• Services

    Services

    Service Types

    Paid Search Management
    Maximize ROI with expertly managed campaigns.
    PPC Audits
    Optimize your campaigns with comprehensive audits.
    Display Ads Management
    Create visually compelling campaigns that convert.
    Google Ads Management
    Tailored strategies for effective online advertising.
    Youtube Ads Management
    Drive brand awareness with engaging video ads.
    Facebook Ads Management
    Engage your audience with precise facebook targeting.
    Retargeting Management
    Reconnect with potential customers effectively.
    Linkedin Ads Management
    Expand your professional network with impactful ads.
    White Label PPC
    Seamless PPC solutions for your agency.
    Amazon Ads Management
    Boost your product visibility on Amazon.
  • Brands

    brands

Case StudiesAboutBlogContact
Log in
Get Started

Strategies for Increasing Click-Through Rate in PPC

Samuel Edwards
|
January 28, 2024

In order to get a positive return on investment with your pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaign, you need to pay attention to the numbers—especially if you’re managing PPC advertising on major search engines like Google Ads.

‍

That’s really all PPC Online advertising is – a numbers game. And if you get the numbers right, you win—by driving qualified web traffic, improving conversion rate, and ultimately increasing customer lifetime value.

‍

But which numbers matter most? And how can you boost those numbers as much as possible to increase your success and revenue (without wasting ad spend)?

‍

Well, it all starts with a good click-through rate (CTR).

‍

In this article, we’re going to dive into the nitty-gritty of what click through rate is, why it’s important, what percentages you should be aiming for (including average CTR), and clever (somewhat random) ways you can get better results across your PPC campaigns—from search ads to banner ads and other ad formats.

‍

‍

Calculating PPC Click-Through Rates

Click-Through Rate (CTR) learn to have high ctr

Let’s go all the way back to the basics and dig into what the Average click through rate(CTR) metric represents, how to calculate it, and all of the basic 101-level information that usually gets glossed over—especially in Google Ads accounts with lots of ad groups and multiple PPC ads running at once.

‍

If you already know this stuff, great – consider it a quick refresher (or move on to the section below on benchmark PPC CTR rates). If you’re totally new to the PPC game, then this will give you a baseline understanding so that everything else we’re about to discuss will make sense.

‍

So, without further ado, let’s get into the definition.

‍

An Average  click through rate (CTR), is basically the percentage of impressions that result in total number of clicks. In order to calculate this number, you simply take the number of clicks and divide it by the total number of impressions (people who saw the ad). Then you multiply that number by 100.

‍

For example, let’s say your online ad got 5,000 impressions and 75 people clicked. The equation would look like this:

‍

(75 / 5,000) x 100

‍

The result is (.015) x (100). This comes out to 1.5 percent. This is your click-through rate. It means 1.5 percent of people who saw your online ad clicked—an important indicator of ad effectiveness and relevance to your target audience.

‍

Okay, great – but so what?

‍

‍

Why does CTR matter for PPC campaigns?

The simplest answer is that the click-throughs on paid ad platforms like Google Ads and Facebook use Average click through rate CTR to quickly evaluate the health and value of an ad and how attractive your offer is to potential customers. If lots of people are clicking, then it tells the algorithm that it has strong ad effectiveness and that it's making them lots of money. And if the ad is making them lots of money, they want to make sure you keep serving the ad. This leads them to lower the cost per click (CPC) as a way of incentivizing you to continue online advertising on their network. The lower your cost per click (CPC), the easier it is to scale without exploding ad spend.

‍

In the case of Google Ads management,(CTR) also impacts something known as a “Quality Score.” This score is awarded on a 1-10 scale and is determined by a mixture of factors like Average click through rate(CTR), expected CTR, landing page UX, and ad relevance. A strong landing page (fast load time, clear message match, easy UX on mobile devices) supports better results.

‍

An ad’s Quality Score impacts its “Ad Rank,” which Google uses to determine where ads show up on search results and whether you earn better ad positions. A high PPC CTR and strong ad copy lead to a higher Quality Score, which in turn leads to a higher Ad Rank. This ends up putting your ad in front of more of your potential customers at a lower price.

‍

If that’s all a bit confusing, here’s a simple visual to make it easier:

Why does CTR matter for PPC campaigns? learn to have high ctr & perfect ad position

CTR → Quality Score → Ad Rank → PPC Ad Placement → Higher CTR

‍

It’s basically a self-feeding cycle. As your PPC CTR increases, so do all of the other metrics. This usually leads to a higher CTR, improved Ad Rank, better ad positions, more visibility, and more potential customers.

‍

‍

Benchmark PPC Click-Through Rates

Once you understand what (CTR) is and why it’s important for PPC ads, the next logical question is, what’s a good click-through rate?

‍

The answer is…it depends!

‍

I know – that’s not the answer you’re looking for – but we’re going to take a deeper dive in just a moment. The point is that there’s no concrete figure. There are dozens of circumstantial variables that come into play based on your product, industry, creative, audience targeting, and the PPC platform (Google vs. Facebook vs. Others). Your average CTR will also vary by channel and ad formats (e.g., search ads vs. banner ads).

‍

When evaluating baseline PPC CTR, there are a few quick factors you can take into account right from the start. This includes (a) how the ad is being displayed, and (b) the industry you’re in.

‍

Let’s start with how the ad is being displayed. With Google ads, there are two different networks. You have the Google or other search engines network and the Google display network. Display serves image-based placements on other sites (including banner ads).

‍

The search network includes text-based ads that pop up within Google search results (at the top and bottom of the page). The display network serves ads on other websites. These are typically image-based ads and banners. Often, search placements earn a higher average CTR because the user intent is clearer when the ad appears next to active searches.

‍

Google search network ads tend to have a slightly better click through rate (CTR), simply because they appear within the search results. Averages across all industries are usually somewhere in the 1.75 – 2.00 percent range.

