PPC for a Automotive Company: Case Study
PartsGateway is a UK-based automotive platform that connects customers with car breakers across the country.
Users simply enter their registration number and receive quotes from suppliers based on their location, making it an efficient way to source car parts quickly.
However, in a highly competitive market, generating leads at a sustainable cost was becoming increasingly difficult.
In this case study, I’ll walk through how I approached the account, refined the strategy, and reduced cost per lead while improving overall performance.
About the Business and Objectives
PartsGateway operates in a competitive lead generation space within the automotive industry.
Their model is built around:
Users submitting vehicle details
Receiving multiple quotes from UK-based breakers
Driving high-intent leads to suppliers
The objectives were clear:
Reduce cost per lead as much as possible
Improve reporting transparency
Optimise budget allocation
Relaunch additional channels like Microsoft Ads
This wasn’t about scaling blindly. It was about making every lead more cost-efficient and improving how performance was measured.
Plan of Action
Before making major changes, I focused on understanding both the account and the business itself.
A key part of the process was working closely with the business owner, who had deep insight into:
Which manufacturers performed best
What types of enquiries led to real sales
Where budget was being wasted
From there, the plan was to:
Align campaigns with top-performing manufacturers
Reduce reliance on generic, low-quality traffic
Clean up campaign structure and spend allocation
Improve tracking and reporting clarity
PPC Strategy and Approach
With a clear direction, the strategy focused on efficiency, relevance, and control.
1. Learning From What Already Worked
Rather than starting from scratch, I analysed historical data and combined that with insights from the business owner.
This allowed me to:
Double down on proven areas
Avoid repeating past mistakes
Build a more focused campaign structure
2. Manufacturer-Led Targeting
Instead of pushing generic “car parts” queries, I shifted focus towards:
Specific manufacturers
Higher-intent searches
More relevant user journeys
This helped improve lead quality as well as conversion rates.
3. Account Restructure and Spend Control
The existing account had:
Heavy reliance on branded campaigns
Unnecessary spend in low-value areas
I restructured the account to:
Reduce wasted brand spend
Reallocate budget to higher-performing campaigns
Simplify campaign structure for better control
4. Launching Microsoft Ads
One of the missed opportunities was Microsoft Ads.
After launching and optimising campaigns:
Cost per lead was competitive
Conversion volume increased
Additional revenue came in at a lower cost compared to Google Ads
Results Achieved
Within the first three months, the impact was clear.
Key results included:
Lowest cost per conversion in over a year
Significant reduction in wasted brand spend
Improved lead quality and conversion rates
Successful launch of Microsoft Ads with strong early performance
By focusing on efficiency and relevance, the account became far more sustainable in a competitive space.
Conclusion
This project highlights the importance of aligning PPC strategy with real business insights.
By focusing on what actually drives value, not just traffic, it’s possible to significantly reduce cost per lead even in competitive industries.
Cleaning up account structure, improving targeting, and expanding into new channels like Microsoft Ads all contributed to stronger overall performance.
If you're interested in professional PPC management to grow your business, feel free to get in touch via my contact page at jonnyswiftppc.com/contact. I'd be happy to discuss how PPC can work for you.
