Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance regarding your situation. It sounds like you're in a pretty good position, having just closed your Series A and are ready to scale. The paid search landscape can be competetive, but with a smart strategy, you should be able to outmanoeuvre your competitors.
We'll need to look at nailing the ad copy and landing page experience...
The fact that your competitors' landing pages are poor is a massive opportunity. In paid advertising, a seamless user experience is often the dividing line between success and failure. You can take a good look at their ads and landing pages, and see where they are falling short - and identify how to improve the experience yourself.
I recall one CRO agency where, even though they were struggling with costs, their ads and landing pages were top-notch. Their high conversion rates meant their costs were low. So, it’s about making sure your landing page post-click experience is silky smooth and converts like mad. Spend time on this and you can increase your chances of outperforming the competition.
I'd say you should consider layering on lead form extensions...
If search volume is high, but your competitors' landing pages are letting them down, lead form extensions can be really effective. It's a simple idea, but it can drive great results. With lead form extensions you're giving users a quick and easy way to get in touch, without having to navigate a clunky landing page. I remember for one client, we saw a significant rise in leads, while maintaining the quality.
The key is to make sure your lead form is laser focused, and asks all the right questions. Make sure you're capturing all the essential information you need to qualify leads, and make sure the form is properly optimised for mobile devices - the majority of users will be using a mobile to browse the web. And test a range of copy to see which is generating the most response - make sure the copy is clear and persuasive.
You probably should be thinking about doing a keyword audit...
Seriously, digging deep into those high-value terms, you might find untapped opportunities they're missing. I remember for a fin-tech start-up, we found lots of keywords, when they thought they had already found all the opportunities. It's definitely worth a shot - you're looking to see whether there are opportunities to reach users that are being missed. A lot of this is about looking at longer tail keywords and using the right tools. It's a job that takes a lot of patience but is really worth it.
You should also be looking at keyword variations, too. Users may be searching for something slightly different, using a different term or phrase, so make sure you're including that in your keyword research. You also need to consider negative keywords - which is really important. Make sure you're not showing ads to users who aren't interested in your product or service - you'll be wasting your budget.
You'll need to think about where to invest your ad spend...
Given your objective is to significantly increase qualified leads in the next quarter, you'll need to think about where to invest your ad spend. It sounds like you are already using paid search, which is great, because it's an effective way of reaching potential customers actively looking for your services.
But if you wanted to really scale up your agency, you might want to think about investing in other platforms such as Meta Ads and Linkedin Ads. We have a pretty good track record in these areas and have driven some impressive results for our clients. For example, we generated $115k revenue in just 1.5 months for one eLearning client using Meta Ads. I also recall we drove 4,622 registrations for a B2B software client at just $2.38 per registration, again using Meta Ads. We also helped one SaaS client reduce their CPA from £100 to £7 using Meta Ads and Google Ads.
It's all about testing and measuring, to see what works for you, what kind of results you are seeing. It also depends on your budget - so you need to think carefully about this, and decide where the best place is to allocate your funds.
I'd say you should experiment with creative split testing...
Consider split testing different ad creatives. This involves creating multiple versions of your ads with variations in headlines, ad copy, images, and calls-to-action. By testing these different elements, you can identify which combinations resonate most with your target audience and drive the best results.
I remember we had several SaaS clients see really good results with UGC videos. There are lots of angles to test there as well. These ads tend to feel more authentic and less "salesy" which is why they resonate so well with potential customers. You want to be making a connection and demonstrating the human side of your business.
You'll probably want to set up retargeting...
Consider retargeting. This involves showing ads to people who have previously interacted with your website or ads. By retargeting these individuals, you can keep your brand top of mind and encourage them to take the next step in the buying process. I’d say retargeting can help activate more users, reduce abandoned registrations, and convert more of your website visitors. Which all works to lower your acquisition costs.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Recommendation | Action |
|---|---|
| Perfect ad copy and landing pages | Make sure your post-click experience is silky smooth and converts like mad |
| Implement lead form extensions | Give users a quick and easy way to get in touch, without having to navigate a clunky landing page. |
| Do a keyword audit | Dig deep into those high-value terms and you might find untapped opportunities they're missing |
| Experiment with different platforms | Consider investing in other platforms such as Meta Ads and Linkedin Ads, to see what results you are seeing. |
| Creative split testing | Test different ad creatives to identify which combinations resonate most with your target audience and drive the best results. |
| Retargeting | Show ads to people who have previously interacted with your website or ads. |
Implementing these strategies can be challenging, and often requires a dedicated team with specific expertise and skills. You're already busy running the agency, so it might be worth thinking about bringing in an external expert to manage and run your paid ads. A specialist will be able to bring their years of experience, help you to reduce costs and to generate more revenue for your business.
We are really confident we can help and we would love to speak to you to find out more about your situation, and to explore how we could work together to achieve your objectives. We offer a free initial consultation where we can review your strategy and account together. To book in a consultation, just get in touch.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