‍

Ads in the Google display network are usually much lower – somewhere south of 0.50 percent. (This is due to the fact that many users use ad blockers and other plugins that make it less likely they’ll even see the ad.)

‍

When it comes to the industry, the average click through rate(CTR) can change dramatically from one sector to another. Here are some examples pulled from recent reports:

  • Dating & Personals = 6.05 percent
  • Travel & Hospitality = 4.68 percent
  • Education = 3.78 percent
  • Health & Medical = 3.27 percent
  • E-Commerce = 2.69 percent
  • Technology = 2.09 percent

‍

As you can see, the standard from industry to industry is different. Achieving a 4 percent CTR in dating and personals might be extremely low, whereas it would be an incredible rate in technology. This just goes to show there are a lot of unique factors in play.

‍

Even within a single industry, results can shift based on offer strength, the landing page experience, and whether your relevant keywords match user intent.

‍

The fact that click-through rates vary so much can actually be viewed as a good thing. It means you always have the ability to increase your numbers. And, sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity.

‍

‍

7 Ways to Improve Your PPC Click-Through Rates

7 Ways to Improve Your PPC Click-Through Rates to have high ctr & perfect ad position

Now that we have some basic context established, let’s dig into the juicy stuff. How can you improve your PPC click-through rates so that you stand a better chance of producing conversion rate and increasing revenue?

‍

Here are several suggestions:

‍

1. Use Emotion in your Ad Copy

Humans have a wide range of emotions. And while we like to assume that we’re fairly rational creatures who make logical decisions after having all of the facts laid out for us, the truth is that we typically act on emotion (then justify with logic after the fact).

‍

As an advertiser, you can use this little bit of knowledge to your advantage. Avoid the logical plea and get emotional. Ethically leveraging love, fear, hope, belonging, shock, and surprise can help you get better click-through rates.

‍

For example, let’s say you’re running an ad for roses during Valentine’s. Leading with something like “2 Dozen Roses for Just $29” is actually a fairly weak hook. You might make a few sales, but there’s nothing other than price at play. What about all of the buyers who are less price sensitive?

‍

Instead of only using a price hook, try emotional positioning. A better ad might read: “She Thinks You Forgot. Roses Delivered Same Day.” Do you see how much better this ad copy is? Better ad copy can increase clicks from the same impressions and improve your overall PPC strategy. It makes an emotional appeal – not just a logical dollars and cents pitch.

‍

2. Ask Questions

Questions can be powerful when used appropriately in your PPC ads management. People are naturally curious and posing the right query can get people thinking about things through whatever filter or context you’d like.

‍

When asking questions, try wording them in a way that the answer is obvious. (Not only that, but the answer should be obvious and certain to push them closer to clicking.)

‍

Going back to our roses example, you could do something like this: “Miss Her Birthday Again? 2 Dozen Roses Will Do The Trick.”

‍

Or if you’re a financial advisor: “Unprepared for Retirement? Learn How to Create a Guaranteed Stream of Income in Your Golden Years.”

‍

A good question can save valuable space in your ad by letting your prospect tell themselves why they should click. This can be more powerful than using a direct command. This is also where tighter audience targeting helps: the more specific your target audience, the more your ad copy can speak directly to them.

‍

3. Instill Urgency

Humans have a huge, oversized fear of missing out on something. You might even say this is a distinctly human trait. Dogs don’t see other dogs walking with their owners as the sun goes down and think to themselves, “No! I hope I don’t miss out on a walk with my owner before the sun sets!” Now, if you tell a dog that you’re going on a walk, they might get really excited. (And they might even get sad if you’re then unable to take them out.) But they don’t have a fear of missing out.

‍

With humans, we’re constantly fearful of being left out or missing the boat. In many cases, we’ll do anything to avoid this feeling – even if it means spending time or money on something we might not truly need.

‍

In advertising, you can tap into FOMO by creating urgency and/or playing the scarcity card. You can do this by setting a deadline for a sale, releasing a limited order quantity, or using some sort of tiered discount based on when people place an order. If urgency is in the ad, urgency should also be on the landing page. That message match is a big part of improving conversion rate.

‍

4. Try Humor

While not perfect for every brand, humor can be a very useful mechanism for increasing click through rate(CTR) and getting a better response. Having said that, it’s a somewhat risky play – simply because everyone has a unique sense of humor. You could easily miss the mark and drive your click through rate(CTR) close to zero.

‍

If you’re going to attempt humor in your ads, we recommend running multiple variations and measure results using performance data. Have a humorous version and a non-humorous version and split test the same ad creative. This will give you a pretty good feel for the response. After gathering enough data, you can make a decision on whether to move forward with the funny ad or nix it. If one version causes a low CTR, don’t force it—use the numbers, not opinions, to decide which ad copy wins.

‍

5. Niche Down Your Audience More

We can talk all we want about ad creatives, copy, and other elements, but it all comes down to ad-audience fit. If you aren’t focusing on the right audience, you won’t get strong PPC CTR no matter how clever your ad copy is.

‍

For Facebook in particular, where you have a massive amount of control over your audience, niching down to a very specific part of the market is going to give you the ability to create much more targeted ad copy and images that resonate.

‍

For example, don’t just target business owners. Target restaurant owners. And then split your ad campaign up so that you can target South Carolina restaurant owners and California restaurant owners separately. Segment by persona, region, and intent. Then build tighter ad groups with tighter themes and relevant keywords so your ads feel tailored. This gives you so much more relevancy and control.

‍

6. Keep it Short and Sweet

One school of thought says you should max out your ad by using every single character you’re allowed to use within the character limit. But is this really the best way to go?

‍

There’s ample research to suggest shorter ads (particularly on Facebook) get more number of clicks and better engagement. In fact, as character count increases, response rates steadily fall off.

