Fintech is its own unique niche in Paid Search and has aspects that straddle the line between diverse campaign setups. Fintech campaigns can be lead generation, and some are B2B, B2SMB, or B2C. They can be broadly focused, and some are narrowly focused. However, within all these different permutations, commonalities exist across the various choices, and it is these commonalities that I would like to focus on in this piece.

One product or product group per Google Ads account

Focusing on one product is the ideal account structure for ease of use. Although we have seen multiple product lines per account—while it’s certainly viable—such a setup increases the chances of errors occurring. One product group should have a unified targeting setup and one set of conversion events that are being targeted. Within this one account, at the campaign level, you can then create your unique segmentation (with real-world attributes like geography or campaign-type elements like campaign type).

Define campaign objectives

Each initiative will have a conversion funnel of some sort. Some funnel steps will be tied to Google Ads, and some will be offline. Some offline elements (like source-to-close tracking) can be imported back to Google Ads as long as they happen within 30 days of the initial click. Some cannot. One of the decisions that needs to be made is which funnel stage Google will optimize towards.

We have optimized towards “top of funnel,” “middle of funnel” and “bottom of funnel.” As a rule of thumb, we recommend optimizing to the lowest funnel stage possible where 50+ conversions happen within the first 30 days (the more, the better). There are Fintech products where leads take much longer than 30 days to close. In that situation, it’s important that mid-funnel conversions are “built-in” to the process to best inform Google. These mid-funnel conversions don’t need to take place on the website, they can be something like a successful client call (which will be noted by the Account executive / Sales Rep in the CRM) or a proposal creation.

Source to close tracking

Source to close tracking is what enables Google Ads to track each funnel step. If you haven’t implemented it yet, here’s how you set it up:

• Tag each landing page URL. You can use auto-tagging or appending gclid={gclid} to it. When the visitor lands on the landing page, a unique gclid is assigned to that visitor.
• The gclid information needs to be passed into your CRM where it gets tied to a unique prospect record.
• When a prospect passes certain stages in the funnel, the CRM is updated with that information, and each relevant funnel stage conversion is passed back to Google.
• Google sets the funnel stages being targeted for conversions to “Primary” (with the remaining conversion types set to “Secondary”). Thus, one can create a bidding strategy targeting these primary conversions.

Profitable optimization

There are two types of bidding strategies for Google Ads that are typically put into play for Fintech firms. The first is deciding how much the company is willing to pay for a “funnel conversion.” Once that is decided, then a Target CPA bidding strategy is set up, telling Google to get as many leads as possible within the client budget for that Target CPA.

The second type involves targeted leads that could have variable values that get passed back into Google Ads. In this case, the company can bid for a certain Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). In this scenario, one decides how much they are willing to pay for an “average” conversion and sets up the bidding strategy to target a 1 ROAS – where the revenue earned equals the amount spent in Google Ads.

Keyword optimization

I’m pretty certain that anyone reading this article works at a company that has run Google Ads in some form. Campaigns have been set up with keywords in them that map to the company’s offering, even if they are not set up in an optimal fashion. My strongest recommendation for doing keyword research involves reviewing the search queries that Google served against (which differs from the keywords that the account is bidding on).

If you are currently tracking conversions, first examine the queries that generated conversions for you. If their Target CPA is acceptable, that is a term you should specifically target (if you are not targeting it already). If the Target CPA is too high, you might want to either exclude it or bid much more conservatively in the future. You should focus on terms that have generated conversions for you but are not currently present in your setup. Those should be added to your campaign. Similarly, if you have spent an sizable amount of money on queries that have not converted for you, they should be excluded from your campaign.

Once you have your keyword list, you should consider the match types you are using. Google is telling people that you can bid on broad match only or if you insist on using other match types, you can put them all in the same campaign. I’ve yet to see any instance with my Fintech clients where broad match terms performed as well as exact match terms – although I have seen similar performance to phrase match terms. For now, we recommend segmenting campaigns by match type (I recognize that future evidence might change that view).

