MieterEngel’s Growth Through Google Ads

After auditing MieterEngel’s Google Ads account in September 2019, our team was tasked with managing operational work to efficiently scale subscriptions through this channel. As the primary customer acquisition channel for the business, Google Ads required optimization to meet peak season demand in January and February.

The client also needed to significantly improve their CPA (cost per acquisition), as the current rates were too high in relation to their LTV. Maximising subscription rates while achieving this goal was essential, necessitating a complete overhaul and streamlining of the advertising strategy. Compounding these challenges, the pandemic disrupted the market a little, leading to reduced demand for tenant protection services as individuals prioritised immediate financial concerns.

Upon taking over, we found MieterEngel’s Google Ads account to be overly complex, hindering data analysis and efficient conversion growth. Therefore, we decided to simplify the account structure by creating clear segmentation based on customer intent, distinguishing informational keywords (e.g., “heating cost calculations”) from transactional ones (e.g., “tenant protection services”) and ensuring that ads resonated with users at each funnel stage.

To improve efficiency, we shifted from enhanced CPC bidding to target CPA bidding, optimising both cost control and conversion volume. We also refined ad copy to maintain high CTR’s and conducted extensive tests with various landing pages to maximise conversion rates. Additionally, we tailored the messaging to address the pandemic, running ads that highlighted MieterEngel’s support for tenants facing uncertainties due to COVID-19.

Our primary growth channel was Search, but we expanded the strategy to include Display and YouTube ads to boost brand recognition. Search campaigns were segmented between keywords reflecting general inquiries into rent management (e.g., betriebskosten “ancillary costs,” or nebenkosten “heating cost calculations”) and those indicating high intent for tenant legal aid (e.g., mieterhilfe, mieterschutz, and mieterschutzbund, meaning “tenant protection services”). We prioritised regional searches, as tenant laws in Germany vary by state, allowing us to capture users looking for localised legal support.

To capitalise on these regional nuances, we implemented a location-based keyword strategy, capturing local traffic for terms such as mieterschutz berlin (“tenant protection Berlin”) and mieterhilfe hamburg (“tenant assistance Hamburg”). By aligning keywords with both search intent and geographic relevance, we ensured that MieterEngel’s visibility was highest where demand was most relevant. We also implemented robust tracking, setting up conversion goals for subscriptions and micro-conversions (form fills = leads) to build targeted remarketing lists and fine-tune bidding for audiences closer to conversion.

To maximise return on ad spend, we designed an ad schedule tailored to MieterEngel’s peak times, aligning budgets with both seasonal and weekly traffic patterns. For example, we increased ad activity during periods of high search volume for tenant-related issues. Conversion tracking captured both subscriptions and form fills (a 12-question survey), enabling us to build remarketing lists for users who hadn’t yet subscribed. Additionally, we tested multiple landing pages, ultimately identifying a winning design that improved user experience and boosted conversions significantly.

• Significant Subscription Growth: our targeted strategy led to a 225% YoY increase in Google Ads-driven subscriptions in January 2021 compared to January 2020;
• Reduced CPA: by shifting to target CPA bidding and optimising ad scheduling, we reduced CPA by 52%, delivering cost-effective results and enabling MieterEngel to expand its budget allocation toward paid search.
• Improved Search Impression Share: we also achieved a 23 percentage point improvement in search impression share YoY for relevant keyword segments, further enhancing their visibility in the market.
• Enhanced Stability Through Market Disruptions; despite the pandemic’s impact on consumer priorities, we maintained steady subscription growth throughout 2020, helping MieterEngel navigate challenges and position itself for long-term success.

Our strategic overhaul of MieterEngel’s Google Ads approach- simplifying the campaign structure, adopting smart bidding, and focusing on intent-based and regional keywords – was pivotal in achieving scalable growth. This data-driven strategy delivered an increase in subscriptions and a reduction in CPA, solidifying MieterEngel’s position as a leading tenant protection service in Germany.