When did you last search for something online and not click on an ad?
The truth is, paid ads have become so ingrained in our browsing experience that they’re almost unavoidable. However, pay-per-click (PPC) ads remain an underutilized tool for many insurance companies that can drive high-quality leads.
As an insurance provider, attracting clients through organic methods can take time. However, PPC campaigns offer an immediate way to target potential clients when searching for coverage. Many companies still hesitate to invest in PPC due to fears about cost or a lack of knowledge about doing it right.
The beauty of PPC for insurance companies is that when executed correctly, it can bring in leads quickly and ensure you’re reaching the right audience actively searching for insurance solutions. The average conversion rate for PPC ads in the insurance industry is about 5.1%, significantly higher than in many other sectors.
In this blog, I’ll explain the essential strategies behind PPC for insurance companies, including how to create effective ads, select the right keywords, and measure your ROI so you can make every ad dollar count.
3 Prerequisites Before You Start PPC for Insurance Companies
Having the proper foundation in place before jumping into your PPC for insurance company campaigns is essential. This will ensure your ads reach the right people and generate meaningful results:
Clear Business Goals: Start by defining your goals. Do you want to generate leads, increase quotes, or drive more policy sign-ups? Understanding what you want to achieve helps you measure success and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Well-Defined Target Audience: Knowing exactly who you’re targeting is crucial. Are you looking for homeowners needing home insurance or drivers searching for auto coverage? Identifying your ideal customers allows you to craft more relevant and effective ads for your specific audience.
Proper Keyword Research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the exact search terms your audience is using. Utilize tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to ensure your PPC for insurance companies campaign targets the most effective keywords that align with your services.
PPC for Insurance Company: The Ultimate Strategy for Increased Conversions
Now that you’ve set the right foundations with the prerequisites for your PPC for insurance company campaigns, it’s time to get into the core strategy. This detailed guide will help you explore the ins and outs of PPC and use it effectively to drive quality leads, increase conversions, and maximize your ROI.
Here are the 12 steps to run a successful PPC campaign for your insurance company:
1. Choose the Right PPC Platform for Your Insurance Company
Not all PPC platforms will work for your insurance business, and choosing the right one is crucial for maximizing ROI. While Google Ads is a great starting point, other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can also be effective depending on your target audience. When running PPC for insurance companies, it’s essential to choose platforms where potential clients are most likely to be, whether through search queries, social media, or display ads.
PPC for insurance companies spans multiple channels. These channels can be grouped into search, display, and social media ads, each offering unique ways to reach and engage your target market. Here’s a breakdown of the types of PPC ads that can work for your insurance business:
| Category | Channel Examples |
| Search Ads | Google, Bing |
| Display Ads | GDN, Microsoft Audience, AdMob |
| Social Ads | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X |
| Video Ads | YouTube, TikTok, Meta, Snapchat |
| Native Ads | Taboola, Outbrain |
Search Ads: Search ads appear when users search for specific keywords, like “auto insurance near me.” This is an effective way to reach individuals actively looking for insurance services.
- Google Ads (Search Network)
- Microsoft Ads (Bing Ads)
Display Ads: Display ads are visual/banner ads on various websites, YouTube, apps, and more. They are ideal for PPC for insurance companies looking to raise awareness and capture users’ attention while browsing the web or watching videos.
- Google Display Network (GDN)
- Microsoft Audience Network
Social Media Ads: All major social platforms offer PPC-style advertising where you pay per click, impression, or action. Consider these for engaging your audience where they spend most of their time:
- Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
- LinkedIn Ads
- X (formerly Twitter) Ads
- Pinterest Ads
- TikTok Ads
- Snapchat Ads
Social media advertising effectively targets specific demographics and interests, especially when building brand awareness and driving leads.
Video Ads: Video ads can be a powerful way to engage your audience, especially on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. These can be set to run on a pay-per-view or pay-per-click basis, allowing you to showcase your insurance services more engagingly and visually compellingly.
- YouTube Ads (via Google Ads)
- TikTok Ads
- Meta Video Ads (Facebook/Instagram
Native Ads: Native ads blend smoothly with editorial content, allowing your ads to appear as part of the content feed on other websites. This is an excellent way for insurance companies to reach users who may not otherwise engage with traditional display or search ads.