I recommend doing separate Exact Match, Phrase Match, and Broad Match Campaigns, with the exact match terms negated in the phrase match campaigns and the phrase match terms negated in the broad match campaigns. With rare exceptions, I would bid on all targeted terms in all match types, though I would be incredibly careful in setting a tight bidding target for Broad Match.

Ad copywriting

Every Fintech company we have worked with has a mandatory ad approval process…some more extensive than others. We’ve identified 4 core rules to help you get the most out of your ad copy and creative assets.

• The first rule of Google Ads copywriting is understanding what the internal ad reviewers are going to accept and what they are going to reject.
• The second rule is because approval processes can be slow, ensure you get a large amount of ad headlines and ad description lines approved in each go around, to allow for testing and tweaking.
• The third rule is to make sure you utilize the maximum number of ad headlines and description line alternatives available to you for each ad type. Yes, some of your ad text will be better than others but giving Google the maximum number of choices to work with will increase the likelihood of getting the prospect to enter your funnel. For Google Display Network Ads and Discovery Ads, utilize the maximum number of image assets and (if possible) video assets that the ad type allows. If certain ad text performs poorly, Google will let you know, and you can make a substitution at that time.
• The fourth rule is to ensure that your core targeted keywords appear in your ad text variants. If a prospect sees the term that they are searching for appear in your ad text, your ability to earn the prospect a visit goes up.

Landing pages

Landing pages are critically important for the success of Paid Search. In an ideal world, Fintech companies should follow the same best practices as other industries, like:

• Utilize specific landing pages for Paid Search that follow best practices
• Eliminating extraneous page navigation
• No redundant marketing copy – like one would find on an SEO-focused landing page
• Quick load times, especially on mobile, etc.

Not every client has given us the ability to influence their landing page experience. Much of the time, we have been limited to working with the website landing page that is designed to serve all marketing, and have been created and approved without any input from our team. The pages may perform, but any change/update processes are slow or non-existent.

One workaround (if available) is to use a program like Optimizely to run Landing page tests that allow page variance without making changes to the page itself. While these page tests undoubtedly need to get approved by the client, at least there is not an engineering hurdle that must be overcome for testing purposes.

Fintech companies should be focused on making funnel entry and conversion as seamless as possible. We have seen large Fintech firms lose sight of some of these issues, and if they are a well-known brand, sometimes a sub-optimal funnel experience can be overcome. However, if a big brand can act nimbly like a small brand, the larger brand’s scope and scale can add a huge amount of revenue to the effort.

Compliance

Fintech is an industry that is heavily regulated and can have extensive compliance procedures that need to be followed. It’s not an industry where someone can create an ad and immediately roll it out live – without approval and oversight.

Every aspect of the Google Ads Experience that is seen by the public must be reviewed and approved. Each client we have worked with has done compliance a little differently. Compliance review can range from “one person reviewing the ads in an Excel Spreadsheet” to very formal meetings involving multiple stakeholders including the legal department going over every variant of ad text plus all visual campaign elements.

It’s important for the Google Ads stakeholders to get intimately familiar with what their compliance team will and will not approve to get new ads into the marketplace in a timely manner.

Compliance rejection and revision can add weeks to the timeline. Disclosures are important. Some disclosures must go in the ad text itself which will reduce the available ad space for the “advertising.” Videos require asterisks appended to the advertising text with small legal print at the bottom of the video. Landing pages are full of required disclosures. The Google Ads team will not know what disclosures need to be added to the various parts of the campaigns, but they absolutely need to know the cases where disclosure is required and flag it for the appropriate compliance team to decide.

In support of their brand values, it’s not uncommon for Fintech companies to restrict where they are comfortable having their ads shown. Twitter and TikTok are “over the line” for many brands. They may also require internal (within Google Ads) or external (e.g., DoubleVerify) content screening systems that keep the ads from showing on the same page as “questionable content.” Within Google, we have produced a list of Topics that we block automatically for Fintech clients are specifically in the areas of politics, news, live video, and children-focused websites.

