Case Study
Searching for Sales
The Task
As a freelance designer focused on marketing, I’m frequently asked to pursue more than a basic creative task in art form. This time the request was to improve a B2B Search Ad campaign for a single product of a small business that is not well-known. The current campaign was getting clicks but not generating any leads. Several factors directly attributed to this challenge: The product is somewhat seasonal, it doesn’t have a well-known name, nor does it have a competitor with an established trade name. One more thing, the website for the product is not integrated for online purchases. For pricing and shipping information, one must complete and submit a website form to request a quote for the product. A challenge to say the least but now I'm sharing the case study.
The Problem
Google prides itself as having one of the best pay-per-click (PPC) advertising tools available. Quoted directly from Google Ads, “paid search ads allow you to display your website listing at the top of the search results and drive more traffic to your website.” This is perfect if you are only looking to drive traffic to your site. Since you are paying per click, Google’s tools and recommendations are set to do just that, create clicks based on the information you have provided and charge you per click based on what you are willing to spend. Turning the clicks into conversions is another challenge entirely.
If you are looking for a return on your PPC investment, understand why the clicks you have paid for are going nowhere and fix it. The main idea of an ad campaign is to systematically create awareness across multiple media forms. In other words, the website pages, product descriptions, images, key words, headlines, ad copy, and call to action must be focused and precise to eliminate a false impression. A little play on words. Google impressions are how often your ad appears in the search result page or within the google search network you have selected. Ad impressions are abundant in a search result. Sponsored results can easily dominate a page. A poor placement will have your paid search ads showing up in the wrong demographic.
The Solution
Take the time to monitor the keywords and ad copy, know the target audience and understand the product you are advertising. AI algorithms are tools that use history and data points for optimization. The keyword here is tools. Humans use tools to make a job easier, so don’t rely on the tool to do everything. Google’s recommendations were not always accurate in this case. Reviewing was a major component that made this campaign successful.
It was also important to remember that your client is paying for clicks, and a click was not automatically a sale in this case. My goal was set on conversions—actual requests—not clicks. Looking at the page bounce rates, adjusting the keywords and call to action helped narrow in on a better audience. I wanted the ads populated for businesses that were looking for this seasonal product, and I wanted them to request the quote. My study would not be complete without an infographic...
The Result
Reducing the percentage of clicks allowed for better conversions and sales. From April to July in year 1, the click through rate was 11% with 0 conversions. During the same time frame the next year I managed the campaign to a 6% click through rate with a 4% conversion rate—67 conversions in two months. The conversions, still not sales, came in as leads which are classified as a request for quote or a phone call. Targeting the precise search audience generated leads that were authentic, and the executive sales team was able to turn the conversions and increase the sales for this product 400% year over year.