- Taboola, Outbrain, MGID
By understanding the different types of PPC for insurance companies, you can choose the most effective platforms and ad types that align with your goals, whether you want to drive immediate leads or build long-term brand awareness.
2. Learn from Competitors’ PPC Ads
Regarding PPC for insurance companies, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. If your competitors run consistent ads, it’s a clear sign that their strategies drive leads. By studying their approach, you can avoid wasting your budget on ineffective methods and focus on the tactics that work. Here’s how to break down your competitors’ PPC for insurance companies’ strategies and use them to your advantage:
What Insurance Products Are They Promoting?
Take a look at which insurance products your competitors are advertising. Are they focused on auto, life, health, or maybe homeowners’ insurance? If multiple companies heavily promote the same type of policy, it’s likely a high-demand area. While you shouldn’t copy them directly, this gives you insight into potential customers’ interests. For example, if multiple competitors focus on affordable auto insurance or bundled packages, it indicates a competitive area where consumers are likely looking for deals.
How Are They Writing Their Ads?
The copy used in PPC ads is crucial to success. Pay close attention to how your competitors are writing their ads:
- Headlines – Are they emphasizing affordability, fast coverage, or comprehensive plans?
- Offers – Are they offering discounts, free consultations, or a quote comparison tool?
- CTAs – What action do they encourage? Are they prompting people to get a quote, call for details, or request more information?
For example, if competitors emphasize “Low Rates, Fast Quotes,” this suggests that speed and affordability are essential to the audience. You can test similar phrases in your own PPC ads for insurance companies.
What Happens After Someone Clicks?
An ad is only part of the equation. What happens after a user clicks is crucial. Check the landing pages your competitors are using:
- Ease of Use: Is the form short and easy to fill out, or is it long and overwhelming?
- Trust Signals: Do they feature certifications, customer reviews, or guarantees to establish credibility?
- Relevance: Does the landing page align with the ad’s promise? For instance, if the ad says “Get Your Free Quote Now,” the landing page should make it simple to request a quote.
Learning from your competitor’s landing pages, whether streamlining the form, improving the trust signals, or ensuring alignment with the ad’s offer, can help refine your PPC for insurance company campaigns.
Tools to Research Competitor Ads
You don’t have to guess what your competitors are doing. Several tools let you uncover their PPC strategies:
- Google Ads Transparency Center: See the exact Google search ads competitors are running.
- SEMrush / SpyFu / Ahrefs: Use these tools to analyze which PPC keywords competitors are bidding on and review their ad copy.
- Facebook Ad Library: This tool lets you view competitors’ active ads on Facebook and Instagram, giving you insight into their messaging and offers.
3. Keep Your PPC Campaigns Organized for Better Results
Running PPC for insurance companies can be tricky if your campaigns aren’t well-structured. Without proper organization, you risk targeting the wrong audience, wasting budget, and missing valuable leads. Segmenting your services and targeting the right audience with highly relevant ads is essential to make your campaigns more efficient.
Here’s how to organize your insurance PPC campaigns effectively:
Create Separate Ad Groups for Different Insurance Products
Rather than lumping all your insurance services together, create distinct ad groups for each type of policy you offer. This ensures that your ads and landing pages perfectly align with the searcher’s intent, leading to higher conversion rates and lower costs.
Campaign: Insurance Services – [Your City]
Ad Group 1: Auto Insurance
Keywords: car insurance, affordable auto insurance, best auto insurance rates
Target: People looking for car insurance or switching providers
Ad Group 2: Home Insurance
Keywords: home insurance quotes, homeowners insurance, flood insurance
Target: Homeowners seeking protection for their property
Ad Group 3: Life Insurance
Keywords: life insurance plans, term life insurance, life insurance quotes
Target: Individuals searching for life insurance options
Write Ads That Speak Directly to Your Audience’s Needs
Your ad is often the first impression potential clients have of your insurance company. A disorganized or generic ad won’t cut it. To stand out, your ad must be specific and focused on the needs of your audience.
What Makes a Great PPC Ad for Insurance Companies?
- Use Numbers: Highlight specific facts, such as “50+ Years of Experience” or “10,000+ Policies Sold” to build trust with your audience.
- Create Urgency: Phrases like “Get Your Free Quote Today!” or “Affordable Insurance Plans Available Now” encourage immediate action.
