increase in total CRM-confirmed leads
Named SEO Agency & Integrated Search Agency
of the Year 2026
112% More Leads & 50% Lower CPL for Care Directory
Autumna Wins Best UK PPC Campaign at Global Search Awards 2026
The Challenge
Autumna’s PPC campaigns were delivering some results, but performance had plateaued. Lead quality was inconsistent, spend efficiency was limited, and the account lacked the strategic direction needed to turn PPC into a predictable growth channel.
This was also a highly sensitive healthcare market. Users searching for care are often family members who are stressed, short on time, and making emotionally difficult decisions. That meant the paid search strategy had to do more than generate clicks. It had to build trust quickly and guide users towards meaningful action.
The Business
Autumna is the UK’s largest directory for later life living, listing care homes, home care agencies, and retirement properties. Their platform connects families with the right care options at one of the most emotionally sensitive decision points in their lives.
The Goal
The main goal of the Google Ads campaign was to increase high-intent care enquiries (specifically shortlist requests) while reducing wasted spend. We aimed to more than double the volume of high-intent enquiries without sacrificing lead quality.
The Strategy
Build Landing Pages Around Trust
We created dedicated PPC landing pages aligned to specific care intents, including care homes and retirement living. Instead of pushing conversion straight away, the pages prioritised reassurance, trust signals, and clear next steps. This improved the experience for overwhelmed users and increased the likelihood of high-intent actions.
Improve Efficiency Before Increasing Spend
Rather than simply raising the PPC budget, we focused on making the existing spend work harder. We introduced shared budgets, prioritised days when intent was strongest, and reduced wasted spend by tightening keyword targeting, strengthening exclusions, and improving Ad Rank and Quality Score. This helped Autumna capture more valuable demand without chasing low-quality traffic.
Optimise for Better Leads, Not Just More Leads
We redefined success around lead quality, not just cost per lead. Shortlists, booking actions, opt-in rates, and sales team review signals were used to guide optimisation decisions. This ensured that PPC activity was aligned with real-world outcomes and helped make the channel a more reliable source of high-intent enquiries.
Exposure Ninja helped us take control of our Google Ads, transforming it into a far more effective channel for lead generation. We’ve seen significantly more high-intent enquiries while reducing acquisition costs, and the strategic approach has given us greater confidence in our marketing performance.
Mike Hodges
Head of Product & Data
The Results
Between October–December 2025 and April–June 2026, CRM-confirmed leads from Google Ads increased by 112%, while spend rose by just 7%. Because we tracked leads that reached Autumna’s CRM, not just platform conversions, this growth reflects real enquiries, driven by stronger alignment with search intent, improved messaging and a conversion-focused user journey.
Cost per lead fell by 50% over the same period. Wasted budget was cut and investment redirected towards high-intent activity, creating a more efficient, scalable PPC model that delivers more leads for less.
Care home leads, Autumna’s highest-priority enquiry type, increased by 159%. By July 2026, daily care home leads had nearly tripled compared with October 2025. The growth came from families actively progressing towards care decisions, making PPC a reliable driver of real-world outcomes.
Related Work
Search marketing campaigns that drive real results.