Sales assisted

For Fintechs, any Google Ads initiative involving a contact/meeting with Sales adds a human element that must be actioned in the same methodical manner as the automated parts of the sales funnel. Google’s algorithm can’t factor in somebody not updating the CRM in a timely manner.

If the CRM is not updated, to Google, it means that no activity has taken place. Funnel “breaks” are not understood as “breaks”, Google perceives them as periods of no sales activity which push Google to change its bidding strategy to account for the lack of sales activity. We worked with one sales-assisted client (not in Fintech) who had their entire Paid Search initiative crash and burn because they couldn’t methodically get Google the information it needed to bid appropriately even though the sales team took the initiatives that “should” have pushed the leads down the funnel towards a successful close.

If the Sales team is diligent about entering the data, those nuances only known by the sales team can be effectively communicated to Google and acted upon for the benefit of the business. For example, a business opportunity that is worth $100K but only has a 40% chance of closing can be pushed back to Google as having a value of $40K. Businesses can use any schema they wish to value the leads, but the key is communicating the information as quickly as possible. Since CRM updates to Google Ads are usually automated and happen (at least) daily, all the Sales team needs to do is to update the CRM with the correct information and the automation does the rest.

Closing

Fintech is a unique Google Ads niche. It’s heavily regulated, so certain aspects of marketing creativity and out-of-the-box implementations are not available for those account managers. However, it’s also a very profitable niche that has the ability to scale given the depth of the marketplace.

Position² has deep, high-value Google Ads experience for all shapes and sizes of Fintech clients. Our Fintech client experience can be applied to any new client engagement.

In today’s tech-savvy marketing environment, there’s a prominent digital topic to delve into – how to trace the digital steps leading to an online purchase. Among the multiple strategies available, three principal models of attribution emerge: First-Click, Last-Click, and Data-Driven.

First-Click Attribution

Imagine, that you’re walking by a café where the combination of coffee aroma and classic jazz lures you into the establishment. This model can be likened to remembering the alluring mix of smell and sound that lured you into the business. It zeroes in on the initial draw.

Pros:

The First-Click method emphasizes the inaugural impression. By focusing on the primary channels, businesses discern what originally piqued the customer’s curiosity. It’s direct and unambiguous, presenting a lucid view of the onset of the customer’s journey.

Cons:

On the downside, it’s analogous to valuing only the combination of coffee aroma and classic jazz while disregarding the overall ambiance or quality of service. This method completely ignores the ensuing interactions that culminate in a sale.

Last-Click Attribution

Picture being in that café, wanting to make a purchase but not being clear on what you wanted. Then, you see the sign: “Today’s Special: A Triple Espresso for the price of a Double Espresso”. You see the sign and immediately order the special. This method cherishes that concluding impression.

Pros:

The Last-Click strategy hones in on the ultimate persuasion. It elucidates what finally swayed the customer towards a purchase. Numerous digital platforms prefer this model due to its simplicity in chronicling the final interaction.

Cons:

Yet, this method might bypass the complete array of experiences that shaped the mood. It stands the risk of downplaying earlier influential interactions (coffee aroma, classic jazz) in the purchasing process. The person wouldn’t have entered the café but for the initial alluring stimuli.

Data-Driven Attribution

Think of this as an in-depth analysis of each aspect of your interaction with the cafe, grasping the relative contribution of each stimulus to your overall experience. It advocates a comprehensive understanding.

Pros:

The Data-Driven technique is exhaustive. It leverages algorithms and machine learning to ascertain the weight of every interaction. By examining the whole journey, enterprises obtain a refined perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of their approach.

Cons:

However, immersing oneself in such granularity necessitates proficiency. This method requires ample data and sophisticated tools for interpretation. For some, this could be an overwhelming endeavor, akin to analyzing every beat rather than simply relishing the rhythm.

Comparing The Methods:

Basics:

First-Click and Last-Click:

These methods epitomize simplicity. They furnish precise insights, reminiscent of closely inspecting a photograph to discern a singular detail. One reveals the journey’s commencement, the other its conclusion. They are like prismatic lenses, each illuminating a unique phase of the journey.

