Background
BizCover is an Australian-based business insurance comparison service. It helps small businesses compare and buy business insurance policies from major insurance providers online. Founded in 2007, BizCover has become synonymous with disruption in the insurance space and has sold over 250,000 policies to over 100,000 SMEs Australia-wide.
Challenges
As an industry disruptor, BizCover faced a marketing hurdle that many rapidly scaling businesses come across: How do you build more leads while creating efficiencies in ad spend, time and resources?
As a growing business, a key goal for BizCover was to generate business leads online. However, the sheer size of the company’s AdWords account, alongside resourcing and time constraints, was standing in the way of BizCover achieving its full lead generation potential.
The business insurance space is complex and also extremely competitive, which made optimizing digital marketing efforts an onerous job for the BizCover team. The task of manually managing a large amount of keyword bids on a daily basis was costing the business a great deal of time and resources. They also found they were spending a large amount of time on lower value accounts, which resulted in lower ROI.
BizCover knew it needed a scalable digital solution that would automate processes, create time efficiencies and allow it to increase leads while maintaining cost per leads (CPL) within its target range.
Solution
Marin Software and BizCover began working together in March 2016. With Marin providing ongoing support during the planning and implementation phases, BizCover was able to run the technology to its full potential both quickly and easily.
To help BizCover manage its search account more efficiently, improve performance, and achieve an increase in leads, Marin Software recommended that BizCover focus on automated bidding, automating reports and use the Smart Sync tool to sync beteween their Google and Bing accounts.
Marin Software’s platform optimized BizCover’s bidding activity, changing its keyword bids regularly to respond to daily data opportunities.
Marin Software’s Smart Sync solution was also used to clone AdWords campaigns across to Bing Ads and therefore provided a significant time saving opportunity for BizCover’s team. This function is ongoing, meaning that ads are transferred across from Google to Bing. By automating the process so the Google changes are replicated in Bing, Marin Software was able to give BizCover peace of mind by keeping the account up-to-date while saving time.
In tandem, BizCover and Marin Software focused on generating more leads while keeping within BizCover’s CPL target.
Results
Marin Software has provided BizCover with a transparent and unified view of its online marketing activities.
Since its implementation, Marin Software’s platform has changed 90% - 100% of BizCover’s keywords’ bids on a daily basis, automatically responding to market changes, competition, and potential leads within the account across all keywords.
Through the Smart Sync feature, Marin Software has allowed the BizCover team to effortlessly manage and optimize search campaigns across publishers, saving them a great deal of time while increasing their ROI. The BizCover team has saved over 100 hours in manual ad management on Bing through the use of Smart Sync alone.
As a result, the company’s bidding activities have become more consistent and strategic, and have led to tangible lead generation.
Overall, Marin software has had a big impact on the way BizCover reaches its key audiences. The total number of conversions in the bidding folders increased by 22.7% and BizCover’s CPL has consistently stayed within 3-5% of their set target when comparing data between April 2017 and April 2016.
Prior to working with Marin Software, BizCover’s team spent in excess of 5 hours a week manually managing its vast search account in Bing alone. Thanks to the time savings through Marin Software, BizCover is now able to reallocate resources to supporting other company marketing and business activities.
Marin Software’s high touch customer service support and its delivery of ongoing counsel to BizCover’s internal team continues to ensure the company reaches and exceeds its digital marketing objectives.
- 22.7% YoY increase in conversions
- 100+ hours saved in ad management across Google and Bing
- Maintained BizCover’s CPL within its target range by 3-5%
We know that AI is everywhere, but it’s still worth taking a moment to think about what the year ahead has in store for us. We present our thoughts on the most meaningful forces driving changes for performance marketers in 2024.
1. AI Transforms Supply
Artificial intelligence is redefining how we find and access information information, which means the surfaces for advertising will continue to evolve. AI-driven Search, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Perplexity, and even Google Gemini, is better than a page full of links.
These AI systems are shifting user behavior, with more consumers preferring AI-powered search to deliver contextual answers. For advertisers, this means evolving ad formats integrated into conversational AI interfaces. OpenAI is “weighing” whether to offer ads. Imagine AI-guided shopping assistants recommending products based on real-time queries, with ads seamlessly embedded into these interactions. The challenge will be adapting inventory and placements to fit this new AI ecosystem.
2. AI Transforms Creative
Generative AI is revolutionizing ad creative, enabling brands to produce personalized, immersive content at scale. Instead of static messaging, brands can deploy dynamic campaigns that adapt to audience sentiment and trends in real time.
