If you’re spending five – or six- figures a month on paid search, and still asking “is this even working?..”, you’re not alone.
A global life sciences technology leader recently asked Rebound to evaluate their Google Ads performance across three of their most strategic product lines. They weren’t sure if SEM was a viable long-term channel—or just a budget black hole. With product launches looming and pipeline pressure rising, they needed clarity fast.
The Brief: Improve Lead Quality. Prove Value. Protect the Brand.
Rebound was tasked with:
- Generating qualified leads that belonged in pipeline
- Making paid media spend more efficient
- Supporting launches with credible digital visibility
- Ensuring everything stayed brand- and compliance-safe
What we uncovered is something we see often in B2B healthtech SEM accounts: automation overload, minimal oversight, and data that couldn’t be trusted.
Step 1: Audit, Diagnose, and Get Real
Our audit revealed several systemic issues:
1. Broad Match Bloat
The entire program leaned heavily on broad match keywords. That’s a fast track to noise. One keyword alone, designed to attract interest in “clinical trial technology”, instead pulled in thousands of users searching for “how to sign up for a paid clinical trial.” Not only irrelevant, but misleading. $25,000 was wasted on false conversions from non-buyers.
2. No Negative Keyword Discipline
Without regular search term reviews, the account couldn’t filter out junk queries. Google saw conversions and kept optimizing for the wrong behavior. CPCs went up, quality scores went down, and MQLs never materialized.
3. Polluted Conversion Data
Irrelevant clicks don’t just waste money. They train Google to optimize for the wrong things. The entire account’s learning model became corrupted. That made it nearly impossible to scale effectively or trust performance metrics.
4. Auto-Apply Chaos
Google’s default auto-apply settings were wreaking havoc: changing match types, auto-generating headlines, and adjusting bid strategies behind the scenes. It was like letting a robot steer blindfolded through a regulatory minefield.
5. Compliance Flags
Ads were getting flagged and suppressed because of sensitive terms like “clinical trial.” That meant delayed launches, under-delivery, and lost visibility at critical moments.
Step 2: Rebuild the Engine. Reclaim Control
Instead of optimizing around the edges, we rebuilt the program from scratch — with precision, discipline, and compliance at the core.
Match Types That Actually Match the Buyer
We eliminated broad match across the board, replacing it with tightly themed ad groups built on phrase and exact match keywords. Yes, the volume was lower, but the intent was much higher. We targeted actual buyers, not tire-kickers or trial participants.
Search Term Hygiene as a Ritual
In the first few months, we audited search terms weekly. Every irrelevant query got flagged and added to the negative list. That helped rebuild data integrity fast and ensured budget flowed only to the right clicks.
Manual Controls Restored
We shut off all auto-apply settings and reasserted control over:
- Bid strategies
- Keyword changes
- Creative assets
No more “surprise” changes. Everything went through Rebound’s internal QA process—especially anything that could trigger compliance red flags.
Compliance-Conscious Copy and Keywording
We rewrote all ad copy and removed ambiguous language that might confuse Google’s review systems. Wherever necessary, we submitted formal appeals and adjusted landing page messaging to stay aligned with platform policies.
Clean Data = Real Optimization
Once the irrelevant traffic was cleared, conversion data started to reflect real buyer behavior. That gave us a foundation to optimize smarter, build confidence, and grow sustainably.
The Results: Real Gains, Real Fast
In just 4 months, Rebound delivered:
+172% increase in MQL-generating conversions
-62% decrease in cost per conversion
+57% increase in impressions
+12% increase in clicks
-6% decrease in CPC
#1 impression share vs. competitors
And the client’s reaction?
“Can’t tell you how excited we are with these results… Night and day from our last campaign. You did a wonderful job, and our content is really getting the traction we knew it could get—with the right audiences!”
– Associate Director, Product Marketing
The Takeaway: Search Doesn’t Have to Be a Gamble
If you’re a startup or growth-stage company in life sciences tech, you don’t have budget to burn.
You need SEM that works from Day One—and works for your real audience.
That’s where Rebound comes in. We build and manage SEM programs that:
- Drive real MQLs
- Align to compliance and regulatory nuance
- Stay accountable to pipeline, not vanity metrics
- Adapt to fast-moving product launches
- Protect brand integrity and data trust
SEM can be a strategic growth engine. But only if it’s built with precision, control, and deep understanding of your market.
Curious if your paid search is working as hard as it could be?
Let’s take a look. Book a call to learn how we can help you get more from your marketing.
