Shh… This is the Secret to Better Leads

The following Regulatory Tech (anonymised for this case study) is a global leader in software solutions within highly regulated industries. With a diverse suite of products and an ambitious growth strategy, the client required a performance marketing approach that would go beyond generating leads and deliver measurable business impact.

What We Learned

What began as a campaign optimisation brief became a blueprint for growth-oriented demand generation. A few key takeaways:

Quality trumps volume: High-intent leads are worth investing in, even if they come at a higher initial cost.

Channel roles matter: Allocating spend based on funnel stage and platform strength drives better efficiency.

Measurement is everything: Without the right data infrastructure (RAR, CAPI, dashboards), optimising for pipeline is little more than guesswork.

The Challenge

At the start of FY25, the client had a clear objective: to improve the quality of marketing-generated leads in order to better support the sales pipeline and drive conversion at scale.

Although the client’s existing campaigns were generating leads in good volume, there was an increasing need to move beyond quantity alone. The business required a shift in focus towards qualified leads that demonstrated genuine intent, and towards campaigns that could demonstrably influence revenue outcomes.

We were tasked with answering this challenge through a complete rethink of channel strategy, media mix, and performance measurement.

Our Approach

We began by re-engineering the performance foundations for both Paid Search and Paid Social. This wasn’t about simply increasing budgets or testing additional channels; it was about smart, strategic orchestration that aligned closely with how and where their customers engage.

A Full-Funnel Framework

We designed a connected media strategy that aligned to the buyer journey – top, middle, and bottom of funnel (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU) – ensuring each campaign played a precise role in building awareness, nurturing interest, and driving conversions.

Each platform was assigned a purpose:

Google delivered broad reach and strong conversion rates through high-intent TOFU campaigns

Microsoft Ads excelled at MOFU targeting, leveraging LinkedIn integration to refine audience quality

LinkedIn focused on decision-makers within the ideal customer profile, optimising for lead generation and audience insights

Optimising for Quality, Not Just Volume

We adopted a mindset shift from “cost per lead” to “cost per qualified lead”, making performance decisions not on vanity metrics but on how each tactic influenced the sales pipeline.

We achieved this by:

Refining audience targeting by seniority, job function and industry

Prioritising MOFU investment into Microsoft Ads (lower CPC, better match with audience intent)

Running A/B tests on landing pages and creative assets to increase conversions from best-fit audiences

We were able to deliver leads with higher potential to convert to MQLs and SQLs.

To underpin all activity, we rolled out a custom-built dashboard offering near real-time performance visibility. This gave both the marketing and sales teams a shared view of success, enabling more confident investment and faster feedback loops.

The Impact

We saw a transformational shift in lead quality during the first three quarters of FY25. By Q3, we were generating fewer leads, but at higher quality and lower cost and crucially, more aligned with sales conversion goals.

Key Performance HighlightsIn Q3, we focused on improving audience alignment and eliminating low-intent traffic. The results were clear: less budget wastage, stronger campaign ROI, and higher conversion efficiency across all channels.

Strategic Wins by Channel

Search

Our ISO and Compliance campaigns drove exceptional TOFU performance, achieving click-through rates of up to 31% and CPLs as low as £16

We used Microsoft Ads’ LinkedIn targeting to reach decision-makers with MOFU content, improving conversion efficiency and reducing CPC by over 70% vs Google

Social

LinkedIn generated 1,446 leads in Q3 with a 12.02% CVR, exceeding industry benchmarks

By focusing on senior Operations, QA, and Finance job functions, we maximised engagement with those closest to the buying decision

Our Document Review Retargeting ads delivered an impressive 50% conversion rate, proving the power of intelligent retargeting at the lower funnel

What’s Next

Looking ahead to FY26, we’ll build on this momentum by:

Rolling out multi-touch nurturing frameworks across channels

Expanding into new social formats (video and document ads) to build stronger retargeting pools

Deepening integration between marketing and CRM to enable true revenue attribution

Conclusion

By realigning media strategy with business outcomes, we’ve not only generated leads but also converted attention into genuine opportunity. This is what performance marketing should achieve: bridging the gap between visibility and value.