10 Advanced PPC Tactics to Boost Your SaaS ROI

With customer acquisition costs climbing and competition intensifying, it’s becoming tougher for SaaS businesses to achieve scalable growth.

PPC advertising can be crucial in getting your product off the ground, reaching the right audience, and allowing measurable results. However, basic PPC tactics like keyword targeting and even strong CTAs are no longer enough to capture and hold your audience’s attention.

To truly maximise ROI, you need to move beyond the basics and embrace cutting-edge PPC strategies.

This article covers the top 10 advanced PPC tactics that will elevate your SaaS marketing techniques, all while reducing acquisition costs and boosting value.

Advanced PPC Tactic 1: Utilising AI and Machine Learning for PPC Automation

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have revolutionised the way SaaS companies manage PPC campaigns. With AI-driven tools, you can make smarter, data-backed decisions in real-time.

Google’s Smart Bidding system, for instance, automatically adjusts bids based on multiple signals, such as device, location, time of day, and user behaviour. Google AI’s algorithms will ensure that your ads appear when they are most likely to convert. In turn, you’re more likely to hit key performance metrics, such as your target CPA (Cost per Acquisition) or ROAS (Return on ad spend) with less overhead.

A case study on FishingBooker showed how Smart Bidding boosted the company’s ROAS by 49%, achieved 57% more conversions, and a 44% increase in conversion rate. To achieve this, they implemented an ROAS automated bidding strategy.

If you want a more hands-off approach, Google Ads also offers Smart Campaigns that automate everything—from bid adjustments and keyword selections to audience targeting. Smart Campaigns would then show your ad to targeted users across Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and other Google partner websites.

Benefits of PPC Automation

• Reduce the manual workload on your marketing team for routine tasks like bid adjustments and keyword updates.
• Refine bids using data analysis more accurately than human-driven predictions.
• Save time and ad spend by adapting PPC campaigns based on your latest available data.

How you use AI and machine learning will depend on your product needs. Utilise these tools with careful assessment or work alongside PPC experts to help you analyse what your SaaS product needs.

Advanced PPC Tactic 2: Optimising Dynamic Remarketing for SaaS

Dynamic remarketing is a powerful tool that allows you to personalise ads based on the user’s previous interactions with your SaaS solution. As an experienced campaign manager, you know that personalisation is key to boosting ROI.

Instead of generic ads, display ads tailored to the specific products they viewed. Customise the message based on your user’s experience with your brand. This targeted approach reduces ad fatigue and effectively moves your prospects through the sales funnel.

This tactic’s effectiveness lies in targeting users who have already shown interest in your product. Let your ads interact with your users based on their place in the buyer’s journey. Then, show SaaS campaigns highlighting features they’ve explored, relevant to the value they were trying to look for the first time. Pair that with a clever ad copy and you’re golden.

Some key takeaways when optimising dynamic remarketing:

• Segment your audience. Group your users where they are on the buyer’s journey. For example, a user who viewed your home page should see more of your product previews and demos to start getting more familiar with your brand.
• Personalise your messaging. Focus your ad copy on the CTAs that align with a user’s interests and intent. For example, you can retarget a user with customised offers.
• Integrating cross-channel remarketing. Depending on previously collected user data and behaviour, you can re-engage a prospect through follow-up marketing using another platform.
• Incorporate multi-channel remarketing when applicable.

Advanced PPC Tactic 3: Advanced Audience Segmentation and Targeting

Expand your audience segmentation and targeting from basic demographic targeting. Advance audience segmentation allows you to reach users based on detailed behaviours and interests.

Advanced audience segmentation would increase the chances of your PPC ads reaching the right people at the right time. With this technique, you can also determine other segmentation patterns depending on your SaaS product.

With tools like Google Ads’ custom segments, you can create highly targeted audience groups based on browsing behaviour and search patterns. Through advanced audience segmentation, you can generate relevant remarketing lists, ensuring your ad lands in front of high-intent users.

This granular segmentation is twofold: it increases click-through rates (CTR) by making ads more relevant to users, and reducing wasted ad spend on non-relevant audiences.

Advanced PPC Tactic 4: Leveraging First-Party Data for Personalisation

First-party data is information you directly collect from users via your website, CRM, or email lists. This information would only become more crucial for PPC as third-party cookies get more restricted.

