Where savings come from
| Change | Lowers cost by | Protects quality by |
|---|---|---|
| Negative keywords | Cutting irrelevant clicks | Blocking DIY and job searches |
| Presence targeting | Ending far-away clicks | Keeping leads in your area |
| Better landing page | Raising conversion rate | Showing who you serve |
| Qualified-lead bidding | Focusing spend on buyers | Teaching bidding what a good lead is |
The math behind it
Cost per lead equals cost per click divided by conversion rate. Raising the conversion rate from 5% to 8% cuts cost per lead by more than a third at the same click price. Page and offer changes often beat bid changes for this reason.
Moves that lower cost and quality together
- Switching to cheap display or partner traffic
- Adding broad keywords without negatives
- Removing all questions from the form
- Bidding on every form instead of qualified leads
Each one makes the report look better while sales fall. Watch cost per booked job, not just cost per lead.
Good example. A cleaning company improves its page, adds negatives and imports booked cleans. Cost per lead falls 20% and bookings rise.
Bad example. A cleaning company turns on Display expansion to cut cost per lead. The number halves, but nobody books.
Read what a good cost per lead is. Our PPC management tracks cost per job, not just cost per lead.