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Hospitality PPC Strategies That Actually Convert

Samuel Edwards
|
September 17, 2025

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads can generate a steady stream of guests for anyone in the hospitality industry, whether you run a hotel, motel, hostel, vacation rental, or an Airbnb. In terms of marketing strategies, PPC ads convert 50% better than SEO and it’s easier to measure than results from organic search.

But a successful ad campaign isn’t just a matter of getting ads in front of people who are looking to book right now. You can also use PPC ads to find people who are just starting to think about their getaway and those who are comparing options. An effective strategy will reach a variety of people to get bookings now, fill future pipelines, and get repeat guests.

If you’re in the hospitality industry, here’s how paid advertising can help you drive more revenue.

Funnel Stage Keyword Focus Ad Copy & Creatives Key Metrics
Awareness Broad discovery keywords (e.g., “best beaches in Florida”, “top weekend getaways”) Emotional/inspirational messaging: “Unwind by the sea”
Use scenic images and dream-like visuals
Impressions, Click-Through Rate (CTR), Engagement
Consideration Comparative keywords (e.g., “boutique hotel vs Airbnb”, “hotel amenities comparison”) Highlight features, testimonials, reviews: “Free Wi-Fi & Breakfast”
Use photos of amenities and location
CTR, Time on Site, Email Signups
Conversion High-intent branded keywords (e.g., “[hotel name] rooms [dates]”, “book hotel near airport”) Urgent call-to-action: “Book now & save”
Limited-time offers and scarcity language
Bookings, Cost per Acquisition (CPA), ROAS
Loyalty Retargeting & email remarketing keywords (e.g., “return guest discount”, “VIP upgrade”) Personalized offers: “Welcome back!”
Show exclusive perks and upgrades
Repeat Bookings, Lifetime Value (LTV), Referrals
Remarketing Dynamic remarketing keywords
(auto-populated by product/ad platforms)
Show previously viewed rooms/properties
Offer gentle discount nudges or visual reminders
Return Visits, Ad Engagement, Conversion Lift

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First things first – map the guest journey

To run a successful PPC campaign you need to understand the guest journey. Different people are doing different things at different times. For example, some people are researching destinations and others are comparing lodging, all while another group of people are ready to book. If you serve all these people the same ads, you won’t get the best results. 

1. Define your funnel stages

There are four main stages to a hospitality funnel: awareness, consideration, conversion, and loyalty. Reaching leads at each stage requires different messaging and targeting. That’s where audience segmentation comes in.

2. Segment your audience by intent

Since each lead needs to be given a different message, it’s crucial to segment them by intent first. For example, the dreamers are people who search for “things to do in X city,” “best beach getaway,” and “romantic weekend destinations.” 

The comparers search for “hotel vs. motel in X city,” “4-star stays in X city,” and “Airbnb vs. boutique hotel.”

The bookers search for a specific brand + location + dates. 

Each audience segment should be served different ad copy, different offers, and of course – different landing pages.

3. Measure results according to stage

Finally, you need to measure results in several ways, like impressions, click-throughs, content engagement, and email signups. This will give you the bigger picture regarding how your ads are working (or not). For example, to measure the conversion stage, look at bookings, CPA, and revenue per booking. For the loyalty stage, look for repeat stays or referral leads.

Once you know how you’ll segment your audience and track the results, you can allocate your budget smartly. Otherwise, you risk overspending on high-intent leads and ignoring the long-term value of leads in earlier stages of the journey.

Use a varied keyword strategy to cover all funnel levels

If you only bid on keyword phrases like “hotel room booking tonight,” you’ll miss all the people researching and thinking about their vacation. These people can convert, too, even if it doesn’t happen in the moment. They’re worth pursuing. You can capture their email, get them to like your social media pages, and you can also use remarketing to serve them additional ads.

The following are the general types of keywords you want to focus on:

·      Broad/discovery keywords. These keywords will reach people in the awareness stage. Phrases like, “Best beaches in [location],” “Top things to do in [location],” and “Travel inspiration [country].” When you use broad modifiers (like “top,” “best,” “where to stay”) you’ll attract people in the research stage.