‍

The fact that shorter ads do better is likely due to the fact that people have very small attention spans—especially on mobile devices. An ad that can be consumed in three seconds is much more enticing than an ad that takes 90 seconds to read. Even if your copy is great and you can effortlessly compel people to read sentence after sentence with mouth-watering copy, there’s simply too much friction to attract a large percentage of your audience. One practical tactic is to optimize ad copy by removing fluff and strengthening the first line. Another is testing dynamic keyword insertion (carefully) so the headline aligns with the right keywords—but only if it still reads naturally. Keep it short!

‍

7. Try Different Images

When dealing with Google display network ads and/or Facebook ads, the image is the most important part. People will process the image long before they read the copy or call-to-action. In Google Ads Search, you also have a major lever: ad extensions.

‍

So when you run an ad, always split test at least three different images. This will give you a feel for what your customers respond to best. Use ad extensions like sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, image assets (where available), and calls to expand your footprint on the SERP. More ad extensions can make your ad look larger, more credible, and more clickable—often improving PPC CTR and helping your ad appears more prominently.

‍

Don’t set and forget: test different ad extensions, rotate and evaluate ad extensions, and keep ad extensions aligned with the offer and the landing page.

‍

‍

Don’t forget: keywords and landing pages drive CTR and conversion rate

If CTR is low, don’t only blame the ad copy. Your keyword strategy matters.

  • Do comprehensive keyword research to find intent-rich terms.
  • Separate themes into tighter ad groups with the right keywords.
  • Add negative keywords to filter out junk clicks and protect ad spend.
  • Review search term reports regularly and keep expanding your negative keywords list. More negative keywords = fewer irrelevant impressions = higher-quality clicks.

‍

Then make sure the click lands on a strong landing page. Your landing page should load quickly, match the ad promise, work well on mobile devices, and make the next step obvious. A better landing page improves the average conversion rate and helps you get more value from the same traffic.

‍

‍

Let PPC.co Help

PPC is both an art and a science. It requires equal parts creativity, technical competence, and experience across Google Ads, PPC campaigns, and multi-channel advertising campaigns. If you’re lacking in any of these three areas, it will be hard to consistently hit strong average CTR and a healthy conversion rate.

‍

But there’s good news: We can help.

‍

At PPC.co, we partner with entrepreneurs, digital marketers & email marketers/ email marketing professionals, agencies, startups, small businesses, and established enterprises to make PPC advertising a smooth, seamless experience—improving marketing efforts, increasing qualified leads, and turning more potential customers into revenue.

‍

Want to learn more about whether we’re a good fit for each other? Let’s chat!

‍

Author
Recent Posts

Samuel Edwards

Chief Marketing Officer

Throughout his extensive 10+ year journey as a digital marketer, Sam has left an indelible mark on both small businesses and Fortune 500 enterprises alike. His portfolio boasts collaborations with esteemed entities such as NASDAQ OMX, eBay, Duncan Hines, Drew Barrymore, Price Benowitz LLP, a prominent law firm based in Washington, DC, and the esteemed human rights organization Amnesty International. In his role as a technical SEO and digital marketing strategist, Sam takes the helm of all paid and organic operations teams, steering client SEO services, link building initiatives, and white label digital marketing partnerships to unparalleled success. An esteemed thought leader in the industry, Sam is a recurring speaker at the esteemed Search Marketing Expo conference series and has graced the TEDx stage with his insights. Today, he channels his expertise into direct collaboration with high-end clients spanning diverse verticals, where he meticulously crafts strategies to optimize on and off-site SEO ROI through the seamless integration of content marketing and link building.

Latest posts by

Samuel Edwards

 (see more)
Nutrition/Health Product Company SEM Case Study
-
February 6, 2026
Traditional PPC Agencies Are Dead: Stop Buying Clicks and Start Buying Outcomes
-
November 7, 2025
Hospitality PPC Strategies That Actually Convert
-
September 17, 2025
Web Hosting Providers: How to Craft High-Converting PPC Landing Pages
-
September 3, 2025

Author

Samuel Edwards

Chief Marketing Officer

Throughout his extensive 10+ year journey as a digital marketer, Sam has left an indelible mark on both small businesses and Fortune 500 enterprises alike. His portfolio boasts collaborations with esteemed entities such as NASDAQ OMX, eBay, Duncan Hines, Drew Barrymore, Price Benowitz LLP, a prominent law firm based in Washington, DC, and the esteemed human rights organization Amnesty International. In his role as a technical SEO and digital marketing strategist, Sam takes the helm of all paid and organic operations teams, steering client SEO services, link building initiatives, and white label digital marketing partnerships to unparalleled success. An esteemed thought leader in the industry, Sam is a recurring speaker at the esteemed Search Marketing Expo conference series and has graced the TEDx stage with his insights. Today, he channels his expertise into direct collaboration with high-end clients spanning diverse verticals, where he meticulously crafts strategies to optimize on and off-site SEO ROI through the seamless integration of content marketing and link building.

Related posts

Samuel Edwards
|
February 6, 2026
Nutrition/Health Product Company SEM Case Study

Executive Summary

This report compares the month over month performance across the date ranges of December 1st - 31st 2025 and January 1st - 31st 2026.

For the month of January, we found the results to be quite impressive and optimistic, with the highlighted results below:

  • Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) decreased from £48.39 to £8.92; an 82% decrease month over month

  • Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) saw a significant and noteworthy increase, going from 122% ROAS in December to 790% ROAS in January; an increase of 668% month over month

  • Conversion Rate increased from 1.36% to 8.77%; a 6.5x increase month over month

‍

Month-over-Month Performance (Dec 1–31 vs Jan 1–31)
CPA (lower is better)
ROAS (higher is better)
Conversion Rate (higher is better)
Indexed line graph: December = 100, January plotted relative to December
Y-axis: Index value (0–700)
MoM Index (Dec = 100) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 Dec Jan CPA: 18.4 ROAS: 647.5 CR: 644.9
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
Dec: £48.39
Jan: £8.92
↓ 82% MoM
Return On Ad Spend (ROAS)
Dec: 122%
Jan: 790%
↑ +668% MoM
Conversion Rate
Dec: 1.36%
Jan: 8.77%
↑ 6.5× MoM
Index math (for the chart): Jan Index = (Jan ÷ Dec) × 100. Example: CPA index = (8.92 ÷ 48.39) × 100 ≈ 18.4.