Data-Driven:

Conversely, the Data-Driven method offers an encompassing viewpoint. Analogous to admiring a sweeping vista, this method narrates a complete story. It sketches an expansive illustration, delineating the complex interplay of interactions throughout the purchase process.

Best For:

First-Click:

Tailored for those who value first impressions, this method resonates with businesses that want to amplify their initial allure. If a brand’s strength lies in captivating audiences right off the bat, this method provides the insights they crave. It’s perfect for companies aiming to enhance their welcoming gestures, making their entry points more enticing.

Last-Click:

On the other hand, the Last-Click is for those who recognize the power of parting shots. It’s custom-made for entities that wish to understand and fine-tune their final persuasions, those moments that transform considerations into conversions. For those who believe in the significance of the last word, this model offers a deep dive.

Data-Driven:

As for the Data-Driven method, it’s not just a call but a siren song for organizations flush with data. It beckons those ready to embark on an intricate journey of exploration, eager to chart the terrains of their customer’s journey. It’s ideal for businesses that yearn to uncover the subtle and nuanced interplay of engagements, revealing the overt and covert influences on a customer’s decision-making process.

In conclusion, the digital marketing landscape of 2023-24 pushes businesses toward a strategic choice among the First-Click, Last-Click, or Data-Driven attribution models. Each offers insights tailored to different business objectives and customer touchpoints. To optimize strategies and foster meaningful customer relationships, organizations must align their model choice with their unique strengths and goals.

As the digital world keeps growing, it’s super important to have different types of content on a B2B website to attract potential customers. Cool blog posts, eye-catching videos, and interesting podcasts are just a few ways we can grab the attention of different people, get them thinking, and influence their decisions.

Businesses must understand how important this mix is to connect with customers along the buying journey. The goal is to deliver content so appealing that, in the words of the musician Gil-Scott Heron, “You will not be able to stay home, brother. You will not be able to plug in, turn on, and cop out.”

Companies don’t want their prospects to just get information; they want to get them thinking, feeling and inspired enough to want to learn more about them. Even when facing obstacles in creating content, they should see fresh content as an opportunity to improve, grow, and surprise their audience with something new and exciting. In this blog post, we’ll outline the different types of website content for lead generation and share some guidance on which audience members will likely be drawn to (or pushed away) from it.

Blog Posts and Thought Leadership

Imagine potential consumers stumbling upon your blog while browsing for answers or strategies to address their dilemmas. Reading your blog, they unravel valuable perspectives, eventually arriving at your offer, which might read, “Contact us and learn more” or “Book a complimentary consultation”. Intrigued by your enlightening content, they click on it, offering their contact information, thus transforming into promising leads.

Positives: Erecting barriers on blog content enables you to collect data from curious parties willing to exchange their personal details for the value your content provides.

Drawbacks: Generally, blogs remain freely accessible, thus placing restrictions could dissuade potential visitors, diminishing the influx of readers, and consequently denting your optimization strategies.

Works best with: Prospects just beginning their buying voyage, probing for information or strategies about your field or service offerings.

Works worst with: Individuals who have journeyed further in their purchase exploration, craving detailed, specific knowledge or a direct interaction with a salesperson.

For consumers already journeying within the funnel, blog posts serve as platforms to present comprehensive perspectives on your field or service offerings, thereby cementing your professional acumen. These posts could spotlight unique benefits offered, countering prevalent apprehensions or hurdles hindering a consumer’s progression down the purchasing path.

Case Studies

Exhibit your successes through detailed case studies. These narratives present potential consumers with tangible evidence of your service’s efficacy. Case studies with compelling attributes usually feature a client reminiscent of the prospective consumer.

Imagine a potential consumer seeking specific validation of your professional competencies. They peruse a case study demonstrating how your service propelled a similar enterprise toward success. Impressed by the account, they complete the request form for additional details, converting into a promising lead.

Positives: These case studies constitute invaluable content pieces, exemplifying your firm’s capabilities. Restricting access to such content can usher in quality leads since those ready to share their information often find themselves further along the buying cycle.