This goldmine of information often contains details that are highly useful in ad personalisation and relevant messaging. This is also more accurate and reliable since you collected the data yourself. In turn, this increases chances for engagement and customer conversion.

Leveraging first-party data works hand in hand with dynamic remarketing to build more effective remarketing lists.

How to Maximise First-Party Data

• Take advantage of information such as customer behaviours, website interactions, demographics, purchasing history, and others.
• Build user segments and profiling for better targeting.
• Build trust with customers. Establish a trustworthy brand by supplying ads that reflect customer-specific interests and staying transparent with your data collection methods.

Advanced PPC Tactic 5: Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) and PPC Synergy

As an expert campaign manager, you know that an optimised conversion rate directly affects your PPC performance.

To allow a seamless customer experience, all your advertising efforts should work in harmony with CRO. Aligning your PPC efforts with CRO can make all the difference. Drive traffic with PPC, then let your CRO handle the conversions.

For example, even a well-executed PPC campaign would be hampered if visitors are redirected to a poorly optimised landing page.

If you’re using Google Ads, you can start by checking the Quality Score information to understand where to begin the conversion rate optimisation. Here are some CRO points you should look into:

• Identify your conversion goals.
• Determine important metrics for your business.
• Gather user feedback
• Implement A/B testing (CTAs, landing pages, ad copies, etc.)

Advanced PPC Tactic 6: Exploring Alternative Ad Platforms (LinkedIn, Amazon)

Different PPC platforms serve different business goals. For Google Ads, it’s brand familiarity and conversion. For Facebook, it spans from B2C and even Facebook Ads for B2B. However, a continuously scaling SaaS company should break free from relying only on leading PPC platforms like Google and Facebook.

One of the golden rules of marketing is diversifying ad strategies by exploring other platforms. Platforms like LinkedIn and Amazon offer advantages that conventional channels don’t have, such as a specific targeted audience.

LinkedIn advertising for B2B SaaS

If your SaaS product targets businesses, your campaigns should also look into LinkedIn Ads for B2B growth. With its ability to target users based on job title and industry, LinkedIn provides a powerful tool for reaching decision-makers and key stakeholders, providing high-quality leads.

Amazon Ads

Amazon Ads also work for specific targeting, especially if your SaaS product can work with Amazon products.

Not only that, the users on Amazon are users intending to search for a product and are more likely to convert. This leverages the specific keywords and even shopper behaviour tapping into a ready-made audience that is searching for solutions like yours.

Advanced PPC Tactic 7: Advanced A/B Testing for SaaS Ads

If you’re not A/B testing your PPC ads, you’re making one of the most common PPC mistakes to date. The best practices for A/B testing involve experimenting with several key aspects, but are not limited to the following:

• Headlines: Testing different headlines determines which one captures more attention and drives higher engagement.
• Call-to-Action (CTA) Phrases: Push variations of CTA phrases to know which prompts get the most reactions.
• Promote different offers: Experiment with several offers (i.e. promotions, discounts) to understand which best suits your SaaS product and which one resonates with your targeted audience.
• Apply advanced audience segmentation: Segment your audience and test how different groups respond to specific messaging. This could involve testing ads targeted at various industries or job roles to determine which performs best.

Regular experimentation aids in gathering insights, optimising your strategies, and enhancing overall ad performance. The result is a more effective PPC approach that drives better engagement, higher conversion rates, and ultimately, a stronger return on your advertising spend.

But advanced A/B testing is not just about tweaking your headlines or CTAs. In-depth testing involves testing the most effective promotional offers, optimising pricing levels, and testing your listed audience segments to see which ones are more likely to convert.

A/B testing is an important but tedious strategy suited for rapidly growing businesses. Partnering with PPC experts for advanced A/B testing would help refine your campaigns without overwhelming your team.

Advanced PPC Tactic 8: Optimising Ad Spend with Predictive Analytics

If you have sufficient data from previous PPC campaigns, maximise your ad spend by leveraging predictive analysis before moving forward.
Using predictive analytics, you get a big-picture view of your historical performance, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively.

Performing Predictive Analysis

Before launching your next PPC campaign, thoroughly examine your past data to forecast trends and future performance. Identify your advertising goals. Then, focus on key metrics that align with your goals, including effective keywords, user profiling, or ideal ad timing. For SaaS businesses, that’s driving conversions and sales, more often than not.