Overall, the results for Nutrition/Health Product Company in January were positive across the board, with each campaign garnering more conversions, lower cost per conversion, and significantly increased month over month ROAS.

Management of this account is going better than anticipated, and we will continue to find opportunities to garner more conversions and drive ROAS up as much as possible through bid modifications and the addition of new, contextually relevant keywords.

____________________________________________________________________________

Key Performance Highlights

Cost Efficiency & Profitability Gains

January’s performance demonstrates a meaningful shift from learning to efficient acquisition:

  • Spend: £579.78
  • Conversion Value: £4,578.93
  • ROAS: 790%
  • CPA: £8.92

This indicates that every £1 spent returned £7.90 in revenue; 6.5x more than December’s 122% ROAS.

‍

ROAS Comparison (December vs January)
December ROAS was 122%. January ROAS increased to 790% (≈ 6.5×).
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS %) 0 200 400 600 800 December January 122% 790% January efficiency: £1 spent → £7.90 returned
Dec ROAS: 122%
Jan ROAS: 790%
Interpretation: January returned ~6.5× more revenue per £1 spent than December (790% vs 122%).

‍

MoM Campaign Comparison

‍

January - Nutrition/Health Product Company - 29.33 conversions, £6.76 CPA, 14.04% conversion rate (1389% ROAS)

December - Nutrition/Health Product Company - 8.28 conversions, £42.84 CPA, 3.30% conversion rate (129% ROAS)

‍

MoM increase of 1260% ROAS

‍

January - REMARKETING - 6.27 conversions, £9.41 CPA, 8.33% conversion rate (627% ROAS)

December - REMARKETING - 3 conversions, £55.88 CPA, 0.44% conversion rate (168% ROAS)

‍

MoM increase of 459% ROAS

‍

January - PMAX - 15.10 conversions, £10.56 CPA, 5.74% conversion rate (422% ROAS)

December - PMAX - 5.22 conversions, £63.11 CPA, 1.29% conversion rate (negative ROAS)

‍

MoM increase of 422%+ ROAS

‍

January - Local Doctor Campaign - 4 conversions, £16.55 CPA, 5.71% conversion rate (264% ROAS)

December - Local Doctor Campaign - 3 conversions, £30.58 CPA, 3.26% conversion rate (160% ROAS)

‍

MoM increase of 104%+ ROAS

‍

Campaign Performance Comparison Matrix (Dec vs Jan)
Small-multiples bar charts across four campaigns. Metrics: Conversions, CPA, Conversion Rate, ROAS.
December
January
Conversions
0 10 20 30 8.28 29.33 3 6.27 5.22 15.10 3 4 Nutrition/Health Remarketing PMAX Local Physician Dec Jan
CPA (£)
0 20 40 60 70 42.84 6.76 55.88 9.41 63.11 10.56 30.58 16.55 Nutrition/Health Remarketing PMAX Local Physician Dec Jan
Conversion Rate (%)
0 5 10 15 3.30 14.04 0.44 8.33 1.29 5.74 3.26 5.71 Nutrition/Health Remarketing PMAX Local Physician Dec Jan
ROAS (%)
0 350 700 1050 1400 129 1389 168 627 0 422 160 264 Nutrition/Health Remarketing PMAX Local Physician Dec Jan
Note: December PMAX ROAS was described as negative; it’s plotted as 0 here for scale.

‍

Campaign-Level Performance Insights

Top Performing Campaign - Nutrition/Health Product Company

  • 29.33 conversions
  • £6.76 CPA
  • 14.04% conversion rate
  • 1389% ROAS

This campaign benefits from high intent brand-adjacent queries combined with carefully controlled generic terms, making it one of the most reliable drivers of low-cost, and more volume of conversions. Continued prioritization here will compound returns.

‍

Top Performing Campaign — Nutrition / Health Product Company
Strong results driven by high-intent brand-adjacent queries with carefully controlled generic terms — a reliable engine for low-cost, high-volume conversions.
High-intent demand
Low-cost acquisition
Scalable conversions
Conversions
29.33
Higher volume while maintaining efficiency.
CPA
£6.76
Low cost per acquisition supports scaling.
Conversion Rate
14.04%
High intent traffic translating into strong CVR.
ROAS
1389%
Exceptional profitability and efficiency.
Why this campaign is winning
The campaign benefits from brand-adjacent, high-intent queries and tightly controlled generic terms, making it one of the most reliable drivers of low-cost acquisition and higher conversion volume.
Investment rationale
Continued prioritization here is expected to compound returns as we scale efficient demand capture.
Meaning:
£1 spent → £13.89 returned

‍

Day-of-Week Performance

Day-of-Week Performance
Campaign performance snapshot by day (Conversions, CPA, Conversion Rate).
Day Campaign Conversions CPA Conversion Rate
Wednesday Nutrition/Health Product Company 3 £3.29 50%
Thursday Nutrition/Health Product Company 3 £2.93 27.27%

‍

Geographic Performance
Location Campaign Conversions CPA Conversion Rate
United Kingdom PMAX Shopping 15.10 £10.56 5.74%
United Kingdom REMARKETING 11.57 £9.31 8.90%

Certain regions are showing higher purchase intent, such as the UK and Greater London this month. Geographic bid multipliers can be further refined to capitalize on these micro-markets, all the way down to the zip code, and we’re in the process of doing this.

