The Paid Search strategy behind our client's busiest month

Over the years, we’ve helped both big brands and small businesses achieve their marketing goals through data-driven strategies and innovative thinking. But some of our most meaningful work has come from guiding local companies during difficult times – like when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

Our client was a fairly new, small local business with limited ad spend servicing Cape Town and surrounds. They had run one smart campaign via Google Ads in the past but wanted to increase website traffic and online orders. We knew that the client had great potential in offering a convenient and sought-after service in Cape Town that would attract a lot of customers with the right strategy.

To better understand this case study, here are a few key terms:
  • Cost per acquisition (CPA): The cost to acquire a customer.
  • Click-through rate (CTR): The % of people who click on an ad after seeing it.
  • Conversion rate: The % of people who complete a desired action (like making a purchase) after clicking an ad.
  • Target CPA (cost-per-action) bid strategy: An automated bidding strategy that sets bids to achieve a target CPA.
  • Floodlight tracking: A tool to measure the impact of ads by attributing conversions to the ads that drove them.
Our Winning Paid Search Approach

We proposed running Google search ads to reach those searching for laundry services in Cape Town. Our goal was to drive qualified traffic to the site and down the funnel to orders. We opted to run campaigns through Search Ads 360 to tap into the platform’s advanced capabilities for exceptional results. Search Ads 360 provides granular data, robust analytics, and AI-powered optimizations to maximise campaign performance.

We developed highly targeted keywords based on in-depth research. The keywords focused on both high-volume and low-competition searches. The tailored ad copy clearly communicated the unique value proposition to spur action.

To track performance, we implemented Floodlight tracking and leveraged SA360 bid strategies. We started with a Target Impression Share strategy to gain visibility on a limited budget. Once we achieved sufficient traffic and orders, we switched to a Target CPA bid strategy to optimise for conversions.

 

 

 
A Surge in Orders:

Within one week, the strategic paid search account generated 51 orders at a CPA of R35. March 2021 became the client’s busiest month since the start of the pandemic.

Results:

  • Clicks: 515
  • CTR: 12.88%
  • Orders: 96
  • CPA: R51.70 (Average basket size +-R340)
  • Conversion Rate: 18.64%
  • Spend: R5,000

Paid search drove an additional 28.01% of users to the site and 20.71% of total orders. It provided a real lifeline for this small business during COVID-19.

If you’re a local business looking to increase visibility and sales online, contact TMI. We have the experience and tools to help your business connect with more local customers today.