Hi there,
Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance based on what you've shared. It sounds like you've hit a pretty common wall when launching a new SaaS, especially when dipping into paid ads without much prior experience. It absolutely feels like throwing money into a black hole when you see clicks but no signups, and it's easy to start doubting the product itself.
From what you've described, getting views on ads but minimal signups and trial starts points heavily towards an issue happening *after* someone actually clicks on your ad. Getting clicks is just step one, the real work happens on your website and within the trial itself. This is likely where the disconnect is happening rather than the ads not working at all, or the product being inherently bad.
We'll need to look at traffic quality and your website...
The first thing to really analyse is the journey a user takes after clicking your ad. They land on a page – is that page immediately clear on the value of your real estate investment analyzer? Does it speak directly to the problems a real estate investor faces and how your tool solves them? A generic homepage rarely converts ad traffic well. You really need a dedicated landing page that’s designed to persuade someone to take the next step – which is signing up for a trial or account. We often use experienced copywriters for this with SaaS clients to ensure the message hits home quickly.
From the landing page, how easy is the signup process? Too many steps, asking for too much info too soon can kill conversion rates stone dead. Then, how easy is it to actually *start* the trial and see value quickly? If they sign up but don't start the trial, or cancel straight away, the trial experience itself is the biggest red flag. Is it easy to use? Is the onboarding intuitive? Do they get to perform a meaningful task (like analysing a property) right away?
I've seen similar situations with SaaS campaigns before. In fact, with B2B SaaS clients we've worked with (like for medical job matching or general B2B software), having a smooth, completely free trial is absolutely critical compared to just offering a demo. Users want to get their hands on the software and see if it works for them before committing any time or money. If your trial has barriers or doesn't deliver immediate perceived value, users will drop off fast. Your competition likely offers easy, no-commitment trials, and if you don't, you're fighting an uphill battle.
Let's also consider if you're attracting the *right* kind of traffic...
You mentioned running ads. What platform are you using? For a B2C SaaS like a real estate analyzer, you have a couple of main routes. Are real estate investors actively searching for tools like yours? If they are, Google Search Ads targeting keywords like "real estate analysis software", "property investment calculator", etc., could put your tool in front of people with high intent. This is often a good starting point as the user is already problem-aware and looking for a solution.
Alternatively, are you using social media platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram)? These can work well if you can accurately target people interested in real estate investing. However, on social media, people aren't usually in a "buying" mindset like they are on Google Search, so your ads and landing pages need to work harder to capture their attention and explain the value proposition quickly. We've had success getting B2C signups/trials for software clients on Meta ads for relatively low costs (seen signups under £2 or trials for $7), but this relies heavily on strong creative, precise targeting, and critically, the backend conversion rates (signup to trial, trial to paid) being solid.
Here’s an overview of some actionable steps:
| Area | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Landing Page | Ensure it's dedicated to the ad traffic, clear on the tool's benefits for investors, persuasive copy, and has a single, clear call to action to start the trial. |
| Signup Process | Minimise the required fields and steps. Make it as frictioness as possible. |
| Trial Experience | Make it easy to start and use. Provide clear, quick onboarding so a user can perform a key task (like analyzing a property) within minutes. Ensure the trial is free and fully functional for a decent period. |
| Ad Targeting & Platform | Review targeting precision. If not using Google Search, test campaigns targeting high-intent keywords. If using social, refine audience targeting to be as specific as possible to active real estate investors. |
Fixing the user journey and offer *after* the click is usually where you'll see the biggest improvement in converting ad views into active users and hopefully paying customers. It takes a lot of iteration and testing to get right.
Getting past this initial hurdle can be a lot of work and requires a deep understanding of both user psychology and platform mechanics. Sometimes having an external expert eye on your funnel, ad setup, and offer can help identify blind spots and accelerate the optimisation process significantly.
If you'd like to discuss your specific setup in more detail and get tailored advice, we're happy to offer a free consultation.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
