In B2B marketing, Google Ads is a high‑intent channel that can produce qualified pipeline when it’s planned and measured properly. But B2C playbooks rarely transfer neatly. Lower search volumes, longer buying journeys, multiple stakeholders and higher CPCs all change how you structure campaigns, choose keywords, write ads and track success.
This guide lays out a complete, practical B2B Google Ads strategy — built for consultants, SaaS businesses, agencies and in‑house teams who want paid search to contribute real revenue, not just clicks. It’s written in British English and optimised for search intent terms such as B2B Google Ads strategy, B2B PPC, B2B lead generation and Google Ads for SaaS.
Table of contents
- Understand the B2B buyer journey
- Choose the right campaign types
- Keyword & match type strategy
- Build audience layers
- Landing pages that convert
- Track the right conversions
- Optimise campaign settings
- Write copy for business buyers
- Use remarketing strategically
- Scale intelligently
- FAQs
- Conclusion
1. Understand the B2B buyer journey
B2B buying is slower and more deliberate than consumer purchases. Prospects usually research across weeks or months, interact with multiple touchpoints and involve several stakeholders before anything is approved. That reality should shape both your messaging and your measurement.
Map your ads to the funnel. Use Search to capture demand the moment it appears, then support with content and remarketing that educates evaluators and builds internal consensus. Success isn’t about a single conversion event; it’s about moving people from anonymous researcher to qualified opportunity.
When you measure, look beyond raw lead counts. Track MQLs, SQLs and opportunities, and import offline conversions from your CRM so bidding can optimise towards what actually progresses the sale.
Quick checklist: longer cycles · multi‑touch journeys · multiple stakeholders (users, influencers, decision‑makers)
2. Choose the right campaign types
For most B2B accounts, Search should be the starting point because it meets buyers at the moment of intent. From there, add supporting channels deliberately rather than all at once. Display works well for remarketing and lightweight awareness, especially when you keep audiences tight. YouTube is useful for pre‑click education — short explainers, product tours or webinar clips that de‑risk the next step. Performance Max can be tested once conversion tracking is robust and segmentation is clean; treat it as a test bed rather than the foundation. Discovery can help promote downloadable content or event registrations.
The rule of thumb is simple: start focused, prove unit economics, then expand
3. Nail your keyword & match type strategy
Keywords are your control surface in B2B. Prioritise high‑intent, low‑volume queries that describe problems, categories and buyer context — terms like “B2B CRM for logistics”, “cloud‑based ERP” or “supplier compliance software”. These phrases won’t deliver huge traffic, but the intent is strong and qualification is easier.
Exact and phrase match give you predictable control while you learn. Broad match may work if recent performance allows (CPA 10%-20% lower than target threshold) and once you have solid negative lists, clean conversion signals and helpful audience layers, but it shouldn’t be your day‑one default. Keep pruning search terms that attract students, jobseekers or consumer traffic. In most B2B niches, a compact list of 20–50 laser‑relevant keywords will outperform sprawling inventories.
Match types in brief: Exact — maximum precision while you establish baselines · Phrase — controlled expansion for niche volume · Broad — test only with strong negatives + clean conversion data
4. Build audience layers
Audience signals add valuable context to your keywords. Use Custom Segments created from competitor domains, complementary tools, job titles and industry terminology. If possible (sufficient volume), keep robust remarketing lists so evaluators who browse today can be nudged tomorrow, and deploy Customer Match to re‑engage existing contacts with new offers.
Only add audiences in observation mode. That lets you gather insights and bid‑adjust without constraining delivery.
5. Landing pages that convert
Great ads can’t rescue weak landing pages. Send traffic to pages that continue the conversation your ad began. Speak directly to the pain and the promised outcome. Use simple layouts, fast load times and a single, obvious next step.
Trust matters in B2B. Add recognisable logos, concise testimonials and proof points that reduce risk. One focused CTA usually beats a menu of options — book a demo, request a quote or download a guide. If you need to move quickly, tools like Unbounce or Instapage help you build and test variants without heavy dev cycles.
