Campaign Optimization Case Study: Search + PPC Improvements Across Google Ads and Meta
This campaign optimization case study focuses on how paid search and paid social performance can be improved by tightening keyword intent, reducing wasted spend, scaling retargeting, and connecting both channels into one cleaner full-funnel strategy. Rather than treating Google Ads and Meta Ads as separate systems, this project looks at how the two can work together to improve conversion efficiency and blended return on ad spend.
Potential blended CPA reduction after reallocating spend and tightening weaker campaigns.
Suggested spend split between Google Ads for high-intent search and Meta for retargeting.
The biggest issues came from mismatched query intent, broad audiences, and tired creative.
Performance Snapshot
The original analysis showed a very clear pattern: Google Ads captured high-intent demand well in a few standout keyword groups, while Meta performed best when it focused on retargeting rather than broader, colder audiences.
Best cat toys + Healthy cat food
These keywords delivered the healthiest mix of click-through rate, acquisition cost, and return. They were the clearest examples of where demand and message alignment were already working.
Puppy training pads + Eco-friendly litter
These terms generated plenty of visibility but did not convert efficiently, signaling weak ad relevance, poor intent alignment, or landing page friction.
Cart abandoners + high-intent retargeting
Retargeting audiences produced the strongest ROAS and the strongest click-through rates, making them the most scalable social segments in this review.
Broad + interest audiences
These audiences were less efficient and more expensive relative to results, suggesting that targeting needed refinement and creative angles needed improvement.
Main takeaway
The problem was not lack of reach. The bigger issue was where spend was being placed and whether the campaign structure matched user intent at each stage of the funnel.
Search Performance: What the Keyword Data Suggested
On the Google Ads side, the clearest contrast was between efficient high-intent keyword groups and high-impression terms that were eating spend without pulling their weight.
CTR comparison by keyword
Higher CTR usually signals stronger message-to-query alignment.
The stronger keywords nearly doubled the weaker ones on CTR, which supports the idea that search intent and ad messaging were much better aligned.
CPA comparison by keyword
Lower cost per acquisition points to better conversion efficiency.
The most expensive terms were also the least efficient, which made them prime candidates for tighter match types, negatives, and landing page fixes.
ROAS comparison by keyword
Higher ROAS highlights where scale is more likely to be profitable.
The top search terms were the safest place to scale, while weaker terms needed repair before they deserved more budget.
| Keyword | What the numbers suggest | Optimization priority |
|---|---|---|
| Best cat toys | Strong CTR, low CPA, strongest ROAS in the set. | Increase budget and expand close variations. |
| Healthy cat food | Healthy CTR and efficient acquisition, but could be segmented by intent. | Split ad groups by sub-intent such as grain-free or organic. |
| Puppy training pads | Very high impressions with weak engagement. | Rewrite ad copy, add extensions, and test stronger hooks. |
| Eco-friendly litter | High CPA and weak ROAS point to spend leakage. | Tighten match types, add negatives, and improve landing page speed. |
Google Ads Optimization Priorities
Search did not need a complete rebuild. It needed selective cleanup: protect the winners, repair weak intent matches, and remove anything that kept burning budget without enough return.
Raise CTR on weak but visible keywords
Recommended move: Rewrite ad copy with clearer value propositions, stronger headlines, and more useful sitelinks.
Why it matters: High impressions with weak CTR usually mean the ads are showing up, but not convincing the right people to click.
Cut wasted spend from poor-fit traffic
Recommended move: Refine match types, add negative keywords, and watch query reports more closely.
Why it matters: This is one of the fastest ways to stop spending on clicks that were never likely to convert.
Fix landing page and checkout friction
Recommended move: Improve product pages, trust badges, and speed where conversion efficiency lagged.
Why it matters: Not every paid media problem starts in the ad account. Sometimes the page is what is killing the return.
Scale the safest search winners
Recommended move: Increase budgets 20-30% on the strongest performers and expand related keyword variants.
Why it matters: Scaling proven intent is usually safer than trying to rescue cold traffic too quickly.
Meta Ads Performance: Retargeting Was Doing the Heavy Lifting
Meta was most efficient when it stayed close to purchase intent. Retargeting audiences produced the best ROAS, while broader and interest-based groups were noticeably less efficient.
ROAS by audience type
Retargeting outperformed colder audience groups by a wide margin.
The best social performance came from audiences already close to conversion, not the widest pools of traffic.
Cart abandoners and high-intent remarketing
These were the clearest candidates for increased investment because they were already returning the strongest ROAS and engagement.
Frequency fatigue
Some segments were still converting, but elevated frequency suggested that creative wear-out was likely pulling performance down over time.
Better creative for mid-funnel traffic
Test UGC-inspired creative, testimonials, and stronger audience refinement before trying to scale colder traffic.
Narrow broad targeting
Recommended move: Reduce budget share to broad traffic and layer interests or behaviors more intentionally.
Expand high-intent windows
Recommended move: Increase spend caps for cart abandoners and test expanding windows from 7 days to 30 days.
Rotate assets every 2-3 weeks
Recommended move: Refresh creative on product viewers before CTR starts slipping from fatigue.
Test tighter lookalikes
Recommended move: Compare 1% lookalikes and value-based lookalikes against broader 3% models.
Cross-Channel Strategy: Treat Search and Social Like One Funnel
The most useful recommendation in this project was not just budget shifting. It was recognizing that Google and Meta each do different jobs well and should feed one another instead of operating in silos.
Recommended budget allocation
A stronger split favors proven search demand while protecting efficient retargeting.
| Channel | Primary role | Best use case |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Capture active search demand | Scale proven, high-intent keywords and protect efficient acquisition. |
| Meta Ads | Nurture, retarget, and re-convert | Bring back high-intent users and improve conversion volume from existing traffic. |
How the channels work together
A simple full-funnel handoff produces a cleaner paid media ecosystem.
Search captures intent
Google picks up high-intent users already looking for a solution or product category.
Meta retargets visitors
Site visitors and product viewers are re-engaged with more specific paid social creative.
Converters become lookalikes
Qualified search converters can seed stronger Meta lookalike audiences.
Messaging stays aligned
Offers, urgency, and product creatives remain consistent across platforms.
Why this matters
Search and social become much more efficient when search is used to capture demand and social is used to continue the conversation, recover drop-off, and build better downstream audiences.
Conclusion
This case study shows how campaign performance often improves not because more money is added, but because spend is redistributed toward the parts of the system already proving themselves.
Scale what already fits intent
Strong keyword groups should be protected and expanded before weaker terms are allowed to keep draining budget.
Retargeting deserves priority
Meta was most efficient when it stayed close to conversion intent, not when it chased broad traffic too aggressively.
Optimization is a funnel problem
Keyword targeting, creative refreshes, landing page alignment, and budget structure all influence one another.
Recommended Reading
This article pairs well with the other strategy, optimization, and campaign pieces in the PetsRPals capstone series. Replace each placeholder link with the final live post URL in Blogger when you publish.
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Buyer Personas and Channel Strategy
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