Client Background:
Specialising in made-to-measure curtains and blinds, this client had an e-commerce site that they were trying to drive traffic to so they could increase their fabric sample orders and website sales.
However, their existing digital strategy was not aligned with this objective. The client had been using a “time on site” metric as a conversion action, which, while on the outside, looked like it was bringing in loads of conversions, it did not accurately reflect the meaningful conversions that they actually wanted.
Objective:
To restructure and optimise their PPC strategy to enhance the effectiveness of their campaigns in driving sample orders and sales for their website.
Challenges:
- Inaccurate Conversion Tracking: The client’s reliance on “time on site” as a conversion metric led to a skewed perception of campaign success while failing to track actual sample orders and sales.
- Underperformance During Key Sales Periods: Despite November being a peak sales month in this industry, the client’s previous campaigns were not capitalising on this potential.
Strategies Implemented:
- Comprehensive Account Revamp: A full-scale overhaul of the client’s account was undertaken, focusing on the key areas of Search, Shopping, and Display networks to target various stages of the customer journey – from finding a sample supplier to purchasing their chosen made to measure product.
- Implementation of Specific Conversion Tracking: We transitioned from a generic “time on site” metric to a more sophisticated tracking system that accurately captured sample orders and sales. This allowed us to not only learn which campaigns were performing best, but we were also able to give the client accurate reporting that aligned with their internal reports – this was key to establishing trust and securing future budget investment.
- Targeted Campaign Optimisation: We used a mix of campaign targeting that we have proven to work well for ecommerce, and that’s exactly what happened here.
- Seasonal Strategy Adaptation: Special attention was given to maximising the industry’s peak season in November, ensuring the campaigns were optimised to make the most of this critical period.
Results:
The strategic changes led to amazing improvements in the client’s paid search performance:
- Conversions: Achieved a total of 300 (actual!) conversions, indicating a significant increase in meaningful customer actions.
- Spend: Increased by 341% to £5.4k, reflecting a more aggressive and targeted investment in digital advertising — what we were doing was working, so they wanted to do more of it!
- Revenue: Skyrocketed by 9.6k% to £23k, a testament to the effectiveness of the optimised campaigns.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Increased by 2.1k% to £4.5, demonstrating a substantial return even with the increased investment.
Conclusion:
The complete overhaul of this client’s PPC account was a turning point in their online presence and sales performance. By aligning their strategy with their specific goals, we were able to drive significant increases in both sample orders and sales.
The client has since experienced record-breaking revenue months for six consecutive months, showing that this wasn’t a one-off — this account is now their best-performing channel.