Even Coke has released an AI-generated commercial. The Ad Platforms are rushing to expand generative AI capabilities. As these tools mature, the "right message to the right audience" paradigm will feel outdated, replaced by hyper-responsive creative that shifts with cultural "vibes." This ability to quickly iterate creative will empower marketers to stay relevant and resonant.
3. AI Transforms Workflows
AI is moving beyond answering questions—it’s starting to do the work for us. We have long automated routine tasks like budget allocation and campaign creation, but this year, AI agents can get s#@t done for you with a simple prompt. This evolution is helping marketers focus on strategy and insights rather than execution.
Reactive Agents are great and will have a significant impact on daily tasks. Still, proactive AI continuously scouring your account for opportunities and inefficiency will lead to even better performance, driving efficiency and scalability like never before.
4. Shoppable Everything
The boundary between content and commerce is blurring. Social platforms, streaming services, and even podcasts are integrating shoppable ads to meet consumer demand for instant gratification. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have already launched robust shopping integrations, but the trend is expanding.
In 2025, expect "shoppable everything" to gain traction, from QR codes on live streams to in-app shopping experiences on emerging platforms like BeReal. Have you bought something from your TV yet? Next year, you probably will. According to eMarketer, social commerce sales are projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025, with brands investing heavily in seamless, purchase-ready experiences.
5. Ads Everywhere
Subscription fatigue is real, and platforms are responding by increasing ad-supported models. From Netflix to Disney+, previously ad-free platforms are introducing tiered subscriptions with ads, creating new inventory for marketers.
Retail media networks are also booming, expected to command 25% of media spend by 2028, according to eMarketer. Anyone who has a captive audience is building a media network (see Western Union). This diversification offers brands more options to reach their targets, but it also requires careful strategy and tooling to manage campaigns across these expanding networks.
6. Evolving Privacy Laws
Consumer privacy continues to be a focal point, with eight new U.S. state privacy laws going into effect in 2025. These are similar to California's CCPA but add complexity for marketers, who must navigate an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape.
Compliance will require robust systems to manage consent and protect consumer data. Additionally, marketers must focus on privacy-compliant targeting strategies, such as first-party data and contextual advertising, to stay competitive in a cookieless future.
7. The New Measurement Imperative
Accurate measurement is increasingly challenging as data collection becomes more challenging, especially if you rely on last-click attribution. Marketing mix modeling (MMM) and incrementality testing are emerging as key tools to evaluate campaign performance. Meta offers Robyn, Google has Meridian, and independent solutions address this measurement challenge.
But a better understanding of how your investment is performing and shifting dollars to the highest-performing opportunity can significantly improve your performance…what would you do with a 5x increase in conversions?
8. Google DOJ Ruling: Uncertainty, but No Immediate Action
The U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google creates uncertainty in the ad tech space. The DoJ has thoughts, however, with a new administration likely to take office in 2025, material changes to Google’s business model are unlikely in the short term.
However, given this continued uncertainty and the broad range of other platforms, marketers are wise to lessen their dependence on the Google marketing stack. Staying nimble and monitoring regulatory developments will be crucial to navigating potential disruptions.
9. The Shift to Contextual Targeting
As third-party data diminishes, contextual targeting is making a comeback. This strategy focuses on placing ads within relevant content rather than relying on individual user data, creating opportunities for brands to align with consumer interests in a privacy-friendly way.
The Burger King ‘Whopper Detour’ campaign is a prime example of successful geo-targeted contextual advertising. Innovatively leveraging location-based marketing, the campaign strategically targeted those within 600 feet of a McDonald’s location. By setting up a geo-fence around competing restaurants, Burger King could identify and connect with potential customers who were nearby. The ad was triggered by the customer’s proximity to McDonald’s and offered contextually relevant content, appealing to individuals who were likely already considering fast food purchases.
10. Cross-Channel Alignment
With more platforms and channels than ever, cross-channel alignment is essential. Consumers expect seamless experiences across devices and touchpoints, and marketers must deliver cohesive campaigns to stay competitive.
Managing and optimizing your programs in a unified platform is the cheat code for 2025. This type of integration streamlines workflows and ensures consistent messaging and performance measurement across all channels. In 2025 breaking down internal silos is a must-do.
Conclusion
Performance marketing in 2025 will be defined by the continuation of many of the themes we have been living through, but that doesn’t make them any less impactful. Staying ahead means embracing AI, preparing for regulatory changes, and adopting strategies prioritizing privacy and cross-channel integration. By aligning with these trends, marketers can position themselves for success in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape. Need help keeping up?
