Short answer
The 70/20/10 rule is a way to split your marketing budget or content: 70% on proven channels that already bring customers, 20% on growing what is starting to work, and 10% on new experiments. It protects your core results while still leaving room to test new ideas.
Where the rule comes from
The idea is often credited to Coca-Cola's content strategy, which split content into 70% low-risk, 20% innovative and 10% high-risk ideas. The same split is now widely used for marketing budgets.
How it looks for a small business
| Share | What it covers | Example on £1,000 a month |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | Channels with proven returns | £700 on Google Ads search campaigns that already bring enquiries |
| 20% | Growing what shows promise | £200 on SEO content or retargeting ads |
| 10% | Experiments | £100 testing short video ads or a new platform |
When to change the split
- New businesses with no proven channel yet may spend more on testing at first.
- When an experiment beats your core channel on cost per enquiry, move it up into the 70%.
- Review the split every quarter using real enquiry and sales data.
The catch
The rule only works if you can measure what each channel brings in. Set up conversion tracking for calls, forms, WhatsApp and sales before you split any budget. Without it, you are guessing which channel deserves the 70%.
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About the author
Haseeb Ahmad
Founder, DeveloperStudio
Haseeb founded DeveloperStudio and leads strategy and client work across websites, SEO and paid ads.