How We Helped a Local Brand Triple Their Leads Using Smart Targeting & Creative Testing.

Every local business dreams of predictable, affordable leads—but most waste ad budgets chasing the wrong audiences. In this case study, we’ll show how our Dotcompals team helped a regional brand triple their lead flow in just eight weeks through smart targeting, data-driven creative testing, and conversion-optimized landing pages—all without raising ad spend.

1) About the Client

The client was a Kerala-based home-services brand operating in three cities. They offered both online booking and on-call service, but their previous campaigns were unfocused—mixing awareness, offers, and seasonal ads in a single campaign structure.

2) The Challenge

Low CTR (< 2%) and high CPC on Google Ads.
Meta Ads delivering traffic but no qualified leads.
Landing pages heavy on design but light on conversion flow.
No proper tracking—neither GA4 goals nor UTM parameters were in place.

3) Step 1 — Audit and Data Setup

We began by auditing all digital assets. GA4, Google Tag Manager, and Meta Pixel were reconfigured to capture:

Form submissions
Phone clicks (with tel: tracking)
WhatsApp interactions

Within a week, we had clean event data feeding into Looker Studio. (See how we build dashboards in our GA4 + Looker Studio guide.)

4) Step 2 — Audience Segmentation

Instead of targeting everyone in “Kerala,” we built granular segments based on:

Geo intent: 15-km radius around each service zone.
Demographics: 25–55 age range with home ownership interest.
Search intent: exact-match service + location terms.

These smaller, intent-focused groups improved ad relevance and raised CTR from 1.8% to 5.4% in the first two weeks.

5) Step 3 — Creative Testing

We ran a 3x3 matrix test—three headline styles × three images across both Google RSAs and Meta carousel ads:

Version A: Offer-driven (“Flat ₹500 Off on First Service”).
Version B: Trust-driven (“Trusted by 10,000+ Homeowners”).
Version C: Speed-driven (“Book in 60 Seconds”).

The Speed-driven creative won hands-down, delivering 68% higher CTR and 42% lower CPA. It reinforced our principle that clarity beats cleverness.

6) Step 4 — Landing Page Optimization

We rebuilt the landing page around one primary goal: lead submission. Key changes included:

Shorter form (Name + Phone + Service).
Visible CTA button in first screen.
Social proof slider (client logos + ratings).
Page load reduced from 5.6s → 1.8s (see our 3-Second Rule guide).

Result: Conversion rate climbed from 3.1% to 9.7% within one month.

7) Step 5 — Campaign Refinement

Using Search Terms Reports, we trimmed irrelevant queries and expanded high-intent ones. Our Google Ads CTR framework guided ad rotation decisions. We also leveraged ad schedules to show ads only during active service hours, reducing wasted impressions by 22%.

8) The Results (After 8 Weeks)

Metric	Before	After
CTR	1.8%	5.9%
Leads / Week	47	139
Avg. CPC	₹8.60	₹5.10
Cost per Lead	₹181	₹74

Within two months, the client’s total leads nearly tripled—and ad efficiency improved dramatically.

9) Key Insights

Segment by intent, not demographics. Behavior drives conversion, not age or gender alone.
Test creatives constantly. Fresh copy and visuals maintain high Quality Scores.
Speed matters twice. Faster landing pages improve both CTR and CVR.
Data visibility creates accountability. Dashboards changed client meetings from “gut feel” to “measurable outcomes.”

10) Conclusion: Strategy Over Spend

Most campaigns fail not for lack of budget—but for lack of precision. Smart targeting, clean analytics, and disciplined creative testing create compounding improvements. Our next goal? Automating A/B tests through AI-driven ad variations in 2026.

What to Read Next

Curious what we can do for your brand? Book a free strategy call and we’ll audit your campaigns within 48 hours.