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Google Ads and Microsoft Ads put your business in front of customers at the exact moment they’re searching for what you sell.
But paid search has never been more competitive. Budgets are tighter, clicks are more expensive, and AI is changing how campaigns run. That’s why your 2026 paid search strategy needs to be sharper, more data-driven, and laser-focused on ROI.
To help you get there, we spoke with Rebecca Pilkington, our Head of PPC, who shared 10 expert tips to build a paid search strategy designed for measurable revenue growth in 2026.
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10 Tips to Boost ROI from Your Paid Search Strategy
1. Get Your Tracking Right
“Tracking is absolutely crucial for proving conversions and feeding signals back to ads. If you can’t track properly, you can’t optimise effectively, and you certainly can’t prove ROI,” says Rebecca Pilkington.
Accurate tracking is the backbone of any effective paid search strategy. It sharpens your targeting, improves bidding decisions, and ensures your budget is focused on the keywords, audiences, and campaigns that actually drive revenue.
- Start by implementing conversion tracking that captures every high-intent action, from form submissions and phone calls to email enquiries and purchases.
- Then ensure this data flows seamlessly between your ad platforms, analytics tools, and CRM system. This unified view is what enables your campaigns to learn, adapt, and scale based on real outcomes.
2. Build a Well-Structured Account
“When a new client comes on board, we often find their account lacks structure and clarity,” says Rebecca Pilkington.
This type of unstructured ad account can look like:
- Campaigns are competing against each other for the same keywords.
- Ad groups combining unrelated products or services.
- No clear naming conventions for campaigns or audiences.
- Overlapping audience targeting with no exclusions.
- Inconsistent use of match types or keyword themes.
“This kind of setup makes it difficult to optimise, test, or scale,” says Rebecca. “But a well-structured account gives you control. It lets you identify what’s working, stop what’s not, and build a paid search strategy on solid, reliable data.”
3. Stick to Keyword Themes that Match Search Intent
“One of the most common problems we see with new accounts that come to us is around keyword themes,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “We’ll often see a mix of random, unrelated keywords thrown into one ad group. That completely derails relevance.”
Keyword themes are groups of closely related search terms that share the same intent. Instead of lumping in broad and specific keywords together, you structure campaigns so that each ad group focuses on a single, specific theme.
Let’s look at Spire Healthcare as an example. They offer a wide range of surgical treatments, including orthopaedic procedures like hip and knee replacements. Instead of running one ad group for “orthopaedic surgery,” the account should break down like this:
- Ad Group 1: Hip replacement keywords, like “private hip replacement” or “hip surgery UK.”
- Ad Group 2: Knee replacement keywords, such as “private knee surgery” or “orthopaedic knee specialist.”
“We keep everything in tight-knit keyword themes so the ad copy speaks to the search, the landing page supports the ad, and the experience feels seamless,” says Rebecca. “That level of relevance improves Quality Score, lowers cost-per-click (CPC), and ultimately boosts ROI.”
4. Layer Audiences for Smarter Targeting
“With paid search, we have the ability to apply audiences to every campaign, but it’s one of the most overlooked features,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “Marketers often focus on keywords and forget that who sees the ad matters just as much as what it says.”
Audience layering is a great tactic for both paid search and paid social strategy. Start by adding customer lists, CRM segments, and remarketing data into your campaigns. For Google Ads, combine these with Google’s in-market and affinity audiences to reach users based not only on what they’re searching for, but also on who they are and where they are in the buying cycle.
“By layering audience signals, your campaigns become more relevant, which improves click-through rates (CTRs) and conversion efficiency,” says Rebecca.
5. Improve Quality Score to Cut CPCs
“Quality Score is one of the most powerful levers you can pull in a paid search strategy,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “It’s what allows you to outperform competitors who are spending more, simply by being more relevant.”
Quality Score is Google’s way of rating the overall user experience of your ads. It’s based on three factors:
- Expected CTR
- Ad relevance to the keyword intent
- Landing page experience.
“When these three elements are aligned, you send a strong signal to Google,” Rebecca explains. “Your ad is more useful, so you get rewarded with a higher ad position at a lower cost.”