·      Middle-funnel comparative keywords. These are phrases like, “Boutique hotel vs. Airbnb in [location],” “Hotel deals vs. motel,” and “Hotel amenities comparison.” With phrases like these, people are narrowing down their choices. The right PPC campaign can help them pick your business.

·      Branded and high-intent booking keywords. These keywords reach people further down the funnel. Phrases like, “[Your hotel name] rooms,” “Hotel in [location] near [landmark],” and “cheap hotel [location][dates].” These phrases typically provide the highest conversion rates but can be competitive, so they may cost more.

·      Negative keywords. To prevent wasted ad spend on irrelevant clicks, you can add certain keywords to your negative keyword list. This ensures your ads won’t show up when people search for these terms. Common negative keywords used in the hospitality industry include, “Free stay” and “Jobs at [hotel].” 

 

Since most hotels and motels stick with keywords that target people ready to book, you can expand your reach by running ads for people in other stages. Just make sure you have a system in place to nurture your leads so they don’t go cold. 

Tailor ad copy and creatives to each funnel stage

What you say matters just as much as when you say it. Copy that works for someone researching won’t work for someone ready to book with you. Every part of your ad needs to match intent, including the imagery, tone, copy, and offers. Here’s how to reach each stage:

·      Awareness stage ads. At this stage, people will respond to emotional and inspirational copy. Phrases like, “Discover tranquil stays in the mountains,” or “Unwind by the sea.” Use imagery to provoke desire. Beautiful views and relaxing room setups work like a charm.

·      Consideration stage ads. These people need more information, so hit ‘em with your amenities (Wi-Fi, breakfast), comparisons, reviews, ratings, and testimonials. Show them visuals of your accommodations and the local area.

·      Booking/conversion stage ads. Urgency works best here. Phrases that get people to click to book now, like “Limited rooms available,” and “Book now and save.” 

·      Loyalty stage ads. Guests who have stayed with you before, even just once, are more cost-effective to convert again compared to chasing down new customers. Create some ads for these people by highlighting perks, upgrades, and exclusive deals they can’t get through other places. For example, you can use lines like:

“Book direct for free late checkout,” “Exclusive returning guest discount,” or “VIP upgrade on your next stay.” It also helps to use personalized copy like, “Welcome back to [your hotel name].” along with imagery of your best amenities.

Loyalty ads drive repeat bookings and increase lifetime value by bringing people back. 

·      Remarketing and nurturing prospects who got away. In addition to targeting people in all funnel stages, you want to bring people back who clicked but never booked or signed up for your email list. Run retargeting ads to show them what they looked at and offer them incentives or discounts. This is a great time to leverage social proof.

By matching your ad content to meet potential leads where they are in their journey, your ads will be more relevant and you’ll get more conversions.

Optimize your landing pages

Having a great ad doesn’t necessarily mean it will drive conversions. If your landing page is confusing or the booking process is clunky, you’ll lose people. That’s why landing page optimization is often where people see the biggest gains.

As a foundation, create a specific landing page for each target audience. You need a dedicated landing page for ads that target each funnel stage. Landing pages should be simple and clear and should be free from all distractions (like links and menus) that invite a user to click away. You want one offer and one call to action.

Social proof is critical in the hospitality industry. Show guest reviews from Tripadvisor, Google, Trustpilot, etc. It also helps to show photos of real guests enjoying their stay (with their permission). Showcasing reviews will reduce anxiety and hesitation, especially for people comparing you with other options. 

If your landing pages show pricing, make sure you’re up front about all fees. Be clear about what’s included, like tax, breakfast, and service fees. People hate hidden fees. If a guest’s experience doesn’t match the impression they get from the page where they booked, they’ll probably leave a bad review.

Talk to your website developer and have them trigger a follow-up email that goes out to people who start filling out a booking form but stop. The email should show them what they left behind and you can sweeten the deal by offering a small discount or other incentive.

Having a smooth flow after a person clicks on your ad can help you convert far more prospects. Everything you can do to reduce friction and increase trust compounds.

Get your bid and budget strategies down

To get conversions, your bidding strategy and budget need to align with a variety of factors, including funnel stage and seasonality.

·      Increase bids for high-intent keywords, use moderate bids for middle-funnel ads, and go lower for awareness and discovery. 

