Drive Paid Media growth in the HR Software space
Paid Media for HR Software
Paid Media is an effective channel for reaching niche audiences, but not all strategies are created equal. We’ll show you the tried and tested tactics for success.
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Turn clicks into leads
Every click costs in the paid media HR software landscape, but not all of them count. A structured paid media campaign in this vertical is essential because the cost for each click is among the highest in the SaaS market.
Failure to plan will result in budgets disappearing. At Hallam, we build paid ecosystems that turn clicks into sales-qualified leads by targeting segmented audiences with scroll-stopping creative.
The importance of paid media in HR software
A paid media strategy is critical for those looking to sell HR software because the market is so saturated with firms competing for terms such as “HR software” and “payroll management”.
And while organic search optimisation is an essential marketing channel, it takes time. Paid media, when done right, gives brands instant visibility for high-value search terms in niche segments.
It must be smartly engineered to work and centred around decision makers so that every click contributes to the commercial outcomes that matter to you.. HR software vendors cannot afford inefficiency in this channel, with cost per click regularly exceeding $90 (£69). Every impression needs to serve a purpose.
The Four Challenges of Paid Media in HR Software
High cost per click and competition
Broad HR related terms, such as “HR software”, often cost around $90 for each click, yet many campaigns will only enjoy a 1% conversion rate. These sorts of costs aren’t sustainable for emerging HR SaaS companies, with the likes of Sage ranking consistently for these broad terms.
Broad match waste
Companies waste budgets targeting broad terms that are being typed by decision makers with low levels of buying intent who may click on the page but fail to convert because they’re not ready. Eloomi, a Hallam client, spent 42% of its budget on terms that were irrelevant to them before they came to us.
Channel imbalance
Too often, the budget is just allocated for Google Ads without consideration for where HR leaders actually spend their time. Investing in areas like LinkedIn and YouTube ensures ads appear in the places where your audience already is.
Poor segmentation
Too often, SaaS vendors target multiple locations without considering each region’s specific nuances and segmentations, the net result of which is just more wasted budget. HR platform Lattice were underperforming until our team properly segmented campaigns by geography and role seniority.
A full-funnel paid media approach is the only way
The key to a truly successful paid media campaign is reaching specific audiences at every stage of their journey. It’s no use targeting bottom-of-funnel keywords if you haven’t spent the time building awareness at the top of it.
Awareness
Build credibility with audiences unaware of your brand with thought leadership content.
Consideration
As leaders start to select potential vendors, target them with lead gen forms and demo signs.
Conversion
Target high-intent exact match terms being searched by those ready to invest and retarget them so that your brand appears as they browse other content.
Nurture
Smart remarketing and email sequences help to re-engage leads with assets that prove you are the right choice for HR leaders.
Hallam’s paid media team used this approach for Eloomi. After restructuring their account, we achieved a 21% increase in sales-qualified leads. We make sure budgets don’t sit idle by tailoring our approach to each vertical, be it SMEs, education, or healthcare.
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A Joined-Up Channel Strategy for HR Software
Our channel strategy is two things: integrated and specific.
By selecting channels and then creating assets which flow seamlessly from one to another, we not only ensure a strong brand identity but also visibility no matter where your audience is scrolling, tapping, or swiping.
For Google Search, prioritise exact and phrase match Tier 1 keywords such as “HR software UK” and “payroll management system” while reducing waste on broad, informational terms. A tiered structure where 50% of the budget is spent on tier 1 terms, 30% on tier 2, and the final 15% spent on remarketing is useful, too.
LinkedIn is the go-to channel for HR and C-suite buyers, and it allows HR SaaS companies to target individuals by job titles, groups, and industries with engaging ads that appear in their feed. Lattice’s LinkedIn overhaul helped to increase demo requests by 31% with an $8m pipeline.
Top of funnel awareness can be found on YouTube, with many HR professionals watching demos and tutorials on the platform, making it a perfect home for engaging brand recognition content.
Multichannel remarketing across all these platforms is critical for nurturing decision makers both in the moments where they’re actively looking for solutions and when they’re enjoying their favourite content.
Proven Creative & Ad Formats
HR SaaS buyers are largely time poor, but all have pain points they’re looking to solve. Therefore, all your creative assets should be geared toward showing how your software does that.
Some proven ad formats in this sector include:
- LinkedIn eBook ads, which Lattice used to achieve a 745% increase in deadlines and a huge 80% reduction in cost per lead.
- InMail and Conversation ads offer a consistent $12.81 (£9.54) cost per lead for HR specific audiences.
- Google responsive search ads use integration-led messaging, for example, “Our software integrates with X payroll system”, which helps to drive click-through rates.
- Video ads helped Lattice showcase its culture and the performance of its software.
The Importance of Measurement & Optimisation
If you can’t measure the return on investment, your visibility is meaningless. Hallam’s paid media team uses Looker Studio to create customer dashboards that let you see the number of SQLs and MQLs which have come through as a result of your ads, not just impressions.
