YouTube Ads Case Study:
$73,000 in Profit in 6 Months Running YouTube Ads for a Career Coaching / Course Provider Brand

The objective of the case study

This case study aims to showcase the success achieved by WunderAds (Media Buyer Agency) in partnering with brand in career coaching and that provides a course as well. This brand has helped over 700 individuals launch careers in management consulting, and our goal is to highlight how WunderAds played a crucial role in their journey.

A brief overview of the Project

Client’s industry, market, and any relevant background information

1. The brand operates in the career consulting industry, specifically focusing on helping individuals pursue and succeed in management consulting careers. Through its website, this brand offers a comprehensive range of services, including interview preparation, case studies, resume and cover letter reviews, and networking guidance. They also provide valuable resources, training programs, and coaching services to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to stand out in this industry. They have a team of experienced consultants who provide personalized coaching and support to their clients. With a solid online presence and a reputation for delivering results, this brand has established itself as a leading authority in the management consulting career space.

2. Their target audience comprises students, recent graduates, and professionals looking to transition into management consulting. The brand aims to provide comprehensive support, insider knowledge, and personalized coaching to help these individuals secure coveted consulting job offers.

Problem/Challenge

The problem or challenge the client was experiencing

1. Initially, our client faced challenges in generating sufficient leads and driving potential traffic to their website and existing funnels. They had ambitious plans to increase their ad spend and take their lead generation efforts to new heights. However, they needed more expertise and resources to manage their advertising accounts effectively.

2. They needed a reliable partner who could provide valuable guidance and support in managing their paid media channels. This included driving potential traffic to their website and funnels, such as registrations for their Free Workshops, opt-in leads, and scheduled Free consultation calls.

Solution/Strategy

The approach and strategy used to solve the problem

1. Through our expertise in generating targeted traffic through paid channels, we have implemented a strategic direction for this brand. After analyzing their goals, available resources, and client testimonials, we devised customized advertising plans to drive their success in the competitive consulting industry.
2. Initially, we focused on Search Text ads and YouTube Ads campaigns. By running search text ads and targeting custom keyword clusters, we could reach potential traffic actively by searching for relevant services. We categorized the traffic into three groups: Brand traffic, Non-brand traffic, and Competitor traffic.        

1. For brand traffic, we ran campaigns tailored to capture brand-related searches, directing them to dedicated lead-generation landing pages with compelling ad content and clear calls to action. This approach improved the conversion rate for brand-related leads.

2. For non-brand traffic, we created and ran multiple ad groups targeting relevant keywords to engage prospects and generate interest among cold traffic.

3. With competitor traffic campaigns, we targeted the brand names of top competitors to capture their potential traffic and guide them to dedicated landing pages. This tactic helped us expand the reach and attract more interested prospects.

3. Within 8-12 weeks, the account started generating significant traffic, and the lead list grew.

4. In later stages, we expanded the campaign list to include YouTube Placement ads Discovery Ads, and Performance Max Ads campaigns. This allowed us to tap into additional audience segments and diversify our reach.

5. Over six months, we accumulated substantial data to test and target new audiences, including in-market and affinity segments, website visitors, specific web page visitors, YouTube video viewers, etc.

Essential considerations during the ongoing account management

1. Throughout the campaign, we closely monitored performance and implemented various management strategies to improve results. Initially, the cost per acquisition (CPA) was higher. Still, through ongoing optimization efforts such as pausing underperforming keywords, Ads copy, writing and testing new ads, testing landing page and Funnel variants, optimizing site link extensions, and adjusting bid strategies based on devices and locations, and competitive benchmarks, we successfully lowered the CPA and witnessed significant growth in conversions.

2. To enhance the effectiveness of video ads, we started with a selection of 3-5 video ads featuring different hooks. We collaborated with the video ads production team and the client to refine and improve video content by analyzing the data and providing performance feedback. Our best practices for video ads include capturing the audience’s attention early, highlighting benefits, maintaining brevity, utilizing storytelling techniques, incorporating strong visuals, featuring testimonials, and including clear calls to action.

Overall, our approach and strategies have yielded positive outcomes, driving traffic, increasing leads, and contributing to the success of this brand in the competitive consulting industry.

Results

$73, 420.70 Profit in the last 6 Months 

Cost, Amount of Calls & Calls CPA:

In March 2021, we started running ads for an online coaching program in the consulting offer job career space. It is a $6,000 coaching program sold over the phone, with some sales made for smaller amounts or with payment plans, so the transaction amounts typically range from $970-$6,000.

The funnel looks like this:

OPT-IN → Form → Schedule Call → Lead Quality Check → PHONE CALL → SALE

We track the results using a combination of Google Ads and manual sales tracking.

Measurable results and outcomes achieved

Timeframe: Last 6 Months (01 Jan 2023 To 30 June 2023)

• Ad Spend: $65,262.30

• Leads (opt-ins): 1870

• Cost Per Lead: $34.89

• Calls Booked: 769

• Cost Per Booked Call: $84.87

• Calls Taken: 246

• Cost Per Calls Taken: 265.29

• Enrolled: 42

• Sales Tracked: $138,683

• Cumulative ROAS: 2.12X

It’s important to note that because of the longer sales cycle for this program (sometimes 25-45 days or more) and we have been steadily scaling the ad spend, the ROAS is lower than if we had stopped rising at some point. Increasing ad spend always eats into short-term ROAS.

Account Structure & Testing:

We’ve built a lot of campaigns in this account.

141, to be exact.

Of the 141 campaigns we’ve launched, fewer than (only 19) are currently active.

Before we turned them off, some of those campaigns had reasonably good results, but when we test, we only look for the biggest winners.

As winning campaigns emerged, we started to scale them. Sometimes we would find a campaign with a reasonable cost per lead, but the cost per booked call or the cost per sale needed to be lowered, and we would need to turn those campaigns off.

It has been a constant process of:

1. Launching new campaigns.

2. Killing the losers

3. Scaling the winners

This is how we steadily scaled the ad spend from $3767.60 in January 2022 to $8885.53 in June 2023.

 

Lessons Learned

Lessons or insights gained from the project

• Importance of data analysis: The project highlighted the significance of regularly analyzing and interpreting data to make informed decisions. By closely monitoring campaign performance, we could identify trends, optimize strategies, and allocate resources effectively.

• Customized targeting and messaging: Tailoring ad campaigns to specific audiences and crafting compelling messaging proved highly effective. By understanding the target market and its pain points, we created personalized ads that resonated with potential customers, resulting in improved engagement and conversions.

• Continuous testing and optimization are essential for success.

• Collaboration and communication with the client are key.

• Flexibility and adaptability are necessary for a dynamic digital advertising landscape.  We remained agile in response to market changes, shifting trends, and emerging opportunities throughout the project. This allowed us to pivot strategies and capitalize on new avenues for growth quickly.

Challenges faced and how we overcame them

• Initially, more leads and traffic generation needed to be generated. This was addressed by implementing targeted paid channels and optimizing campaigns for better performance.

• Managing a growing account with increasing ad spending required close monitoring and regular adjustments to maximize results.

• Adapting strategies to changing market conditions and competition helped overcome challenges and stay ahead in the industry.

• Effective communication and collaboration between the client and our team played a crucial role in overcoming obstacles and finding solutions.