Google Ads case study · September 2026
How We Cut Google Ads Spend 29% While Growing Results
A nightlife venue was paying more every month for the same traffic. Here is how we turned that around in 30 days.
less ad spend
$8,113 to $5,734 per 30 days
cheaper clicks
$0.83 to $0.57 average CPC
lower cost per action
$1.97 to $1.09
more customer actions
4,118 to 5,261
fewer lost auctions
Rank-lost share: 60.5% to 40.6%
The Challenge
By summer 2026, this venue's Google Ads account was getting more expensive without getting better. Monthly spend climbed from $4,754 in April to $8,138 in August, and cost per customer action rose from $1.65 to a peak of $2.62 in July.
Three problems were holding it back:
- Budget pooled in the priciest campaigns. The weekend Search and Smart campaigns spent $5,333 in 30 days at $2.93 and $4.63 per action.
- Losing auctions on ad rank. 60.5% of eligible search impressions were lost to rank, not budget.
- Weak quality signals. Below-average expected CTR and landing page experience kept click prices high.
What We Did
Step 1
Moved budget to where it worked hardest
We cut weekend Search spend 79% and Smart spend 80%, and shifted budget into Performance Max local campaigns, Display, and weeknight Search, which converted at a fraction of the cost.
Step 2
Paced budgets daily
Every campaign budget is adjusted each morning so spend tracks the monthly target instead of sitting in fixed caps.
Step 3
Launched a high-intent Search test
A new campaign targeting people actively searching for the venue's category earned a 10.9% click-through rate in its first month.
Step 4
Ran weekly audits
Every Thursday we audit the account and push fixes: new negative keywords, keyword additions, pausing weak ads, budget changes, and fresh ad copy.
Step 5
Improved quality signals
The account's Quality Score rose 1.2 points, and higher Quality Score lowers what Google charges per click.
The Results
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad spend | $8,113 | $5,734 | -29% |
| Clicks | 9,789 | 10,033 | +2.5% |
| Impressions | 116,447 | 129,667 | +11% |
| Avg cost per click | $0.83 | $0.57 | -31% |
| Customer actions | 4,118 | 5,261 | +28% |
| Cost per action | $1.97 | $1.09 | -45% |
| Action rate | 42.1% | 52.4% | +10.4 pts |
| Search impression share | 11.8% | 14.7% | +2.9 pts |
| Lost to ad rank | 60.5% | 40.6% | -20 pts |
Last 30 days vs the prior 30 days, September 2026. Source: Google Ads.
Monthly spend and cost per action
*September figures are through September 29, 2026. Source: Google Ads.
Campaign Highlights
“Our weekend Search campaign spent $2,452 less, while its click-through rate rose from 7.0% to 11.6% and cost per click dropped from $1.20 to $0.57.”
“Our weeknight Search campaign got 36% more budget and doubled its customer actions, from 436 to 895.”
Is your Google Ads spend rising while results stay flat?
Ad management is what we do best. We will audit your account and show you exactly where your money is going.
Get a Free Ads AuditCall (615) 753-2912 (12pm to 4pm CST) or email Info@nashvillesignal.com