·      Watch for online travel agents (OTAs) and large hotel chains that bid on your property’s name or similar keywords. If they undercut you in rate or bid too aggressively, you could end up with arbitrarily inflated costs per click. Research data shows this can cost around 47% more per click.

·      Adjust your bids and budget during travel seasons, events, and holidays. During off-peak seasons you may want to stick with pushing awareness. 

·      Allocate your budget proportionately across all funnel stages. 

·      Use Google’s automated bidding tool for the conversion stage, but use manual methods for the consideration and awareness stage. 

The right bidding strategy will ensure you don’t overspend for low-intent clicks or underinvest in more profitable funnel stages.

Use multiple channels and ad formats

PPC is more than search. When you use different channels and ad formats you’ll reach people in a variety of places. 

·      Search ads (Google, Bing). Search ads capture high-intent demand users. They’re great for the conversion and compare phases and can make use of extensions like call, location, and reviews.

·      Display and discovery/native ads. Display ads are excellent for the awareness stage. They reach people browsing travel blogs and using apps. With these ads, visuals are everything.

·      Social media ads. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are great for the awareness and consideration stages. They’re especially powerful for remarketing.

·      Video ads. Short-form videos can stir emotion, show off ambiance, and be used to create a mini virtual tour. These ads are great for top and middle funnel prospects.

·      Email ads. If you’re using email marketing, offer loyalty deals and off-peak discounts.

Paid search on social media converts better in hospitality than it does in other industries.

Leverage local targeting

Location matters in hospitality. Geotargeting can significantly improve your conversions and reduce wasted ad spend. You can use radius bids and location extensions to target people looking for accommodations within a certain radius. 

It pays to bid higher for people in feeder markets and origin cities during the holidays. You can also target departure cities for Arbnbs if that’s relevant to you. 

In your ad copy, include local cues like “Only 30 mins from downtown,” and “15 minutes from airport. If you know your audience well, include the origin city (“Fly in from Seattle & Stay with us just outside Olympia”).

When offered by the ad platform, use local extensions to note your address, phone number, and any other elements offered. This will generate more bookings from mobile users.

Go deep with retargeting

Most people who click your ads or visit your website won’t book right away. Retargeting will help convert these “warm but not ready” leads into guests eventually. 

When you target people who visited your site without converting, show them ads with refreshed offers like a free breakfast or an upgraded view. Visual reminders will help bring them back. 

Show the specific rooms and properties to the prospect so the ad feels personalized. Use tools like Google dynamic remarketing and Facebook Product Ads. 

For guests who did convert, show them additional special offers and upgrades. Keeping them in your funnel will make future conversions easier. 

Monitor ROI, adjust, and scale

It’s crucial to know when to pull back, push forward, test more, or scale. 

·      Define clear ROI goals. Know your target Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA), Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), and guest Lifetime Value (LTV). If your ad spend yields bookings but loses money, it’s not working. 

·      Perform weekly and monthly audits. Refine keywords, ad creatives, and keep testing.

·      Scale what works. Once you have a campaign producing consistent returns, increase the budget there while watching for diminishing returns.

·      Adjust your offers and pricing. If conversion rates drop or your CPCs rise, start offering special packages like early-bird deals and loyalty perks.

The average travel and hospitality conversion rate for search is 3.55% so if you’re under that, there’s room for improvement. If you’re over that, scale carefully.

Ready to unlock powerful PPC performance?

If you’re ready to transform your PPC campaign into a reliable machine that fills your rooms and builds a solid pipeline for the future, we can help. At PPC.co, we specialize in creating full funnel PPC strategies for hotels, motels, and Airbnbs that convert into bookings, repeat guests, and long-term loyalty. Contact us today and let’s craft a PPC strategy that drives bookings and turns first-time guests into lifelong customers. 

 

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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

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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.

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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%).

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MoM Campaign Comparison

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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)

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MoM increase of 1260% ROAS

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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)

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MoM increase of 459% ROAS

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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)

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MoM increase of 422%+ ROAS

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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)

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MoM increase of 104%+ ROAS

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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.

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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.

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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

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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%

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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.

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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%

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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

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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

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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%

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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%

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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·       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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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