How to split an advertising budget across channels
There is no universal ratio, but there is a logic that protects against both spreading budget too thin and betting everything on one channel.
Start with the type of demand
Existing demand means someone already knows they need an air conditioner repair and searches for a provider. Latent demand means they had no plan to buy an English course until a reel appeared.
The first is captured by search — Google Ads and SEO. The second by social and Telegram. Most misallocation starts here: a latent-demand business pours budget into search where nobody is querying, then concludes search does not work.
Check keyword volumes for Uzbekistan in Keyword Planner. If the volume is small, search cannot be the primary channel at any budget.
The 70/20/10 rule
70% to the channel that already delivers predictably — stability matters more than experimentation there.
20% to a proven secondary channel that produces leads, even at a higher cost, insuring you against a drop in the main one.
10% to experiments you can afford to lose entirely. Without that line you will always be last to discover a new working channel.
When to reallocate
Not before each channel has meaningful data. A decision based on 15 leads is a reaction to noise; aim for 30–50 or a full month.
Shift 20–30% at a time rather than moving everything. Channels respond non-linearly — doubling spend almost never doubles leads.
Account for seasonality: Ramadan and midsummer soften demand in Uzbekistan, while December and back-to-school lift several verticals. Comparing months without that adjustment kills working channels.