TLDR
- Who: Analytica, a specialized software company that had a poor prior run with Google Ads and no clear view of what was working.
- What changed: We rebuilt conversion tracking, ran a tightly targeted Google Ads program with remarketing, then expanded into Microsoft Ads using a spend voucher.
- The number: 442% return on ad spend (4.42 ROAS) on $4,430 of total ad spend, generating 326 leads at a $13.59 blended cost per lead.
About Analytica and the challenge
Analytica is a specialized software company that wanted better lead generation and cleaner conversion tracking from its paid advertising. The team had run Google Ads before, but weak results and a lack of clarity in performance tracking left them with a negative view of the channel. Two problems stood out: they could not see which spend produced qualified leads, and lead quality was inconsistent. Our job was to fix the measurement first, then build a paid program that produced high-quality leads for Analytica's free software download.
What we did
We set precise conversion tracking, built a focused Google Ads program, added remarketing, and expanded into Microsoft Ads to widen reach at minimal cost. The work broke into three parts.
1. Conversion tracking setup
Objective: Accurate conversion tracking across Google Ads and Salesforce.
Actions taken:
- Implemented GA4 conversion tracking.
- Created UTM codes to track conversions in Salesforce, their CRM.
- Fixed UTM parameter loss on the Download page after a website update.
2. Google Ads campaign strategy
Objective: A well-targeted Google Ads campaign that generates high-quality leads.
Actions taken:
- Ran thorough keyword research for the most relevant terms.
- Worked with the client to filter the keywords down and finalize 10 targeted ad groups.
- Wrote ad copy for each ad group.
- Launched the campaigns, then optimized them with negative keyword lists to improve lead quality.
- Added a remarketing campaign aimed at visitors who had not downloaded the software.
3. Microsoft Ads expansion
Objective: Extend reach through Microsoft Ads to complement the Google Ads campaign.
Actions taken:
- Secured a $3,100 spend voucher for the client.
- Launched Microsoft Ads campaigns, using the voucher to generate conversions without significant spend.
- Saw early success with a high number of conversions.
Challenges
Tracking issues: Loss of UTM parameters on the Download page caused inconsistencies in conversion tracking, which we resolved by reworking the tracking system.
Lead quality: Lead quality was low at first, then improved once we optimized campaigns with negative keyword lists.
Results
Across both channels, Analytica spent $4,430 in ad budget (with a $3,100 Microsoft voucher covering most of the Microsoft cost) and generated 326 leads at a blended $13.59 cost per lead, for a 442% return on ad spend.
Google Ads
- Clicks: 2,420
- Click-through rate (CTR): 3.41%
- Average CPC: $1.70
- Total Spend: $4,130
- Conversion Rate: 7.94%
- Cost per Conversion (CPA): $21.21
- Conversions: 195
Microsoft Ads
- Clicks: 3,118
- Click-through rate (CTR): 0.70%
- Average CPC: $1.09
- Total Spend: $3,407.46 (of which $3,100 was covered by a voucher)
- Conversion Rate: 4.30%
- Cost per Acquisition (CPA): $25.43
- Conversions: 134
Total Ad Spend
Google Ads:
$4,130
Microsoft Ads:
$300 (after applying the voucher)
Total Ad Spend:
$4,130 + $300 = $4,430
1. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), average LTV $6,000, AOV $2,000
| ROAS = Total Revenue / Total Ad Spend ROAS = $19,560 / $4,430 = 4.42 (or 442%) |
2. Cost Per Lead (CPL)
| Total Leads: 326 Blended CPL = Total Ad Spend / Total Leads CPL = $4,430 / 326 = $13.59 per lead |
3. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
| CPA = Total Ad Spend / Total Paid Customers CPA = $4,430 / 3.26 = $1,359 |
Key takeaways
- Fix measurement before you scale spend. Rebuilding GA4 and UTM tracking into Salesforce is what let us tie ad spend to real leads and report a clean 442% ROAS. Get the tracking right first with a specialist Google Ads partner.
- Negative keyword lists turn cheap clicks into qualified leads. Lead quality was low until we filtered out the wrong searches, which is the difference between volume and pipeline for a B2B SaaS advertiser.
- A second channel can add volume without adding much cost. The $3,100 Microsoft Ads voucher produced 134 conversions while Analytica's out-of-pocket Microsoft spend was only $300.
Want the same clean tracking and a paid program that pays back? Book a call and we will map it out.