Page essentials: clear message match · outcome‑led copy · social proof · one primary CTA · sub‑1.5s LCP where possible
6. Track the right conversions
Not all leads are equal, so don’t treat them that way in your reporting or bidding. Configure primary conversions around meaningful actions such as form submissions, booked calls and qualified phone leads. Track micro‑conversions like asset downloads and time on page for diagnostic insight, but avoid feeding them into automated bidding as primary signals.
Close the loop with your CRM. Import offline conversions for SQLs, opportunities and revenue so optimisation reflects commercial value, not vanity metrics. Google Tag Manager will keep your setup maintainable as the site evolves.
7. Optimise campaign settings
A handful of defaults work against B2B efficiency. Turn off Search Partners and Display expansion on search campaigns unless you have a specific test. Set locations to Presence: People in your targeted locations to avoid stray impressions. Run ads during working hours first; expand only if the data supports it. Analyse performance by device — many B2B journeys lean desktop — and if using manual CPC, apply bid adjustments where lead quality lags.
High‑impact tweaks: networks: search only (to start) · locations: presence‑based targeting · schedule: 8am–6pm, Mon–Fri (then test) · devices: watch desktop vs mobile quality
8. Write copy that sells to business buyers
B2B copy should be plain‑spoken and outcome‑led. Focus on ROI, risk reduction, compliance, efficiency or competitive advantage. Tie the headline to the buyer’s job‑to‑be‑done and use descriptions to remove friction or objection. Include extensions to claim more real estate: sitelinks for secondary actions, callouts for differentiators and structured snippets for features. Two or three strong ad variants per ad group is enough to start; let the data guide which angles to lean into.
Example: “Streamline Supplier Audits — Cloud Compliance Software for Manufacturing Teams. Book a Demo Today.”
9. Use remarketing strategically
Few B2B buyers convert on their first visit. Remarketing keeps you present while they research, compare and socialise options internally. Ensure you have All Website visitor lists applied to your campaigns. If volume allows, segment your audiences by intent signals — pricing viewers, product page viewers, content downloaders — and adjust the creative accordingly. Testimonials and case proofs work well for late‑stage audiences, while light educational ads can nurture earlier researchers across Display and YouTube.
10. Scale intelligently
Once unit economics look healthy, scale in measured steps. Increase budgets by 10–20% at a time and watch cost per lead and SQL rates closely. Expand around proven themes: add long‑tail modifiers, launch new ad groups for adjacent use cases and create additional landing pages by vertical. New campaign types — including Performance Max — can be tested when your foundational & well-performing tactics (Search, Display & Video) are in line with target.
Always protect efficiency. Volume without quality is just expensive noise, so keep your eye on pipeline contribution rather than top‑line clicks.
FAQs
What is a B2B Google Ads strategy?
A structured plan to capture and convert business buyers using Search, remarketing and targeted landing pages. It focuses on qualified leads and pipeline, not just traffic.
Do B2B campaigns need different keywords to B2C?
Yes. They’re usually lower‑volume and more specific to problems, categories and industry context. Long‑tail terms outperform generic phrases.
Is Performance Max good for B2B?
It can be once you have robust conversion tracking and clean segmentation. Start with Search, then test PMax when performance is strong.
How should I measure success?
Track form fills and bookings, then import offline conversions (SQLs, opportunities, revenue) from your CRM so you optimise towards commercial value.
Should I advertise on weekends?
Often no. Begin with weekday working hours and only expand if the data shows quality weekend conversions.
Is mobile traffic worth it in B2B?
It depends on the niche. Many journeys lean desktop. Watch device‑level lead quality and bid‑adjust as needed.
Conclusion: B2B PPC is a long game — but a worthwhile one
B2B Google Ads success doesn’t come from hacks or shortcuts. It comes from strategic focus, clean targeting, relevant content and proper measurement. Understand the buyer journey, refine your keyword and audience strategy, and align campaigns with your sales process so paid search drives qualified conversations, not just traffic.
Start small, be ruthless with optimisation and build a system that reflects how your customers actually buy. That’s what separates campaigns that fizzle from those that scale sustainably. If you want help putting this into practice, book a free B2B PPC audit and let’s uncover the quickest wins in your account.