Uncovering Performance Issues in B2B Insurance PPC Campaigns
The Challenge
A B2B insurance provider approached us with concerns about their Google Ads account management. Despite receiving regular reports showing acceptable top-line metrics, they suspected inefficiencies in their ad spend and questioned the depth of optimizations being performed by their existing agency.
the Approach
I conducted a comprehensive audit of their paid search account, focusing on three key areas:
Strategic KPI and metrics analysis
Detailed in-platform performance evaluation
Quality assessment of agency communication and reporting
Through our investigation, we developed proprietary metrics and analytics frameworks to expose hidden performance patterns that standard reporting had missed.
Key Findings
Our advanced analysis revealed critical insights that transformed the client’s understanding of their campaign performance:
Inactive Keywords: Over 80% of keywords in the account showed zero spend, indicating significant waste in account structure and management time
Poor Performance Distribution: 15% of keywords were operating at a negative return (ROAS < 1)
Over-reliance on Brand Terms: Just 5% of keywords – all branded – were driving positive performance, artificially inflating overall account metrics
Superficial Optimization: Agency reporting relied heavily on vague “optimization” claims without specific actions or predicted outcomes
Results & Impact
My audit and subsequent recommendations enabled the client to:
Identify significant opportunities for spend optimization
Develop stronger agency oversight protocols
Create a framework for measuring true campaign value
Establish clearer performance expectations and accountability measures
Key Takeaways
This engagement highlighted the critical importance of looking beyond surface-level metrics in paid search management. True campaign success requires:
Detailed performance analysis at the keyword level
Clear articulation of optimization strategies and expected outcomes
Regular validation of agency activities and their impact
Structured approach to agency communication and accountability
Ready to uncover hidden opportunities in your paid search campaigns? Contact us to learn how our advanced audit methodology can transform your digital marketing performance.