Drawbacks: Erecting barriers around case studies can curtail the population of potential consumers viewing these successful narratives. Certain potential leads might feel reluctant to divulge their information merely to peruse your case studies.

Works best with: Individuals considering your services, desiring to witness examples of your work and its consequential impact.

Works worst with: Individuals not yet prepared to make commitments, or those beginning to understand their challenges.

Case studies prove your service’s efficacy, documenting successful engagements with prior clients. They sketch a possible scenario that potential consumers could encounter, hence alleviating uncertainty and enabling potential consumers to feel comfortable progressing to the subsequent stage.

E-books and White Papers

Propose comprehensive guides or research narratives pertinent to your profession to engage leads. For this high-value content, seek visitors’ contact details, effectively converting curiosity into prospective collaboration.

Visualize an engaged consumer yearning for deeper knowledge about an industry-related subject. This individual stumbles upon your e-book or whitepaper, entering their contact details to facilitate a download. This exchange transforms a casual visitor into a potential lead.

Positives: E-books and whitepapers, owing to their detail-oriented and invaluable nature, frequently serve as gated content designed to engage lead generation. Individuals usually exhibit a greater willingness to share their contact details in exchange for such high-value content.

Drawbacks: Some visitors might find the extra step of entering their details off-putting, limiting the reach of your resourceful content.

Works best with: Individuals hunting for exhaustive information about an industry-related topic. These individuals could be anywhere in their purchase journey but are ready to invest time in comprehending their predicament or your resolution.

Works worst with: Individuals seeking concise, digestible information or those not ready to share their contact information to access the offered content.

These resources offer detailed information about complex subjects pertinent to your profession or service offerings. For individuals within the funnel, these resources further enlighten them, fortifying their trust in your venture, and prompting serious contemplation about your services.

Webinars or Podcasts

Webinars or audio broadcasts offer an engaging platform to demonstrate proficiency, fostering personal connections, and permitting interactivity through query-response sessions.

Visualize an individual hunting for expert insights stumbling upon your webinar or audio broadcast. This individual commits to a live session or subscribes to your channel, offering their email. This interaction transforms casual engagement into a potential business lead.

Positives: Webinars and audio broadcasts, replete with information, demand a significant time commitment. Providing access to them in exchange for contact details can lead to acquiring high-quality business leads.

Drawbacks: Restricting access might diminish the audience base for your webinars or audio broadcasts. Some individuals might show reluctance in sharing contact information, for uncertain content quality.

Works best with: Individuals seeking an understanding of business-related topics, preferring an interactive, engaging format. They might be traversing deeper into their buying journey.

Works worst with: Individuals who prefer digesting content at their leisure or those hesitant to invest considerable time in a webinar or audio broadcast.

Utilize these platforms to explore subjects of interest to your prospects. This could encompass demonstrations of your product or service, expert discourse, query-response sessions, or conversations on industry evolutions. Such formats aid in cultivating relationships with prospects, underscoring your proficiency, and adding a personal touch to your brand.

Newsletters

Periodic communiqués keep your audience abreast of recent developments within your enterprise, shifts in industry trends, or additional services being offered. Urge visitors to sign up, promising exclusive perspectives or discounts.

Consider a potential client browsing your digital platform, noticing your sign-up form promising industry perspectives or exclusive offers. They subscribe, effectively transforming into a business lead.

Positives: Inherently, newsletters are exclusive content because they necessitate an email for transmission. This can assist you in establishing a regular, engaged audience.

Drawbacks: The obligation to enroll might dissuade some visitors. Moreover, if your content doesn’t offer continual value, subscribers might opt out, potentially impacting your relationship with your email provider.

Works best with: Captivated consumers, those interested in your brand or industry, who find value in regular insights.

Works worst with: Prospects chiefly pursuing information exhibit less interest, eschewing consistent updates.

Videos

A well-constructed video elucidates your services in a captivating and engaging style. Content can range from instructional pieces, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your enterprise, testimonials from satisfied customers, or demonstrations of your service.

