A prospective client approaches you to run paid ads for their business. Eager to get started, you decide to take a look at their website first.
But to your dismay, you find that their website is, to put it bluntly, not up to par.
It’s not just subpar; it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Now, as a responsible digital marketer, you understand that no matter how much money is poured into ad campaigns, a poorly designed and non-conversion-friendly website can be a black hole for marketing budgets.
But, here is the catch – you don’t want to lose the client. Instead of outright saying no, you offer them a lifeline – a website audit.
While the website audit and the fixes are in progress, what can you do to keep the momentum going? Well, focus on the low-hanging fruits.
Here are a few strategies to consider:
1) Running Native Ads (Facebook lead ads, LinkedIn Lead-Gen Ads)
2) Running Call-Only Ads (Google Ads Call-Only Campaigns)
3) Dedicated One-Page Landing Pages
4) Building Remarketing Lists
5) Building Top-of-the-Funnel Audience
6) Building awareness or educating the audience with Lead Magnets
The key here is to promote the brand, create awareness, and engage the audience even in the absence of a fully functional website.
These strategies can act as a bridge until the website is revamped/ready to bring conversions.
However, the crucial message here is the website audit.
I’ve seen horror stories of marketers rushing into campaigns without assessing the website’s health first, leading to poor performance and disappointed clients.
A campaign with a bad website is a recipe for disaster.
Always, and I mean ALWAYS, conduct a thorough website audit before starting paid campaigns.