PPC & SEO Case Study: Boosting Direct Bookings for Central London Private Apartments
Background
My client, who manages a portfolio of private apartments in Central London, was growing increasingly frustrated with their previous marketing agency. Despite significant investment in online advertising, they weren’t seeing the uptick in direct bookings they had hoped for. They were on the lookout for someone who could deliver better results and maximise their return on investment (ROI).
Objective
The main objective was clear: increase direct sales through strategic advertising and SEO efforts. The goal was to cut down on reliance on third-party booking platforms and drive more high-quality traffic directly to their website.
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PPC Performance Summary
| Month | Channel | Spend | Impressions | Clicks | Conv. | Conv. Value | ROAS | Cost/£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | Meta Ads | £261 | 27,521 | 362 | 0 | £0 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Google Ads | £4,918 | 29,991 | 2,558 | 3 | £16,347 | 332% | £0.30 | |
| Organic | £0 | 4,546 | 20 | 3 | £23,589 | 0% | £0.00 | |
| Total | £5,179 | 62,058 | 2,940 | 6 | £39,936 | 111% | £0.10 | |
| July | Meta Ads | £857 | 270,000 | 3,104 | 3 | £21,721 | 2535% | £0.04 |
| Google Ads | £3,746 | 71,000 | 5,638 | 6 | £24,321 | 649% | £0.15 | |
| Organic | £0 | 4,828 | 20 | 2 | £3,800 | 0% | £0.00 | |
| Total | £4,603 | 345,828 | 8,762 | 11 | £49,842 | 1061% | £0.06 | |
| August | Meta Ads | £1,078 | 200,677 | 2,162 | 7 | £39,114 | 3628% | £0.03 |
| Google Ads | £4,599 | 26,853 | 2,797 | 15 | £29,734 | 842% | £0.12 | |
| Organic | £0 | 3,678 | 12 | 3 | £4,628 | 0% | £0.00 | |
| Total | £4,609 | 231,208 | 4,971 | 25 | £73,476 | 1490% | £0.05 | |
| September | Meta Ads | £1,153 | 128,173 | 1,748 | 11 | £48,812 | 4233% | £0.02 |
| Google Ads | £3,423 | 42,126 | 3,259 | 30 | £76,173 | 2429% | £0.04 | |
| Organic | £0 | 3,813 | 18 | 2 | £2,678 | 0% | £0.00 | |
| Total | £4,289 | 174,112 | 5,016 | 41 | £124,985 | 2221% | £0.02 |
Strategy
When I took on this project, I knew a comprehensive overhaul was necessary.
Here’s what I did:
- Resolved Tracking Issues: The first step was identifying and fixing the existing tracking issues. This was crucial to ensure that we could accurately measure the performance and conversions of our campaigns.
- Implemented Manual Search Campaigns: I decided to scrap the automated campaigns that were in place and switch to a more hands-on approach. I developed manual search campaigns that targeted specific keywords and demographics, which ensured higher relevance and engagement.
- Launched Social and Remarketing Campaigns: To complement the search campaigns, I set up social media and remarketing campaigns. These were aimed at re-engaging past visitors and capturing new audiences with compelling ad creatives.
- Integrated External Tools: I introduced external tools for managing traffic and conversions, which allowed for real-time optimisation of the campaigns.
Challenges
One of the main hurdles was that the client’s platform didn’t fully support advertising and automation tools. This limitation meant I had to get creative in how I implemented and managed the campaigns to still achieve the desired outcomes without the usual automation aids.
Outcomes and Results
Despite these challenges, the results were outstanding. After 3 months of optimisation, the client experienced their best month ever, with a 20% month-over-month increase in results. On top of that, we managed to maintain a consistent cost per conversion and a positive ROI, proving the effectiveness of the tailored search and advertising strategy I put in place.
Lessons Learned
This experience reinforced the importance of a solid search strategy with a keen eye on negative keywords. By refining our targeting and focusing on high-intent search terms, we were able to drive more qualified traffic and improve conversion rates.
It also highlighted the need to be adaptable and come up with creative solutions when faced with platform limitations.