‍

Audience Performance
Audience Segment Campaign Conversions CPA Conversion Rate
Ages - 55-64 Nutrition/Health Product Company 5 £2.10 38.46%
Gender - Unknown Nutrition/Health Product Company 10.33 £4.01 20.67%
Household Income - Unknown Nutrition/Health Product Company 18.33 £4.42 18.71%

‍

Keyword Performance

Top keywords show clear brand and authority alignment:

  • "nutrition/health product company supplements" - 10.33 conversions, £5.14 CPA, 16.40% conversion rate, 1898% ROAS
  • “Natural health practice” - 4 conversions, £2.09 CPA, 36.36% conversion rate, 8030% ROAS
  • "nutrition/health product company vitamins" - 3 conversions, £10.08 CPA, 11.54% conversion rate, 432% ROAS

‍

Hero Keyword Performance — Combined Metrics (Indexed)
Single chart view across keywords using a 0–100 index so all metrics can be compared together. Higher = better for every bar (CPA is inverted for efficiency).
Conversions (index)
CPA (efficiency index)
Conversion Rate (index)
ROAS (index)
0 25 50 75 100 100 40.7 45.1 23.6 38.7 100 100 100 29.0 20.7 31.7 5.4 Supplements Category Natural Health Category Vitamins Category
Index notes: Conversions, Conversion Rate, and ROAS are indexed vs each metric’s max keyword. CPA is shown as an efficiency index using min(CPA) ÷ CPA × 100 so higher is better.

These terms demonstrate exceptional intent density and should remain protected with:

  • Strong impression share
  • Defensive bidding against competitors
  • Expansion into close-variant and long-tail branded queries

Expansion into close-variant and long-tail branded queries

‍

Device Performance
Device Campaign Conversions CPA Conversion Rate
Computers Nutrition/Health Product Company 13.33 £5.54 21.16%
Mobile Devices Nutrition/Health Product Company 15 £8.19 10.56%

‍

Summary

January’s performance reflects extremely strong numbers month over month and we are more than thrilled with the performance, with main highlights being:

  • 790% ROAS; all 4 campaigns saw increases MoM
  • Conversion rate increased by 6.5x to 8.77%
  • Cost per conversions dropped 82%

‍

Month-over-Month Performance Summary (Dec → Jan)
Single line chart using an index scale (Dec = 100) so ROAS, Conversion Rate, and CPA can be viewed together. CPA is inverted (lower CPA = higher index).
ROAS (index)
Conversion Rate (index)
CPA Efficiency (inverted index)
MoM Index (Dec = 100) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 December January Highlights (Dec → Jan): ROAS: 122% → 790% (≈ 6.5×) CVR: 1.36% → 8.77% (≈ 6.5×) CPA: £48.39 → £8.92 (−82%)
Index math: ROAS and CVR use (Jan ÷ Dec) × 100. CPA uses an inverted efficiency index (Dec ÷ Jan) × 100 so higher is better.

‍

With continued optimization and controlled scaling, we expect further efficiency gains and revenue growth in the coming months, and will be modifying based on the increase in CPCs.

‍

‍

Timothy Carter
|
December 4, 2025
Advanced PPC Techniques for Competitive Cybersecurity Markets

Cybersecurity is arguably one of the toughest industries to compete in when it comes to paid advertising. You’re basically selling to tech-savvy, skeptical buyers like CISOs, IT directors, compliance officers, and security teams. Most cybersecurity companies tend to expect hard proof of all claims and you can’t capture their attention easily. Generic ads and broad PPC marketing tactics won’t cut it in this competitive landscape. Because of this, high CPCs across major search engines, vendor saturation, and long evaluation cycles mean that poorly targeted cybersecurity PPC campaigns can be a huge waste of advertising spend.

‍

To win in this arena, firms need advanced PPC for cybersecurity strategies like targeted intent segmentation, tightly aligned messaging, intelligent audience modeling, AI-powered optimization and bid strategies, technically accurate ad copy, and conversion paths designed for enterprise-level buyers. In this article, we’ll dive into the advanced cybersecurity PPC techniques modern cybersecurity firms must use to generate high-quality leads, reduce wasted ad spend, and stand out in a highly crowded search space.

‍

‍

Implement intent-driven keyword strategies tailored for cybersecurity

Cybersecurity search queries represent a wide range of intent that spans from broad research to urgent remediation needs. You don’t want to treat all search terms the same or you’ll waste most of your ad spend. Here’s what you should do:

‍

1. Segment keywords by intent

Start by dividing your PPC ads into cybersecurity PPC campaigns based on the following general categories of user intent:

·       Educational. These searches might include terms like, “What is endpoint security?” and “Types of cyber threats.” They support content marketing, awareness-stage paid campaigns, and early-funnel marketing efforts.


·       Research. These are phrases like “Buy SIEM software” and “24/7 SOC as a service price.” These keywords align with cybersecurity marketing services, gated assets, and evaluation-stage marketing strategies.


·       High urgency. Urgent searches are phrases like, “Ransomware removal help now” and “Breach response service.” These searches demand immediate cybersecurity solutions and direct-response PPC advertising with strong CTAs.

‍

This segmentation ensures you match your ad copy, ad relevance, landing pages, click through rates, and offers to exactly where the buyer is in their journey. This improves the relevance of your ads, reduces wasted ad spend, and increases conversions and overall campaign performance.

‍

2. Prioritize longtail and high-intent keywords

Using long tail keywords and targeted keywords attracts higher-quality website traffic. These terms usually reduce marketing costs, improve conversion rates, and drive more efficient paid advertising.

‍

3. Use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic

Since a wide range of people search for cybersecurity terms, including students, hobbyists, and researchers, every marketing agency should use a negative keyword list to filter out irrelevant searches will protect advertising spend. For example, filter out queries using the terms “free course,” “tutorial,” and “certification exam.” Anyone searching for these phrases is unlikely to be looking for a cybersecurity product or service. This ensures your PPC campaigns reach potential customers, not job seekers or students.

‍

‍

Use AI-powered audience modeling to reach decision makers

The best compelling ad copy will fall flat if they don’t reach the target audience who make purchase decisions. If you cast your net too wide, you’ll miss those people. Many people searching for keywords related to cybersecurity are just curious or looking for free solutions. AI-driven ad targeting allows cybersecurity marketers to refine their highly targeted audiences and focus on the people who are most likely to convert.

