Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on scaling your ATS lead generation after closing your Series A. It's an exciting time, but also a challenging one to make sure you're spending your budget wisely and getting the most bang for your buck.
We'll need to look at your keywords first...
You mentioned you’ve dabbled with Google Ads before with lackluster results. That's not uncommon, especially when it's managed in-house without dedicated expertise. For an ATS aimed at HR professionals, your keyword strategy is gonna be make or break. Forget those broad, generic terms like "applicant tracking system". They'll bleed your budget dry and pull in a load of irrelevant traffic. I'd say you need to think granular, target those long-tail keywords, the kind that people type in when they're actively searching for a specific solution.
I'm talking about stuff like: "best applicant tracking system for healthcare," "ATS with integrated background checks," "applicant tracking system for remote teams," "affordable ATS for small businesses," or even very specific feature-based searches like "applicant tracking system automated resume parsing" or "ATS compliance tracking and reporting." Those are the money makers, trust me on this one. People searching for those terms know exactly what they want and are much further down the sales funnel. I remember one campaign where we focused on long-tail keywords, and their lead quality went through the roof.
I'd say you should look at LinkedIn Ads too...
Don’t just pigeonhole yourself into Google Ads. LinkedIn Ads, with their super-targeted B2B options, can be a goldmine for reaching HR professionals. I'd start by targeting HR managers, recruiters, talent acquisition specialists, and even C-level execs responsible for HR tech decisions. You can narrow it down by company size, industry, and even their skills and interests. I'd recommend testing a couple of different ad formats - sponsored content works well, especially if you can showcase the ATS's features and benefits in a short video or carousel. Lead gen forms can also be effective for capturing contact details directly within the platform. But remember that LinkedIn can be more expensive than Google Ads, so you'll need to be really tight with your budget and targeting. I recall a software client for whom we were able to generate B2B decision maker leads at a cost of $22 using LinkedIn Ads, so it’s not always going to be cheap.
You probably should audit your current website...
Your landing pages are absolutely critical. A generic "request a demo" page just isn't gonna cut it. You need to create landing pages that are laser-focused on the specific keywords and pain points you're targeting. If someone searches for "ATS with integrated background checks" and clicks on your ad, they should land on a page that talks specifically about your background check integration, how it works, what the benefits are, and why it's better than the competition. We use a copywriter that is specifically experienced writing for SaaS companies to ensure the website is persuasive as can be. I’d say you should A/B test everything: headlines, copy, images, forms, call-to-actions. Even small tweaks can make a huge difference in conversion rates. And make sure your landing pages load quickly and are mobile-friendly! I can't stress this enough; a slow, clunky landing page will kill your conversions, no matter how good your ads are.
You'll need to think about your budget...
Budget allocation needs a strategic, phased approach. Don't just throw money at everything and hope something sticks. I'd suggest starting with a smaller test budget across a few core campaigns to validate your keywords, landing pages, and ad creatives. See what's working, what's not, and then scale up accordingly. For Google Ads, I'd recommend starting with separate campaigns for branded keywords (if you have any brand recognition), non-branded keywords, and competitor keywords. For LinkedIn Ads, you can segment your campaigns by target audience (e.g., HR managers vs. recruiters) or by ad format (e.g., sponsored content vs. lead gen forms). It's also a good idea to set up some retargeting campaigns to re-engage website visitors who didn't convert on their first visit. You can show them targeted ads based on the pages they viewed or the actions they took on your site. I always recommend a budget for ad spend of $1-$2k per month to start with. As for specific budget percentages per channel, that's impossible to say without knowing your overall budget and your specific goals. However, a good rule of thumb is to allocate more budget to the channels and campaigns that are delivering the best results.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Area | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Focus on long-tail, specific search terms instead of broad keywords. |
| Ad Platforms | Combine Google Ads with targeted LinkedIn Ads campaigns. |
| Landing Pages | Create hyper-relevant landing pages tailored to specific keywords and pain points. |
| Budget Allocation | Start with a smaller test budget and scale up based on performance. |
Scaling lead generation for an ATS is a complex process, and it requires a combination of strategic planning, meticulous execution, and ongoing optimisation. It's also worth noting that we reduced the cost per user acquisition from £100 to £7 for a Medical Job Matching SaaS using Meta and Google Ads. We have the expertise and resources to help you achieve your goals but of course, it's up to you to decide if we are the right agency for you. A lot of agencies will just promise you the world, but as you know, there's no way to predict exactly how campaigns will perform.
If you'd like to discuss your specific needs and goals in more detail, I'd be happy to book in a free consultation to review your current strategy and account. We can then talk through how we can help you. Please let me know if you'd like to book something in.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