A higher Quality Score means your ads are more competitive in the auction without needing to increase bids. That’s how you gain visibility without inflating your CPC. Over time, this efficiency has a direct impact on ROI.
To improve Quality Score:
- Write ad copy that mirrors the user’s search intent.
- Group keywords tightly by theme.
- Optimise landing pages to match both the ad and the keyword.
- Improve page load speed, usability, and mobile performance.
6. Optimise Landing Pages
You can have perfect targeting, a strong ad, and competitive bids, but your paid search strategy will fall flat if the landing page doesn’t convert.
“A well-optimised landing page doesn’t just support the ad, it completes the journey,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “It’s the difference between a click and a customer.”
Rebecca shares her top tips for a high-converting landing page:
- Match the Message: The page headline and content should accurately reflect the exact offer or topic presented in the ad. Consistency builds trust and reduces bounce rates.
- Remove Distractions: Keep your focus on a single, clear goal, such as booking a consultation, downloading a brochure, or requesting a quote. Remove unnecessary navigation or conflicting calls to action (CTAs).
- Add Trust Signals: Include testimonials, reviews, accreditations, and guarantees. These reassure visitors and support faster decision-making.
“Landing pages contribute to your Quality Score in Google Ads,” Rebecca adds. “If they’re slow, confusing, or irrelevant, your Quality Score drops. That means you’ll pay more per click and your ad position will suffer, even if everything else in your campaign is strong.”
7. Write Ad Copy that Sells
“With the rise of large language models like ChatGPT, we’re seeing a wave of generic, AI-generated ad copy,” says Rebecca Pilkington.
While it’s tempting to streamline your paid search strategy by using AI to write ads at scale, this often leads to diluted messaging. Automated tools can’t communicate what makes your business different, and in competitive auctions, sameness is expensive.
Instead, focus on writing ad copy that clearly communicates value and compels action. Rebecca recommends building every ad around four core elements:
- Highlight Your Unique Selling Points (USPs): Show why you’re the better choice. This could be faster delivery, expert-led service, flexible pricing, or social proof.
- Use a Strong CTA: Be clear about the next step, like “book a consultation,” “download the brochure,” or “get a same-day quote.”
- Write Persuasively: Speak directly to your audience’s needs, pain points, or desires. Use emotionally resonant language, especially in B2C campaigns.
- Add a Creative Hook: Great ad copy needs personality. Whether it’s a clever line, a bold value statement, or something unexpected, creative edge helps you stand out.
“Your ad copy is the only part of your paid search strategy that the user actually sees,” says Rebecca. “If it doesn’t connect with the audience or communicate value, it doesn’t matter how good your targeting or bidding is, you’ll lose the click.”
8. Plug CRM Data into Paid Search
“Connecting your CRM to your ad accounts is essential for building a paid search strategy that’s driven by revenue,” says Rebecca Pilkington.
When your CRM is integrated with platforms like Google or Microsoft Ads, you can track which leads actually convert, how much revenue they generate, and how long the sales cycle takes. This data gives you full visibility into what’s working beyond the click.
Feeding conversion and revenue data back into your ad accounts allows campaigns to optimise toward high-quality leads, not just clicks or form submissions. Bidding strategies get smarter, audience targeting becomes more precise, and spend flows toward what drives real business growth.
“Once we can see what happens after the lead is captured, everything becomes more efficient,” Rebecca explains.
9. Use Visuals
“Visuals give your ads stopping power,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “They catch the eye, build credibility, and make your message easier to remember.”
Here’s how to put visuals to work in your paid search strategy:
- Image Extensions: Add product photos, service visuals, or your logo to stand out in the SERPs.
- Video Assets: Use Performance Max (PMax) campaigns to run short, branded videos on YouTube and Display.
Well-chosen visuals turn your search campaigns into assets that people notice, trust, and act on.
For example, HelloFresh, Ocado, Deliveroo, and Gousto are all bidding on the keyword “food delivery,” but only HelloFresh uses a visual alongside their ad. That single image makes their listing stand out in a crowded results page, draws the eye before the copy is even read, and increases the chance of winning the click.