- Highlight Trust Signals: To reassure potential clients, include information like “A+ Rated by BBB” or “Licensed and Insured.”
- Match Search Intent: If someone searches for “cheap home insurance,” make sure your ad mentions affordable pricing or discounts.
4. Use Location Targeting to Focus on Local Leads
When it comes to insurance, people prefer providers close to home. That’s why location targeting is essential. It allows you to ensure your ads reach the right people looking for coverage in your specific area. Instead of wasting money on clicks from users who live outside the areas you serve, you can refine your campaigns only to target regions, cities, or even specific neighborhoods where you offer insurance services.
To implement this, use the location targeting features available in platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads. You can set your ads to show up only when users in a defined location search for insurance-related terms. Whether running a campaign for home insurance in a particular city or targeting drivers looking for auto coverage in a specific zip code, location targeting ensures your ads reach the right audience. This makes your campaigns more efficient and improves the likelihood of converting clicks into actual clients.
5. Use Ad Extensions to Increase Visibility
Ad extensions are a powerful tool used by insurance companies in PPC. They provide extra details that make your ad more engaging and visible, improving click-through rates and conversions.
Call Extension: A call extension adds a phone number directly to your ad, making it easier for potential clients to contact you with a single click. This boosts direct engagement and speeds up conversions.
Example: Add a call extension like “Call Now for a Free Insurance Quote” to your auto insurance ads, allowing users to contact you instantly.
Site Link Extension: Site link extensions add extra clickable links to your ad, leading users to specific pages like quotes or policy details. This allows visitors to navigate your site quickly and find what they need.
Example: Include a site link extension like “Get a Quote” or “View Policy Options” beneath your life insurance ad, guiding users to relevant sections of your website.
Location Extension: Your physical address appears in the ad with location extensions, helping local clients find and trust your business. This makes it easier for users to visit or contact you in person.
Example: Display your office address with a location extension on ads for home insurance in your local area, ensuring users can find your business quickly when needed.
6. Write Compelling Ad Copy with Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Your PPC for insurance companies’ ads needs to address what your audience is looking for directly. Highlight the core benefits of your insurance products, such as affordable premiums or comprehensive coverage. To ensure users take action, always include a strong call-to-action (CTA) like “Get Your Free Quote” or “Talk to an Expert Now.”
Tools like ChatGPT, Claude AI, Jasper, Google’s own AI tool Gemini, and Meta AI are excellent options to create compelling ad copy. They help you brainstorm, refine, and generate engaging content that grabs attention and encourages immediate responses. These AI-powered platforms can suggest variations, improve clarity, and even optimize your CTAs for higher conversion rates.
7. Optimize Your Ads for Mobile Users
As most searches are now conducted on mobile devices, it is crucial to ensure your PPC ads for insurance companies are optimized for mobile users. Mobile optimization helps you capture potential leads before they bounce. The key is to create mobile-friendly landing pages that load quickly and are easy to navigate on smaller screens.
Responsive design ensures that your page adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes, providing a smooth experience for users. The quicker your page loads, the less likely visitors are to leave before completing a form or making an inquiry. With more people turning to their smartphones for research, mobile optimization is no longer optional; it’s essential for driving conversions and improving user engagement.
Ensure your ads, landing pages, and CTAs are designed with mobile users in mind, ensuring your audience has an easy, fast, and hassle-free journey from ad click to conversion.
8. Set Up Conversion Tracking
To make the most of your PPC for insurance companies campaigns, it’s vital to track how well your ads are performing. Setting up conversion tracking allows you to measure key actions, such as quote requests, phone calls, and policy purchases. This data will give you insights into which ads drive results and which need adjustments to improve performance.
You can set up conversion tracking through Google Analytics or your CRM system to track users’ actions after clicking on your ads. By monitoring metrics like cost per conversion and conversion rate, you can optimize your campaigns, adjust your targeting, and allocate your budget more efficiently.
With proper conversion tracking, you can refine your PPC strategy for insurance companies to drive higher-quality leads and maximize your ROI.
9. Create Landing Pages That Convert
Your landing page must align directly with the ad that brought the user there. For example, if your ad promotes auto insurance, ensure users land on a page offering explicit quotes. This provides a relevant experience, keeping visitors engaged and increasing the chances of conversion.