Utilising Data Analysis Tools

Use robust data analysis tools to conduct more accurate predictive analysis. Here are some of the tools you can consider:

• Google Analytics: Google Analytics would be most useful if your campaigns focus on Google Ads. This tool provides valuable data on user behaviour and trends, helping you understand which keywords and channels are driving the most conversions.
• Google Ads Insights: Insights offers predictive information on ad performance and trends, allowing you to adjust your bidding strategies accordingly.
• Third-Party Analytics Platforms: Platforms like HubSpot can provide additional predictive capabilities and insights into customer behaviour and campaign performance.

Continuously Improving Your Campaigns

Using the data analysis tool of your choice, you can build adaptive strategies for your next campaign that maximise your SaaS ROI. Allocate your ad spend according to your advertising goal. Additionally, prepare to include predictive analysis in your PPC ad performance monitoring to continuously improve your approach.

This data-driven approach ensures that you allocate ad spending on strategies with a higher likelihood of success. While it may not guarantee perfect outcomes, the goal is to choose the most promising methods for spending your ad budget.

Advanced PPC Tactic 9: Incorporating Video Ads for Engagement

Video ads are rapidly gaining traction as a highly effective tool to capture audience attention. Platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn have also seen a significant rise in video consumption. This is a great opportunity to showcase your SaaS product.

As video ads allow greater leeway for creativity and expression, there are many ways to leverage this dynamic platform. For example, you can share your customer success stories for brand familiarisation and user engagement. Alternatively, you can share video tutorials that highlight the value of your software.

Consider the following strategies for impactful video ad campaigns:

• Focus on clear messaging. Establish your authority by demonstrating expertise in your field and build brand authenticity by connecting with your prospective customers. Blend entertainment with concise storytelling to craft a message that maintains your audience’s attention.
• Include a clear Call to Action. A compelling call to action differentiates successful campaigns from those that are simply ignored. Direct your audience towards your desired action, whether it’s signing up for a free trial of your product or simply visiting your website.
• Tailor your videos to specific platforms. Make sure your videos can fit the unique characteristics of different platforms. For example, shorter, more casual videos fit perfectly for YouTube and Shorts. Meanwhile, professional and insightful videos fit LinkedIn more.

With video ads, you can communicate more complex SaaS solutions more dynamically. This increased engagement can lead to higher conversion rates as viewers are more likely to take action after interacting with memorable and informative video content.

Advanced PPC Tactic 10: PPC Audits to Uncover Missed Opportunities

Regular PPC audits are a standard best practice in PPC marketing. However, advanced PPC audits delve deeper, offering a more comprehensive analysis and scope. While basic PPC audits reveal irrelevant ads, unoptimized landing pages, and ineffective keywords, advanced audits provide additional insights on the
following:

• Audience segmentation and targeting. Evaluate how well you are engaging with different audience segments, as well as methods you can try to improve ad targeting.
• Cross-channel impacts. Measure how PPC campaigns perform when paired with other marketing channels.
• Budgeting and bidding optimisation. Evaluate your current budget and current bidding strategies. Do they align with your marketing goals?

Remember to implement a comprehensive step-by-step process to properly assess your PPC campaign and generate a structured action plan for improvement. Feel free to use our guide on conducting a PPC audit as a template, customising the steps based on your business needs.

Benefits of Regular PPC Audits

Regular PPC audits help uncover hidden opportunities to reduce waste, enhance targeting precision, and improve overall campaign performance. By identifying and addressing these areas, you can refine your strategies to drive more meaningful results and achieve a better return on investment (ROI).

For example, a success story with our client Alfresco required a comprehensive review of their current ad structure. We identified and removed underperforming elements and refocused on high-potential strategies, resulting in a 64% reduction in CPA, a 162% increase in conversion rate, and a 105% increase in CTR.

If you want to read more about our successful PPC ad campaigns, go ahead and explore Common Ground’s case studies.

Conclusion

Maximising SaaS ROI would require you to embrace advanced PPC tactics and continuously evolve your strategies. By incorporating these advanced PPC tactics, from AI automation to implementing regular PPC audits, your PPC campaigns would drive higher-quality leads and conversions.

Take a moment to look over your current PPC setup and identify where you can use these advanced tactics to enhance your ad performance.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry. We’ll help you put these advanced PPC tactics into action. Be a success story. Talk to Common Ground and start boosting your SaaS ROI today.