10. Automate Smartly
“Automation can transform how efficiently you run paid search campaigns,” says Rebecca Pilkington. “But it only works when you give it the right rules and the right data.”
Smart automation isn’t about handing the keys to Google or Microsoft. It’s about using scripts, rules, and dynamic elements to scale decisions without losing control.
“For a very simple example, you can set up a rule that automatically increases the budget when search impressions surge. If impressions rise by 50%, your budget can flex by the same amount, ensuring you capture new demand without delay,” explains Rebecca.
Dynamic tools also help ads stay relevant in real time. Features like keyword insertion or location-based tailoring automatically update ad copy to match what the user is searching for.
“The key is balance,” Rebecca adds. “Automation should make campaigns more responsive, but it still needs human oversight to make sure spend is aligned to ROI.”
Paid Search Strategy for B2B
Rebecca Pilkington’s core advice is simple: “Make sure data informs every part of your B2B paid search strategy.”
B2B sales cycles are rarely straightforward. They often involve multiple stakeholders, long decision-making processes, and months (sometimes years) between the first click and the closed deal. Judging campaign success on short-term lead volume alone can make strong campaigns look like failures.
“Use every data source available, like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), your CRM, sales team feedback, even customer reviews,” Rebecca says. “With B2B, you need to think like a data analyst. All of those insights should shape how you build and optimise campaigns.”
The goal is to connect early signals with long-term revenue. By tracking and analysing data across platforms, you can see which keywords, audiences, and touchpoints influence high-value deals, even if the final conversion happens far later. This ensures your budget stays focused on activity that drives pipeline growth and ROI.
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Paid Search Strategy for B2C
“Get in front of your audience before they even know they need your product or service,” recommends Rebecca Pilkington.
Unlike B2B, B2C sales cycles are fast. Decisions are often emotional, driven by urgency, convenience, or price. That means top-of-funnel activity and brand visibility are just as important as bottom-of-funnel targeting.
Personalisation is also key. “B2C paid search strategies work best when ads speak directly to individual needs and preferences,” Rebecca explains. Tailored ad copy, dynamic keyword insertion, and audience-specific landing pages all help create a seamless, personalised experience.
By combining awareness campaigns with personalised messaging, B2C businesses can capture attention early, build emotional connection, and drive quick conversions. The result is more clicks that turn into sales and a stronger ROI from paid search.
Improve the ROI of Your Paid Search Strategy
A well-built paid search strategy is the difference between wasted clicks and measurable growth.
Here’s a quick recap of the 10 tips shared by Rebecca Pilkington:
- Track every meaningful action to capture real results.
- Keep your account structure clean and scalable.
- Group keywords by theme to match search intent.
- Layer audiences to sharpen targeting.
- Improve Quality Score to reduce CPCs.
- Optimise landing pages for seamless conversions.
- Write ad copy that sells, not blends in.
- Plug CRM data into campaigns to drive revenue growth.
- Use visuals to stand out in crowded SERPs.
- Automate smartly without losing control.
If you’re ready to get more from your PPC, we can help. Our expert team builds data-driven PPC strategies that turn clicks into customers and ad spend into revenue. Request a website and marketing review, and let’s talk about how to scale your paid campaign results.
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FAQs
What falls under paid search?
Paid search covers any advertising where businesses pay to appear in search engine results. This includes text ads, Shopping ads, and local service ads on platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. The goal is to reach users who are actively searching for products or services you offer.
Should you have a different paid search strategy for B2B and B2C?
Yes, B2B and B2C paid search strategies should be different. B2B campaigns focus on long sales cycles, data-driven targeting, and high-quality leads, while B2C campaigns require rapid impact, emotional messaging, and broader reach. Tailoring your approach ensures you optimise for the right outcomes in each market.
How often should I update my paid search strategy?
“You should review your paid search strategy every quarter,” recommends Rebecca Pilkington. “That gives you enough data to see whether your tests performed as expected and to spot anything that isn’t working. A quarterly review doesn’t always mean changing direction, but it ensures your strategy stays aligned with performance and market trends.”
