A New Event Filled 32% Below Target CPA
Launching Microelectronics UK, with tracking built from scratch
Overview
IQPC Exhibitions launched Microelectronics UK with no historic data and a registration platform that could not track conversions. We built the tracking with their provider, structured Google Ads and LinkedIn around what the data proved, and delivered registrations below target CPA.
Microelectronics UK is a trade event bringing together the semiconductor, photonics and embedded systems industries. The launch edition needed to attract a qualified audience of engineers and technical decision makers, with registrations handled through a third party event platform.
Drive qualified registrations for Microelectronics UK across a defined summer campaign window, reaching engineering and technical audiences efficiently while keeping cost per registration under control.
Launch events are the hardest paid media problem there is. No historic conversion data, no audience list, no established search demand, and no benchmark for what good looks like.
Registrations were processed on a third party event platform with limited native tracking support. Google Tag Manager was not in place at the outset, and LinkedIn tracking was not supported at all, creating a real risk of spending across two channels with no visibility of what was actually driving registrations.
We solved the tracking problem before we scaled the spend, working directly with the client's registration provider to implement Google Tag Manager on the registration flow and get GA4 live across the site.
On Google Ads we built a segmented account separating branded, event, competitor and benefit keyword themes, so budget could move fluidly as we found what performed well and what didn't. On LinkedIn we targeted engineering job functions and member skills, with remarketing running alongside prospecting. Weak themes were cut early and spend consolidated behind what was proving out.
Results
400+
registrations from paid media
15.5%
average Google Ads click-through rate
32%
lower Google Ads CPA vs target
The campaign delivered registrations below the target blended cost per acquisition. Paid search was the standout, producing registrations at 32% below target CPA while sustaining a click-through rate above 15%, well ahead of benchmark. On LinkedIn, engineering job function and skills audiences outperformed broader targeting, and remarketing returned the lowest cost per action in the account.
The client also came out of the campaign in a stronger position than they went in: GA4 live, tracking implemented through the provider, and a clean baseline of proven audiences, keywords and creative to build the next edition on.
IQPC Exhibitions rebooked the campaign for the following year.
“Lucha took the time to understand the nuances of our events and audiences, and brought a calm, solutions-focused approach throughout. We've been happy to continue working with them.”
Head of Marketing, IQPC Exhibitions