The challenge

The company wanted to generate leads in Europe. They needed a predictable flow of outsourcing and nearshoring opportunities. Their previous marketing was inconsistent. They wanted a system that could scale without inflating cost per lead. They also wanted to avoid broad awareness campaigns that drained budget without producing sales-ready leads.

How we delivered the results

We built a performance-focused international b2b marketing system. The approach was simple. Target only existing demand. Ignore everything else.

Google Ads

We structured the account by service. Each service had its own keyword cluster. The core strategy was to capture high-intent searches related to nearshoring and outsourcing. Examples included:

• Buyers searching for custom software development outsourcing.
• Companies comparing nearshoring partners.
• Teams looking for specific technical capabilities.

The targeting was narrow. If someone showed clear outsourcing intent, they entered the funnel. If not, we ignored them. This kept the budget efficient. We also ran broader discovery ads to find new keyword pockets. These helped us identify long-tail terms that later became SEO targets.

Text ads were the main driver of leads. Demand Gen ads added incremental high-intent traffic. Display ads were used mainly for retargeting. We tested broader display campaigns, but they did not perform. So we kept display as a reminder channel for people who had already engaged.

LinkedIn marketing

We targeted people with a history of software outsourcing. Skills and job functions were the main filters. The audience stayed consistent for years. LinkedIn acted as a long-term retargeting layer. The content was simple. We promoted the client’s own posts. Every two weeks, the weakest-performing post was paused and replaced with a new case study or update. This kept the feed fresh without overproducing content. The goal was trust. Decision makers often needed several months to move forward. LinkedIn kept the brand visible during that time.

Meta

Meta was tested from multiple angles. The best-performing setup was retargeting and highly service-specific ads. The winning ads were “boring”. They ignored creative trends. They spoke directly to people ready to nearshore software development. Most users scrolled past them. The few who clicked were the right ones.

Landing pages and messaging

We optimised landing pages based on real search intent. Small changes made a difference.

• Clearer service descriptions.
• More direct value propositions.
• Shorter forms.
• Proof points placed higher on the page.

Messaging was refined to match the language buyers used in search queries. This increased conversion rates and reduced friction.

SEO

We used the best-performing Google Ads keywords to guide SEO. The logic was simple. If a keyword produced leads in paid search, it was worth ranking for organically. Over time, the client reached top positions for several outsourcing and nearshoring terms. This added a steady flow of organic leads and reduced dependency on paid channels.

Key results

• 70+ high-ticket leads per year.
• 10X ROI on marketing investment.
• Average deal size: 250 000 EUR.
• Largest deal: 3 000 000 EUR.
• 8–12% conversion rate from lead to SQL depending on the year.
• 200-day average sales cycle supported by multi-channel retargeting.
• Top organic rankings for several high-intent outsourcing keywords.
• Scalable Google Ads structure that consistently captured existing demand.

Summary

The company built a predictable international b2b marketing engine. The system focused on intent, not volume. It avoided unnecessary awareness spending. It supported a long sales cycle with consistent retargeting. The result was a stable pipeline of high-value outsourcing and nearshoring projects across Europe.

Who is the client

A European custom software development provider offering nearshoring and outsourcing services. The company works with mid-sized and enterprise clients across multiple industries. Their projects range from complex platforms to long-term development partnerships.

Our approach was the key to success. Target only the people already planning to outsource or nearshore. Support their long decision cycle with steady retargeting. Then keep improving the landing pages, messaging, and keyword strategy until the system runs clean and predictable.

Urmet Seepter
Partner, Exponential