While SaaS companies can sell direct to consumers (DTC), they more often rely on business-to-business (B2B) SaaS leads. Because the selling cycle is longer and more complex for B2B transactions, SaaS companies often face unique advertising challenges.
Five of the most common mistakes companies make when using Google Ads for SaaS are: using broad keywords that focus on information rather than driving sales, not targeting the right audience, assuming an ad can run on autopilot rather than continuously monitoring and improving SaaS Google Ads conversion rates, not scaling budget to focus on the highest performing ads, and ignoring users who engaged with an ad but did not take the desired action.
SaaS Ad Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
SaaS ads don’t usually fail for just one reason. More often, several mistakes derail Google Ads campaigns. Here’s a deeper look into mistakes commonly made:
Too Much Emphasis on Information
People use generic keywords to collect information. However, these keywords are not effective at driving traffic to SaaS business sites, generating quality B2B SaaS leads, or boosting SaaS Google ads conversion rates.
For example, someone trying to understand a concept might Google 'what is project management software' and get a long list of research results. On the other hand, someone who enters 'what is the best project management software for zoo construction' is more likely to have a real need.
If your product is designed for zoo construction management, the user is more likely to find you if the keywords in your ad align with your specialty and mention your location. Targeted keywords also reduce the number of irrelevant clicks and improve your return on ad spend (ROAS).
Incorrect Targeting
Understand your audience. If you don’t target the right audience, your ad will fall flat. Google Ads has audience-targeting features that can help SaaS companies reach the stakeholders who are actively searching for solutions in a particular space. If you don’t use precise targeting in your ad campaign, you run the risk of wasting valuable time and resources.
Forgetting to Optimize Performance
Evaluate your ads to determine which search terms are most effective. Ensure landing pages are directly related to the ads, and calls to action (CTAs) are easy to understand and execute.
Regularly checking in on your campaigns also allows you to correct mistakes and boost conversions. Remove irrelevant search terms and revise the copy to align with intent and audience segmentation.
Also, spend some time learning how your competitors’ ads are positioned and how well they are performing. Use these insights to fine-tune your ads and brand marketing.
In addition to optimizing ads, don’t forget to optimize your landing pages. It won’t matter how engaging your ads are. If an ad directs users to a landing page that is confusing or unrelated to their search, your advertising efforts will go nowhere. Make sure the landing page loads correctly and quickly, the page communicates the value of your product or service, and there is a clear CTA.
Not Allocating Enough Resources to High-Performing Ads
Without ongoing oversight, money can easily be wasted on underperforming ads. Conversely, if resources aren’t invested in high-performing ads, opportunities can be lost.
Use insights collected during your campaign audits to direct resources to the places showing the best results. Continue to evaluate any adjustments and make more changes as needed.
Forgetting About Users Who Passed on a Previous Ad
Users who are already familiar with your brand are easier to convert than those who have never heard of it before. Retargeting an ad is not always easy to do, but it is essential to boosting conversions.
This is especially true for B2B SaaS sales that have long selling cycles. A potential customer may have loved your product when they saw it last year, but the timing wasn’t right to take action.
Your ads should highlight the features and benefits the user was searching for in the past. A series of ads that each address different pain points may be effective because they address different parts of the purchasing lifecycle.
Segment target audiences based on their previous actions. For example, someone who visits a pricing page is probably closer to making a purchase than someone who only reads the history of the company or visits the management team page.
Wrapping Up
To avoid making costly mistakes during your SaaS Google ad campaigns, reach out to BERK Labs. We are a full-service digital marketing and product development agency that can help accelerate growth for your SaaS business!