Picture a prospective client engaging with your visual presentation on your digital platform, exploring your services, client testimonials, or industry insights. They perceive high value and decide to probe further, offering their contact details through a form attached in the presentation description or embedded on the website.

Positives: High-definition, instructive presentations might justify exclusivity, particularly if they extend expert advice, thorough tutorials, or detailed service demonstrations. Visitors willing to part with their information for access are very likely intrigued, yielding high-quality leads.

Drawbacks: Presentations often augment brand awareness and visibility; hence exclusivity might impede their reach. Furthermore, many users anticipate visual content to be openly accessible.

Works best with: Prospects who relish visual and auditory content, desiring a more captivating medium to comprehend your services. They could be at any phase of the decision-making journey.

Works worst with: Prospects who favor text-based content that they can absorb at their leisure.

In conclusion

Having a mix of different content on your website is critical for creating connections with potential customers. It’s like having a party with various types of entertainment – some guests might enjoy music, some might like magic tricks, and others might prefer a good conversation. It’s all about making sure there’s something for everyone. This concept reminds us of something the musician Tom Waits once said:

“I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” In other words, it’s not just about making something; it’s about creating a feeling, sparking a thought, or starting a discussion. By continuously working on content and aiming to keep things fresh and interesting, you hope to build a lively, involved community around your brand.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen people utilizing ChatGPT for all types of marketing functions – keyword research, SEO, copywriting… etc.

I asked ChatGPT to write ad copy, advertising Position², with headlines of 30 characters (or less) and descriptions of 90 characters (or less).

Here’s what I got back:

Now, there are a few immediate problems that are quick to spot:

• Character limits aren’t always followed (I specifically asked ChatGPT not to use our Brand in the headlines because I couldn’t get any ads under 30 characters). Because I believe that our Brand would be mandatory in the first headline, I would have to create that Headline 1 (H1) manually and pin it, leaving the ChatGPT input for Headlines 2 & 3 (H2 and H3).
• A few awkward constructs exist (e.g. Position² Agency) that need to be fixed.
• The range of descriptors is narrow (digital, business, marketing, strategies, success, growth, results, expertise etc.)

Overall, these ads don’t suck. They’re better than many copy writers I’ve worked with. Even more important, I can bring all this ad text up to an acceptable standard in less than 10 minutes.

Of the 20 ad headlines, forgetting about the character limit issue that needs to be addressed, the only headline that seems awkward is “Expertly Drive Online Success”…and this is easily fixed by removing “Expertly”.

While many of the ad description lines are average (as currently constructed), all of them are workable with some simple and quick editing. For example, I modified the example below:

From ChatGPT: Expert digital marketing from Position² Agency for your business

After my edit: Position²: Digital Marketing Expertise For Your Business

What ChatGPT does very well here is staying within its “lanes” of knowledge. It’s clear that it only knows Position² at a very superficial level, but it doesn’t stray from its limited knowledge of us. The challenge of ad copy is to present the same type of information in enough different ways to populate the maximum number of allowable ad copy variants for Responsive Search Ads (15 headlines, 4 description lines).

Google Ads offers ad copy suggestions when setting up certain campaigns that are generally on point and usable. What Google doesn’t currently do is take their ad copy suggestions and roll out multiple variants of them which should be easy to do given the ease with which ChatGPT can. I suspect that Google will move in this direction by allowing “external factors” to be brought into its ad copy creation algorithm.

When I write ad copy for clients, my first step is to scan the relevant pages for content that is easily adaptable to the Google Ads medium. I will sometimes copy and paste the content from the website and sometimes, but I’ll have to tweak it a bit. I’ll then take what I’ve culled from the website and manually create multiple textual variants.

These secondary “ad riffs” are what ChatGPT does really well. Their entire ad output shown here are just variations on a singular theme and we would want our Paid Search Ads to aggressively hit on that theme.

With a little bit of human oversight, ChatGPT can contribute to any ad copy creation scenario, though it’s a long way from being a singular solution.