To enhance your landing page, include a clear CTA that guides users to the next step, whether filling out a form or calling for a quote. Incorporate social proof, such as customer reviews, testimonials, or trust badges, to build credibility and reassure potential clients that they’re making the right choice. Additionally, ensure your landing page features easy exploration and fast load times, so users can quickly access the information they need without frustration.
10. Set Your Bidding Strategy
Choosing the right bidding strategy is essential for PPC for insurance companies to maximize their ROI. Your bidding strategy should align with your goals, whether generating leads or increasing website traffic.
If your primary goal is lead generation, consider using Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition). This strategy automatically adjusts your bids to get the most conversions within your desired cost per acquisition. It ensures you’re paying the right amount for each lead, without overspending.
Maximize Clicks or Manual CPC (Cost Per Click) are great options for those focusing on driving more clicks and increasing site traffic. Maximize Clicks will automatically adjust your bids to get as many clicks as possible within your budget. At the same time, Manual CPC gives you complete control over the bids, allowing you to fine-tune each campaign’s performance.
10. A/B Test Your Ads and Landing Pages
To get the best results from your PPC for insurance companies campaigns, it’s crucial to A/B test your ads and landing pages regularly. This process helps you identify which elements are performing well and which need improvement. By testing different versions of your ad copy, CTAs, and landing page layouts, you can fine-tune your strategy to better resonate with your audience.
For example, you can experiment with headlines, button placements, or wording in your call-to-action. A small change like using “Get Your Free Quote Now” instead of “Request a Quote” might drive more conversions. The trick is to test one element at a time, track the results, and implement the best version.
A/B testing is an ongoing process that ensures you’re constantly optimizing your PPC for insurance company campaigns to achieve the highest conversion rates possible. It helps you make data-driven decisions and improve overall campaign performance.
12. Monitor and Optimize Your Campaigns Regularly
Consistent monitoring and optimization are essential to get the most out of your PPC for insurance companies. Focus on these critical metrics to track and improve your campaign performance:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): This measure measures how many people click your ad compared to how many see it. A higher CTR indicates that your ad is engaging and relevant.
- Conversion Rate: Tracks the percentage of users who take the desired action (e.g., requesting a quote). A high conversion rate signals that your landing page and offers are effective.
- Cost Per Lead (CPL): How much you spend to acquire each lead. Keeping this cost low ensures you’re getting quality leads within your budget.
Review these metrics regularly to make informed adjustments to your PPC for insurance companies campaigns, ensuring they remain efficient and aligned with your goals.
Focus on Clients, Let PPC Experts Handle the Rest
You’re busy handling policies, claims, client meetings, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. The last thing you want is to get lost in PPC campaigns, adjusting bids, analyzing metrics, and trying to figure out why your ads aren’t converting.
Managing PPC for insurance companies requires organizing campaigns, testing ad copy, refining targeting, and optimizing landing pages, tasks that take time and expertise. Without constant attention, you could easily waste your budget on clicks that don’t turn into leads.
That’s where the real challenge lies: as a business owner, balancing PPC management with your core operations can quickly become overwhelming.
Let PPC experts manage the complexities of your campaigns while you focus on what matters most: serving your clients, providing top-notch coverage, and growing your business.
Grow Faster and Smarter with INSIDEA’s Digital Marketing Subscription
At INSIDEA, we deliver powerful digital marketing strategies that elevate your brand’s presence, attract the right audience, and drive measurable growth. Our expert team is dedicated to creating top-tier marketing solutions to meet your unique business needs. With in-depth industry knowledge, we craft customized strategies that align perfectly with your goals, all within our all-in-one digital marketing subscription.
Our comprehensive subscription includes everything you need to succeed in the digital space.
From Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that boosts your search rankings and drives organic traffic to WordPress Management, ensuring your website is visually appealing, highly functional, and optimized for conversions.
Our content marketing services establish your authority with engaging, insightful content. Social media marketing builds your presence across platforms with interactive and authentic strategies. Our email marketing solutions connect directly with your audience, driving engagement and conversions.
With INSIDEA’s all-in-one subscription, you can access these services seamlessly, supported by our dedicated digital marketing experts committed to delivering measurable results for your business.
Book a meeting with our experts to explore how we can support your business goals.
