Anyone who works in B2B marketing recognizes the problem. You invest in marketing channels such as Google Ads, you see traffic coming in, but your conversions are declining. This symbolizes a trend that we are increasingly encountering. Prospects increasingly want to see information without immediately leaving their details. The result is that you have (too) few conversions to report to Google, making it increasingly difficult to prove the added value of campaigns.
At Anglers we also encountered this ourselves. In this article we share our solution, which has been providing better quality leads for over two years now, and how you can get started with this today.
Consumer behavior is changing
Between 2023 and 2024, we noticed that our rate calculator was returning fewer and fewer completed forms. Not because the tool did not work, but because the behavior of our visitors changed. People want to gather information first before they leave their email address anywhere. Lead generation is changing with this trend, and forms are no longer the only way to generate leads.
This meant that we achieved fewer hard conversions. And that is difficult when you want to optimize Google Ads. Without conversion data, the algorithm cannot learn. Alternative conversion actions such as time-on-page or scroll depth sound nice, but say little about the quality of a visitor. We do not see a student who spends ten minutes on your page as a good lead.
We needed a way to track quality conversions without having to rely on forms. Together with Michelle we found this solution.
The solution: offline conversion tracking
We shifted our focus from hard conversions to intentions. We used Leadinfo for this. Leadinfo recognizes companies that visit your website. But the real value is in how you use that data. Instead of just looking at who comes by, we decided to use Leadinfo to send the right conversion signals to Google Ads.
The idea is simple. If a company that matches our ideal customer profile returns several times and visits important pages, then that is a serious prospect. We link that information back to Google Ads as an offline conversion. This way, the algorithm receives relevant signals, even without someone completing a form.
How we set this up
We started by defining our target group. Not every company that visits our website is relevant. That’s why we had filter criteria based on location, company size and exclusions.
We then set up triggers in Leadinfo. A recognized visitor receives a tag when all conditions are met: the company fits within our target group, they have visited important pages (such as our hiring pages or contact page) and they have returned at least twice.
We linked this trigger to Google Ads as an offline conversion via Zapier. Every time a business gets the tag, Google Ads receives a conversion signal.
More contact moments and better quality
This setup has been running for over two years now and we have noticed the impact in several areas.
Sales now receives a signal for a proactive approach. When a company activates the trigger, we have set up various follow-up actions for our sales team. This works better than cold calling, because we know there is already interest.
In addition, we see that visitors contact us more often independently. They call or email directly instead of filling out a form. The moment of contact shifts, but the quality of the leads has increased.
Why this can also work for your B2B organization
The core of this approach is that you don’t have to rely on traditional conversions to optimize your campaigns. In B2B the customer journey is longer and more complex than in B2C. People do extensive research before contacting them. By using business recognition as a conversion signal, you give Google Ads the data it needs to learn what your ideal customers might be. This will significantly improve your targeting.
It’s not about more conversions, but about better signals. Leadinfo helps us to identify the right companies and use that information where it matters: in our advertising campaigns and in our sales approach.
It’s not about more conversions, but about better signals.
Get started
Would you like to get started with this approach yourself? Start with a thorough analysis of your website where forms are important, and think carefully about your ideal customer profile. At Anglers we have the knowledge and expertise to support you with this. Our marketers strengthen SME companies from within. Not as external advisors, but as part of the team. In this way they help organizations to build structure, knowledge and continuity in marketing.
