SaaS Google Ads | Free-Trial Focused

In SaaS products, the ad’s goal is almost always a free trial signup or demo request — not a direct sale. That means the bidding strategy and the whole campaign structure need to be built around that intermediate step.

Competitor comparison searches are valuable

Searches like “[competitor product] alternative” or “what to use instead of [competitor]” come from someone already using a solution but considering a switch — a high-intent segment. Dedicated ad groups catching these searches are worth building.

LinkedIn reaches the decision-maker

In B2B SaaS the purchase decision usually involves multiple people. While Google Ads catches existing demand, LinkedIn ads complement it by reaching the decision-maker in a business context.

Trial-to-paid conversion needs to be measured

Measuring signup count alone can mislead; what matters is how many signups convert to a paid subscription. Without feeding that data back, the bidding strategy can end up optimising toward the wrong audience.

How do we start? First we discuss your product and your competitor landscape. You can reach me from the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I target free trial or free demo?

If your product is easy to try on its own, trial; if it’s complex and needs setup, a demo request is a more realistic first step.

Should I bid on a competitor’s brand name?

Targeting the keyword is possible, but using the brand in ad copy can create policy problems; leaning on general “alternative” language is safer.

What should the real target conversion be for SaaS?

Long-term, conversion to paid subscription; signup count can be tracked short-term but real revenue is what to optimise for.