‍

To identify the right targets, you can use AI and upload campaign data from your CRM, like MQLs, SQLs, demos, and closed deals into Google Ads and Google Analytics so the model can learn what a “good lead” looks like. This will help you build a lookalike audience that represent your best customers – the people most likely to buy your cybersecurity offers.

‍

Cybersecurity buyers are usually high-level roles in regulated industries. To reach them you can use filters for specific industries like healthcare, finance, enterprise tech, etc. and also filter for company size, geography, and job titles (like CISO, IT director, compliance, etc.). This is the best way to minimize wasted clicks and build targeted campaigns that improve campaign effectiveness and drive better data driven decisions.

‍

‍

Craft highly technical and compliance-safe ad messaging

Cybersecurity buyers expect total clarity, accuracy, and trust. They don’t respond to vague or sensationalized copy. To get their attention, use specific terms thar resonate in the cybersecurity world. Terms like: SEIM, MDR/XRD, SOC as a service, IAM/PAM, 247 monitoring, zero trust, end-to-end encryption, and compliance-ready. These phrases signal credibility.

‍

Keep in mind that regulated industries are highly concerned with compliance, so highlight frameworks like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 when relevant. These small signals can be powerful triggers. Including compliance language boosts ad quality, improves search engine rankings, and increases ad visibility across search results.

‍

The best cybersecurity ads will create urgency and offer a benefit-led call to action. Ads like “Protect your business from ransomware now – schedule a free security assessment” and “Ensure 24/7 threat detection for your enterprise” work better than vague promises. By speaking the language of your buyers and addressing their real fears and needs, your ads will appear more credible. This approach consistently produces successful PPC campaigns and supports scalable cybersecurity PPC advertising.

‍

‍

Build post-click landing pages that match cybersecurity intent

Great ads will get clicks, but your landing pages decide whether someone converts. For cybersecurity brands, generic “contact us” landing pages (and homepages) won’t cut it. Successful PPC campaigns rely on intent-matched landing pages to convert potential clients. You need threat-specific, offer-focused landing pages where the copy matches exactly what’s in the ad. For instance, if the ad is for ransomware protection that’s what the landing page needs to promote. Whether it’s a cloud security audit, SOC as a service, or a compliance assessment, make sure your ads and landing pages match. This improves seamless user experience, increases conversion rates, and supports long-term business growth.

‍

Search / Ad Intent Best Landing Page Type What the Page Must Say Proof & Authority to Add Conversion Offer (Best CTA)
Threat-specific
Example: ransomware protection, breach response
Single-threat page with a clear outcome and scope (what you protect, how fast, for whom).
  • Name the threat and the environment (cloud/on-prem/endpoints).
  • Explain your approach in plain, technical language.
  • Set expectations (what you do / don’t do).
  • Case study snippet (problem → response → result).
  • Certifications / frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.).
  • Response SLAs or support coverage (where applicable).
Free assessment / incident readiness check + “Book a call” for high-urgency buyers.
Service-specific
Example: MDR/XDR, SOC as a service, SIEM
Service page that maps capabilities to outcomes + “how it works” section.
  • What you deliver (coverage, detection, response).
  • How onboarding works (timeline, integrations).
  • Who it’s for (industry, company size).
  • Integration logos (EDR, cloud, SIEM connectors).
  • Reporting examples (sanitized screenshots / sample reports).
  • Customer testimonials tied to outcomes.
“Request a demo” + optional ROI calculator / sample report download.
Compliance intent
Example: SOC 2 readiness, HIPAA security
Compliance-focused page that leads with frameworks, evidence, and audit-friendly language.
  • Framework coverage and what you help document.
  • Clear scope boundaries (advisory vs managed services).
  • Risk reduction narrative (what changes after adoption).
  • Attestations, audit artifacts, policies (where allowed).
  • Security practices + data handling overview.
  • Industry references (healthcare/finance/enterprise tech).
Compliance readiness evaluation / gap analysis + “Talk to an expert”.
Research / comparison
Example: “best XDR,” “SIEM vs SOAR”
Comparison page or guide-style landing page with a clear recommendation path.
  • Define the category and the selection criteria.
  • Explain tradeoffs (no hype, no vagueness).
  • Position your differentiators with specifics.
  • Benchmarks, detection/response metrics (if defensible).
  • Security research / threat intel samples.
  • Quotes from customers who switched (without naming competitors if needed).
Download guide / checklist (gated) + retarget to demo/audit offer.
Value-first
Example: posture quiz, vulnerability scan
Tool / diagnostic landing page designed to deliver immediate value in minutes.
  • What the tool checks and what it doesn’t.
  • How results are used (privacy + data handling).
  • What happens next (optional consult, report).
  • Sample output/report preview.
  • Privacy/security assurances (short, credible).
  • Clear “no spam” expectations.
“Get results” (primary) → “Book a consult” (secondary).
Rule of thumb: If your ad is about ransomware protection, the landing page headline should say “Ransomware Protection” (not “Cybersecurity Solutions”). Match intent first; optimize design second.

‍

‍

Highlight proof and authority

Use case studies, certifications, compliance credentials, client logos if they allow for that, audit results, and security whitepapers to build trust with your audience. These elements can help buyers overcome their initial skepticism and compliance concerns.

‍

‍

Offer immediate value through diagnostic tools or assessments

Using a value-first approach is a great way to get more relevant clicks through cybersecurity lead generation and filters buyers actively seeking solutions. All you need to do is offer value people can access immediately. For example, free vulnerability assessments, security posture quizzes, and compliance readiness evaluations are all valuable on the spot. They also filter high-intent leads that are more likely to book a demo or discovery call with you. This strategy improves campaign performance, increases lead generation, and helps convert leads into pipeline opportunities.

‍

‍

Implement multi-touch attribution for complex sales cycles

Cybersecurity sales don’t usually happen on the first click. They often involve multiple stakeholders, extended review processes, compliance checks, and internal approvals. It won’t work to use one-click, last-click attribution.

