Scaling Success in a Competitive Market: How One Bank’s Personalized Ads Drove High-Value Leads

For confidentiality reasons, the client’s name has been withheld from this case study.

Meet Our Locally-Owned Banking Client

This locally-owned and operated bank has been in business for 105 years, serving communities with a personal approach to financial services. Their focus on “community banking at its best” ensures customers enjoy fast decision-making, tailored solutions, and a genuine commitment to building long-term relationships. Their expertise spans both retail and commercial banking, with a special emphasis on helping small businesses grow.

The Challenge

Boosting Market Share in Competitive Commercial Segments

Despite a solid reputation in their community, the bank sought to stand out among larger competitors and bring in new, high-value commercial accounts. Two obstacles stood in their way:

1. Raising Brand Visibility: They needed to capture attention in a crowded market where big names often dominate.
2. Addressing Specialized Needs: Small business owners—especially women entrepreneurs—seek hands-on advisory and personal rapport, not just a one-size-fits-all service.

The bank wanted a way to showcase its personal, responsive banking model to these unique audiences, highlighting its ability to deliver customized solutions and build trust.

The Objectives

Making Personal Connections and Fueling Commercial Growth

When they approached Keystone Click, the bank laid out clear success measures:

1. Market Share Expansion in the local commercial banking space, targeting small businesses looking for more personalized banking.
2. Enhanced Reputation as a responsive, community-focused institution, able to offer both agility and long-term support.
3. Increased Engagement with potential clients who value direct, person-to-person interaction in their banking relationships.

Success would mean building awareness, driving site traffic and nurturing meaningful conversations that lead to new business partnerships.

The Strategy

Segmented Google Display Ads for Maximum Relevance

Keystone Click employed a strategic funnel approach, using Google Display Ads to connect with distinct segments and guide them from initial awareness to deeper engagement.

Analysis

• Audience Profiling & Research: We identified two core segments within the Greater Milwaukee region—general small businesses and women-owned enterprises. Each group required specialized messaging to address their unique goals and challenges.
• Data Insights: Early campaign results showed that form submissions were minimal, but many users showed high engagement (spending more than two minutes on the site) and took action by clicking “Contact a Banker.” This confirmed that personal interaction was crucial for these audiences.

Insight

• Preference for Personal Contact: The data revealed small business owners preferred direct conversations with bankers, rather than filling out anonymous forms.
• Women-Focused Creative: Display ads featuring women entrepreneurs resonated with women-owned businesses, demonstrating a genuine commitment to their needs.

Strategy

• Segmented Ad Sets:
  • General Small Business Audience: Emphasized the bank’s breadth of services, flexible financing options, and longstanding community expertise.
  • Women-Owned Businesses: Tailored messaging and visuals to highlight how the bank understands and supports women entrepreneurs.
• Funnel Tactics:
  • Top of Funnel (TOF): Generated broad awareness with ads introducing the bank’s 105-year legacy and community focus.
  • Middle of Funnel (MOF): Retargeting to warm audiences with customer testimonials and success stories, reinforcing trust and credibility.
  • Bottom of Funnel (BOF): Urged high-intent leads to “Contact a Banker” for personalized advice and quick decision-making.
• Continuous Optimization: The budget was shifted to the strongest-performing ads, and creatives were refined to highlight the bank’s human touch.

The Results

Achieving Meaningful Engagement with High-Value Leads

With Keystone Click’s strategic support, the bank saw a significant lift in both brand exposure and tangible lead interactions:

• 3.58 Million Impressions: Introduced the bank to thousands of local business owners and reinforced its community presence.
• 34,936 Clicks (0.97% CTR): Demonstrated an engaged audience driven by relevant and well-targeted ads.
• 22,039 Conversions (62.88% Conversion Rate): Notably, 21,833 conversions reflected users spending over two minutes on the site, indicating strong interest.
• Contact Preference: 199 “Contact a Banker” clicks revealed the audience’s preference for human-to-human communication over online forms.
• Cost Efficiency:
  • Cost per Conversion: $0.18
  • Total Ad Spend: $3,979.29
  • Average CPC: $0.11

High click-through rates and time on site underscored the campaign’s relevance.

Transform Your Business with Keystone Click

Your Future of Growth, Just a Click Away

Are you ready to see the same kind of results? Like this locally-owned bank, your business can leverage personalized messaging, strategic targeting, and a human approach to build genuine connections with your audience.

Contact Keystone Click today to learn how we can tailor a solution that meets your unique needs and drives the kind of engagement and growth you’ve been looking for. Let’s work together to create your own success story!