Alan M — Social Media Marketing freelancer in Lancaster

A lead generation agency managing marketing for a finance broker business approached me with a common problem in the financial services sector—low conversion rates and rising cost per acquisition. Despite ongoing Google Ads campaigns, results had plateaued and ROI was falling short of client expectations. Goal: To reduce the cost per conversion while significantly improving lead volume through strategic account restructuring and campaign diversification. Strategy & Execution: I executed a multi-faceted campaign overhaul that included full-funnel targeting and precise ad structuring: ✅ Display Campaigns: I launched Display campaigns to expand reach and re-engage visitors through visually compelling creatives. These campaigns were segmented by audience intent and included custom affinity and in-market audiences related to home loans and refinancing. ✅ Video Campaigns: To build awareness and trust in a highly competitive finance market, I introduced YouTube Video campaigns. These were short, CTA-driven explainers designed to move cold audiences into the consideration phase. ✅ Performance Max (PMax) Campaigns: PMax campaigns allowed full access to Google's network, using smart bidding, dynamic asset testing, and audience signals. I created multiple asset groups targeting different segments: first-time buyers, investors, and refinance seekers. ✅ Search Campaigns (Brand + Competitor): I segmented the Search strategy into brand campaigns (to capture brand-aware leads) and competitor campaigns (to bid on known players in the mortgage space). This captured high-intent traffic actively shopping for finance options. ✅ Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs): I structured Search campaigns using SKAGs to maximize Quality Scores and ad relevance. This tactic lowered CPCs and improved CTR by precisely matching keywords with highly tailored ad copy. Results Achieved: 📈 Clicks: Increased to 7.35K (+2.85K) 🎯 Conversions: Grew to 370 (+171) 💰 Cost per Conversion: Reduced to $51.95 (–$14.54) 💼 Total Ad Spend: Rose to $19.2K (+$5.99K), aligned with scale-up 📊 Lead Quality: Improved lead form completions and contact rates, confirmed by the client Performance Insight: Although the budget increased, the cost per lead dropped significantly, and the volume of high-quality leads doubled. In an industry like finance—where CPCs are often high—this efficiency gain and conversion lift exceeded industry benchmarks. Conclusion: Through structured ad grouping, full-funnel coverage, and creative experimentation, I transformed a stagnant campaign into a scalable, ROI-driven lead generation machine. The finance broker client now has a solid digital foundation to scale further with confidence.