A health and personal care brand came to us with an account that looked healthy. Average ACOS was fine. Conversion rate was fine. On paper, nothing was wrong.
Once we separated branded search from unbranded, true ACOS was 54% higher than the reports were showing. Forty-two per cent of spend was going nowhere, and a third of it was chasing search terms above 40% ACOS.
We restructured the account on 1 February. These are the numbers 45 days later, and this is the whole ledger, not the flattering half.
+15%
total revenue, on 39% less ad spend
The whole ledger
45 days of management
MeasureAt handoverAfter 45 daysChange
Wasted ad spend42%33%−20%
Spend on search terms above 40% ACOS32%11%−66%
Ad spendBaselineDown−39%
ACOSBaselineDown−44%
TACOSBaselineDown−47%
Total revenueBaselineUp+15%