Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your Google Ads campaigns for your corporate travel management platform. It's quite common to hit a plateau after a while, but there are definitely things you can do to try and break through that ceiling and get costs down again.
We'll need to look at Quality Scores...
First off, let's talk about Quality Scores. I can't stress enough how important these are. Google rewards you for having relevant ads and landing pages by giving you better ad placements and lower costs. I remember one client, a software company, where we reduced their Cost Per User Acquisition from £100 to £7 by improving their campaign structure and split testing their ad creative and targeting. It's worth regularly checking your keyword relevance to the ad copy and landing page, is it really obvious to the user what to do next?
Basically, Google wants to see that your ads are useful to users. That means your keywords, ads, and landing pages all need to be closely aligned. If someone searches for "corporate travel management software" and clicks on your ad, they should land on a page that's all about corporate travel management software. Not just a generic page about your company.
Are you using keyword insertion in your ad copy? This can dynamically insert the user's search term into your ad, making it even more relevant. I've also found that long-tail keywords can be really effective for improving Quality Scores. These are longer, more specific search terms that people use when they're further along in the buying process. For example, instead of "travel management software," you could target "best travel management software for small businesses."
I'd say you should A/B test landing pages...
Next up, landing pages. A/B testing is your friend here. A better landing page experience can seriously improve conversion rates. Try different headlines, layouts, and calls to action and see what resonates most with your audience. Even small tweaks can make a big difference. For instance, try testing different headlines, button colors, and form lengths. Usability is absolutely key.
Does your landing page have a clear call to action? Are you making it easy for people to sign up for a demo or request a quote? Make sure your landing page is mobile-friendly as well, as a lot of people will be searching on their phones.
Are you tracking your landing page conversion rates? This is crucial for understanding which variations are performing best. Google Analytics is your friend here. Also, consider using heatmaps to see how people are interacting with your landing page. This can give you insights into where people are clicking and where they're getting stuck. I'd say this is worth doing regularly - we tend to review them on a monthly basis.
You probably should test different bid strategies...
You mentioned you've tried a few different bid strategies. Which ones have you tried? Are you using automated bidding, or are you managing your bids manually?
Target CPA bidding can be a good option if you want to focus on getting a specific cost per acquisition. With Target CPA bidding, Google will automatically set your bids to try and get you as many conversions as possible at your target CPA. That said, sometimes the algorithms do funny things and it's worth keeping an eye on that.
But are you tracking your conversions properly? Make sure you've set up conversion tracking in Google Ads so you can see which keywords and campaigns are driving the most conversions. If you're not tracking conversions, you're flying blind and you won't know what's working and what's not. It's also good to check your attribution model. Google offers a few different attribution models, such as first-click, last-click, and time-decay. The attribution model you choose can affect how your conversions are attributed to different keywords and campaigns.
You'll need to expand your keywords...
Have you considered expanding your keyword list? Are you only targeting a few core keywords, or are you targeting a wider range of search terms? For instance, you could target competitor keywords or use broad match keywords and then use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
I'd also check your search terms report. This will show you the actual search terms that people are using to find your ads. You might be surprised at what people are searching for.
Is your keyword research up to date? You could use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find new keywords to target. They can help you identify new opportunities and stay ahead of the competition. I'd check them every few months or so.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Recommendation | Action |
|---|---|
| Improve Quality Scores | Ensure keyword relevance to ad copy and landing page. Use keyword insertion and target long-tail keywords. |
| A/B Test Landing Pages | Test different headlines, layouts, and calls to action. Ensure mobile-friendliness and track conversion rates. |
| Test Bid Strategies | Consider Target CPA bidding and ensure proper conversion tracking. Review your attribution model. |
| Expand Keywords | Expand keyword list, target competitor keywords, and use broad match with negative keywords. Check search terms report. |
Hope this gives you some food for thought! Scaling Google Ads campaigns, especially for B2B, can be tricky, and it often requires a fresh pair of eyes to spot opportunities for improvement. If you'd like some more in-depth help, we offer a free consultation where we review your current strategy and account. Feel free to get in touch if you'd like to explore that option.
Regards, Team @ Lukas Holschuh
