Digital marketing has always been quick to change. One minute, everything’s cheap and easy, the next, you’re paying through the nose for a click, and you can’t get a backlink to save your life. Things are more difficult than ever, so I had a chat with Ishaan Shakunt, founder of Spear Growth to figure out what’s going on.
The Golden Era of SaaS (A.K.A. The Good Old Days)
Remember the good old days? SaaS companies were living the high life. Money was everywhere, and all anyone cared about was growth. Ishaan painted a picture of this golden era where no one gave ROI a second thought. But, like all good things, it couldn’t last forever. Now, we’re in a different world where budgets are tight, and CPC is through the roof.
Tackling Expensive PPC Costs
So, what can we do about these skyrocketing costs? Ishaan broke it down into three key levers:
- Reduce CPC: Sure, it sounds simple, and there’s only so much you can do here. Still, it’s critical to make sure your costs are as low as possible. Expand your keywords, target less competitive markets, and optimize for quality scores.
- Increase Conversion Rates: This is where things get interesting. Tweaking and testing to get more bang for your buck can be quite the adventure.
- Improve Demo to SQL Rates: Identify where people drop off and plug those holes. Tools like Chili Piper can help ensure people show up to the calls they schedule.
Conversion Rate Optimization: It’s Not Just the Landing Page
Everyone thinks CRO means tweaking the landing page, right? Wrong! Ishaan shared some stories that highlight the bigger picture. For instance, one of Spear Growth’s client’s conversions were tanking, but the problem wasn’t the landing page—it was a missing integration on their site. They fixed it, and voila, conversions went up. It’s about the whole ecosystem, not just one page.
Audience Segmentation and Retargeting: Getting Personal
Let’s talk about audience segmentation. Ishaan stressed the need for precise targeting, especially in retargeting. You’ve got to know who you’re talking to. Create segments based on purchase intent, unknown intent, and have a list of folks to ignore (like current customers). Make sure your ads are hitting the right people.
And use those fancy tools to monitor and segment audience behavior on your website. The more targeted your retargeting, the better. (Speaking of fancy tools, how about that LeadPost, am I right?)
Fast-Tracking SEO Results: The Sprint Model
Spear Growth’s approach to SEO is a bit like a traffic tornado—unexpected and fast. They use a sprint model, focusing on one thing at a time—content strategy, technical SEO, backlinks. This intense focus for three months gets results, challenging the idea that SEO is a long game. Who knew?
Final Thoughts: What Did We Learn?
Our chat with Ishaan Shakunt was packed with insights for any B2B SaaS marketer. Here are the key takeaways:
- Adapt to Market Changes: The golden era of SaaS is over; adapt your strategies to fit the new, tighter-budget landscape.
- Three Key Levers for PPC Success: Reduce CPC where possible, focus on increasing conversion rates, and improve demo to SQL rates.
- Holistic Approach to CRO: Don’t just tweak landing pages—consider the entire customer journey and optimize all touchpoints.
- Effective Audience Segmentation: Target the right people with precise audience definitions, especially in retargeting.
- SEO Sprint Model: Focus on one aspect of SEO at a time to achieve quick, tangible results.
For more insights and to connect with Ishaan, you can find him on LinkedIn and explore Spear Growth’s comprehensive services at SpearGrowth.com. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Hot Pursuit Podcast, where we continue to bring you the latest in marketing strategies and trends.