I could use your insight (Targeting ads)

Hey guys!

New here. I posted once before.

Here’s a brief overview.

I have a site for just over a year now. I’ve used only social media. I make my own products and sell them in a niche I really enjoy. I made about 75k in sales year 1 through this.

I have almost everything in place to begin paid ads. Proper emails set up with a professional copywriter ( who happens to be a close friend who sold for million dollar companies) as well as upsells/ all that jazz.

I have over 1k buyers for a lookalike audience as well

I know you may not be able to help, but I have been so beyond stressed of losing everything lately. It seems like things are heading in right direction but I have 0 experience with advertising.

Social media is not performing quite as well as it use to with all the changes on insta/tiktok but regardless I know the only way to really expand is through paid traffic.

My profit margins are good since I control manufacturing (average of 60% on a 45$ item for instance) and I have a customer return rate of about 24% overall.

I’m not sure on to proceed. I think partially it’s fear that if I don’t get the ads to work it’s pretty much game over right? It’s how any business succeeds on any real scale .

Does anyone have any insight on what I should be doing or focusing on?

Thank you in advance