS:
00:00 â Intro
01:06 â Why Agencies Are Still Failing Brands
05:03 â Outdated Media Buying & TikTok Shop Mistakes
10:18 â GMV Max, Media Structure & What Platforms Optimize
15:30 â Content Volume, Quality & Impressions â GMV
21:20 â Profitability Problems: Fees, Commissions & Margins
24:25 â Quick Wins, Case Studies & Rapid Scale Examples
26:02 â Market Research: In-House vs Agency Trends
31:49 â Creative Strategy: Who Should Own It?
35:48 â True Cost of Building Internal Teams
38:49 â Hybrid Models & Operating Systems for TikTok Shop
40:11 â Agency Turnover, Client Responsibility & Hiring Mistakes
42:21 â Brands: Look in the Mirror (Self-Awareness)
43:03 â Final Takeaways
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