‍

·       Use data-driven, multi-touch attribution models. These models credit all meaningful touchpoints (not just the final click) to give you a clear picture of how your PPC ads are contributing to real conversions over time. It helps justify ad spend and reveals which ads, keywords, and campaigns are influencing your decisions.


·       Sync PPC leads with CRM and offline conversion data. Track your leads through all stages (MQL, SQL, Demo, Proposal) and feed this data back to your PPC platforms to train the algorithm on what quality conversions actually look like for you. This is how you’ll improve your targeting and bid optimization.


·       Combine retargeting and content marketing. Buyers often visit a site multiple times before deciding to buy. Use remarketing gated content (like whitepapers and threat reports, webinars, and email sequences to nurture leads and lead them toward a purchase.

‍

For B2B cybersecurity firms, a multi-touch, multi-step conversion funnel is the most realistic way to measure PPC ad success. Multi-touch attribution allows teams to track key performance indicators, analyze campaign data, and uncover valuable insights.

‍

Using data insights, actionable insights, and data driven insights helps teams refine PPC strategy and justify marketing costs.

‍

‍

Leverage AI to optimize bids

Cybersecurity keywords can be pretty expensive. Without intelligent bidding, you’ll overspend and underserve. AI-driven bid strategies, including a smart bidding strategy, optimize bids across search engines in real time. This reduces marketing costs, improves efficiency, and drives sustainable revenue growth.

‍

Automated bidding strategies like Target CPA, Target ROAS, and Max Conversions are ideal when trained with clean, qualified conversion data. These strategies will adjust your bids based on the time, device, location, user behavior, and competitive factors – all elements humans can’t easily track at scale.

‍

While it’s nice to get leads who visit your site and even fill out your form, keep your priority on conversion quality, not just volume. Don’t just optimize for clicks or form fills. Feed your bidding models real conversion events like qualified leads, demos booked, and deals closed. Empty form submissions aren’t helpful – your goal should be to build a real pipeline.

‍

Most importantly, test and refine your ads continuously by split testing your ad copy and landing pages to see what works best. In cybersecurity PPC, even small tweaks can yield big results because you’re targeting a narrow, high-intent audience. With a well-trained AI bidding system, your campaigns will do well even in a competitive market.

‍

‍

Use long-form high-value content as PPC conversion assets

Since cybersecurity buyers don’t convert on hype, value is essential. Long-form assets like whitepapers, threat reports, case studies, and compliance guides strengthen content marketing, improve online visibility, and support paid advertising across social media platforms, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter Ads, and Bing Ads.

‍

Use your PPC ads to drive traffic to content offers like “2025 Ransomware Trend Report,” “Enterprise Security Readiness Checklist,” or “Cloud Compliance Guide.” These types of content will draw in decision makers who are researching solutions.

‍

Make sure you gate the content you provide to people who click on your ads. Use progressive profiling forms that adapt to the user’s role or company size (if possible) to capture qualified leads. Then feed those leads directly into your lead nurturing workflows and retargeting sequences.

‍

After a lead has downloaded your information or has made the first engagement, retarget them with ads offering free audits, demos, case studies, or consultations. This approach increases immediate visibility while building trust in the cybersecurity space and is highly effective for the long B2B sales cycles that exist in cybersecurity.

‍

‍

Create highly segmented remarketing journeys

Since cybersecurity buyers usually need time to make a purchase, retargeting has to be precise. General remarketing will just burn through your ad budget and will be ignored by serious buyers.

‍

To create specific segments for remarketing, start with intent and behavior. For example, if a user visited a ransomware page, don’t show them ads with general security content. Serve them ransomware-specific ads.

‍

For the best results, segment your remarketing audiences based on:

·       Pages visited (threat type, service)

·       Actions taken (whitepaper downloaded, demo requested, form filled)

·       Role/company size (if available)

‍

Then tailor your messaging by funnel stage. Start with the awareness stage and offer more educational content like guides and webinars. For those in the consideration stage, push case studies, vendor comparisons, and ROI calculators. Finally, for those making the decision to buy, offer demo scheduling, free audits, and compliance checklists.

‍

Be sure to always exclude low-intent and irrelevant audiences. There will always be researchers, students, job seekers, and random curious tire kickers searching for cybersecurity keywords. As discussed earlier, use negative keywords and exclusion lists to avoid wasting your ad spend.

‍

Segmented remarketing improves ad relevance, strengthens marketing messages, and boosts click through rates. This approach supports successful campaigns while reducing wasted advertising spend.

‍

Audience Segment (Entry Trigger)
Awareness
Consideration
Decision
Threat Page Visitors
Visited: Ransomware / Breach
Goal: move from “I’m worried” to “I trust you” to “I’m booking.”
High urgency Needs proof
Awareness: clarify the threat
0–3 days
Ad theme

Threat education + “what good looks like” checklist.

Landing offer
  • Ransomware readiness checklist (gated)
  • or: “Top 10 response gaps” 2-page guide
Exit rule

Downloaded asset → advance to Consideration.

Consideration: prove capability
4–10 days
Ad theme

Case study + outcome metrics (time-to-detect / time-to-respond).

Landing offer
  • Threat-specific case study
  • Sample incident report (sanitized)
Exit rule

Visited pricing/demo page → advance to Decision.

Decision: reduce risk to say “yes”
7–21 days
Ad theme

Security & compliance + “talk to an expert.”

Landing offer
  • Free readiness / posture assessment
  • Demo with SOC walk-through
Exit rule

Booked call/demo → exclude from prospecting retargeting.

Content Downloaders
Action: Whitepaper / Report
Goal: turn research behavior into evaluation behavior without spamming.
Already engaged ROI-sensitive
Awareness: recap & personalize
0–5 days
Ad theme

“You downloaded X” → offer a shorter checklist or webinar clip.

Landing offer
  • 1-page checklist version
  • or: 15-min webinar segment
Exit rule

Visited product/service page → advance.

Consideration: compare & quantify
5–14 days
Ad theme

ROI / TCO + “how teams implement this.”

Landing offer
  • ROI calculator (simple inputs)
  • Implementation timeline overview
Exit rule

Started demo form / assessment → advance.

Decision: remove procurement friction
10–30 days
Ad theme

Compliance pack + reference architecture.

Landing offer
  • Security/compliance overview
  • Sample MSA / DPIA notes (if available)
Exit rule

Sales-qualified action → exclude; nurture via email/SDR.

High-Intent Visitors
Visited: Pricing / Demo
Goal: close the loop quickly with low-friction proof and scheduling.
Budget questions Needs validation
Awareness: reassure, don’t reset
0–2 days
Ad theme

“See how it works” + short product video / walkthrough snippet.

Landing offer
  • 2-minute demo preview
  • or: “What happens on day 1”
Exit rule

Revisited demo/pricing → advance.

Consideration: answer objections
2–7 days
Ad theme

Objection ads: integrations, deployment time, support, reporting.

Landing offer
  • Integration list + architecture diagram
  • Support model + SLAs
Exit rule

Clicked “Book” or opened calendar → advance.

Decision: schedule + commit
3–14 days
Ad theme

Clear next step: “Get a tailored assessment” or “Book a demo.”

Landing offer
  • Calendar-first booking page
  • + optional: “send to security review” packet
Exit rule

Meeting booked → stop ads or switch to onboarding content.

Built-in hygiene: exclude low-intent traffic (students, job seekers, “free”, “certification”), cap frequency, and always align ad → landing page → offer to the exact trigger behavior.

‍

‍

Run competitor conquest campaigns

Since many cybersecurity buyers are evaluating multiple vendors at the same time, competitor conquest campaigns can be highly effective if done correctly.

‍

The right way to do this is to target your competitors’ weaknesses while maintaining compliant messaging. Avoid naming your competitors directly to stay within ad policies but highlight how your offering solves common complaints about your competitors. For instance, you might note that you have “Faster setup,” “Better support,” “Flexible pricing,” or “Stronger compliance reporting.”

‍

Build out landing pages that compare your features to your competitors’ features without naming names. Show real differentiators like detection speed, compliance, and support, and highlight testimonials or case studies from clients who “switched from Vendor A.”

‍

Never expect single clicks to convert. Treat competitor conquest campaigns like the first touchpoint in a series. Pair it with remarketing, content nurture, and follow-ups to maximize conversions from buyers who are currently in evaluation mode.

‍

‍

Integrate closing into your PPC campaigns

PPC ads can generate plenty of leads for your cybersecurity business, but closing deals will require a strong sales strategy. That’s why aligning your PPC campaigns with your sales workflows can help.

‍

Sync your ad data with your CRM for full visibility. Capture data on keywords, ad groups, landing pages, and funnel stages for every lead. This will help your sales team know exactly what triggered their interest so they can tailor their follow-up conversations accordingly.

‍

Provide your sales teams with assets to help your messaging stay consistent. For example, give them your case studies, compliance docs, whitepapers, audit reports, and technical comparisons. Doing so will help them maintain credibility when engaging with potential clients.

‍

When PPC efforts align with sales workflows, marketing teams help cybersecurity businesses close deals faster. This improves campaign effectiveness, reduces friction, and lowers customer acquisition cost.

‍

‍

Your cybersecurity PPC advantage starts now

The cybersecurity industry is a battlefield. A basic PPC campaign won’t work when you’re competing for attention in the cybersecurity industry. The firms that invest in cybersecurity marketing, cybersecurity PPC, and data-backed marketing strategies know that precision and trust win conversions across digital channels. To win leads, you need to reach targeted audiences with intent-driven keywords and technically correct messaging, and it all needs to align with your sales process.

‍

If your competitors are using these strategies and you’re not, you’re invisible. This is the time to sharpen your strategy and strengthen your funnel by implementing a stronger PPC strategy.

‍

If you want to generate qualified enterprise leads, reduce wasted ad spend, and build a scalable, data-driven PPC engine that speaks directly to cybersecurity decision makers – an experienced cybersecurity marketing agency like us can help.

‍

At PPC.co, we specialize in building paid ad strategies that convert clicks into real clients. Contact us today and we’ll position your firm as the credible, trusted authority cybersecurity buyers want.

Recent Posts

Nutrition/Health Product Company SEM Case Study
Samuel Edwards
|
February 6, 2026
Advanced PPC Techniques for Competitive Cybersecurity Markets
Timothy Carter
|
December 4, 2025
Traditional PPC Agencies Are Dead: Stop Buying Clicks and Start Buying Outcomes
Samuel Edwards
|
November 7, 2025
Hospitality PPC Strategies That Actually Convert
Samuel Edwards
|
September 17, 2025
Web Hosting Providers: How to Craft High-Converting PPC Landing Pages
Samuel Edwards
|
September 3, 2025
Master PPC to Generate Hot Leads for Online Courses and E-Learning Platforms
Timothy Carter
|
August 29, 2025

Newsletter

Get Latest News and Updates From PPC.co! Enter Your Email Address Below.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Grow Your Business With Paid Search

Get My Free Proposal

Contact Information

  • Phone: +1 (425) 494-5168
  • Email: info@ppc.co

Connect with us

About Us

For nearly 15 years, PPC.co has provided expert pay-per-click consulting services to SMEs and Fortune 500 companies alike. Let us make your paid campaigns shine! 

Services

  • Paid Search Management
  • Google Ads Management
  • Facebook Ads Management
  • Linkedin Ads Management
  • Amazon Ads Management
  • Display Ads Management
  • Youtube Ads Management
  • Retargeting Management
  • White Label PPC
  • PPC Audits

Site Navigation

  • About Us
  • PPC Blog
  • PPC Careers
  • Contact Us

© 2024 PPC.co, All rights reserved.

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy