If you’re a b2b founder planning to get new clients with a €3k–€5k paid ads budget, the big question is: How can I use this money wisely to generate leads and pipeline?
I sat down with Thomas Weinberger, a performance marketer specialized in B2B and co-founder of webwings (an online marketing agency for Google Ads, Facebook Ads and SEO) to unpack exactly that.
Here’s his advice:
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1. Start with the Right Expectations
If your goal is LEADS (e.g. newsletter signups, lead magnet downloads), expect a cost of €50–€150 per lead.
⚠️ Those leads are not sales-ready and need to be nurtured first.If your goal is SQLs (sales-qualified leads - ready for demos or sales calls), expect €400–€1,400 per lead, depending on ticket size and complexity of your product or service.
👉 Plan a realistic 3–6 month test phase and get clear on what stage of the funnel you're optimizing for.
2. Google Ads: Best Fit if You Have Search Demand
Google Ads is your best starting point, if people are actively searching for what you offer.
Benefits:
You catch users late in the funnel, with existing intent
Conversion rates tend to be higher and costs lower
🔍 Use Google’s Keyword Planner to check search volume. Aim for at least 500–1,000 monthly searches across your relevant terms.
🔢 Plan that you can capture around 1/3 of that search volume with your ads.
👉 Also, plan with about 100 clicks for one sales conversion (demo / free trial / freemium)
Example:
Let’s pretend your goal is to get 20 demo requests per month with Google Ads.
This means you need about 2000 clicks per month.
To generate 2000 clicks per month, the search volume for your relevant keywords/terms should be three times 2000, therefore 6000.
⚠️ No or very low search volume?
Consider competitor brand keywords as a workaround, but be careful not to mention competitors in your copy or pages.
3. LinkedIn Ads: The Go-To Channel for Niche B2B Targeting
If the search volume is too low or zero on Google, LinkedIn is your best shot at targeting your ICP.
Yes, it’s expensive, but it allows you to:
Precisely target decision-makers
Launch pipeline-building activities while SEO and other channels mature
💡 How to get started:
Test direct sales first
(⚠️ in many cases it doesn’t work, but for some b2b niches & offers it does, so it’s worth to run a small experiment)If direct sales isn’t working, use lead magnets: Checklists, comparisons, PDF guides
Thought Leader Ads: Promote posts from founders or execs to boost awareness, visibility and to create trust for your brand
Founders are a great choice for Thought Leader Ads, their faces build trust, and they’re not likely to leave the company (unlike regular employees).
👉 Pro tip: If the founder doesn’t have time to create content, support them with ghostwriting and a content ops setup.
4. Don’t Launch Ads Without Great Content Pieces — Especially on LinkedIn
Paid acquisition doesn't work without strong content. Especially on LinkedIn.
Before launching LinkedIn ads, make sure you’ve got:
1–3 high-value downloadable assets (e.g. eBook with at least 10-pages) like:
Educational content answering key objections and questions
Unique insights, using your own data and/or industry knowledge
Guides or comparison of providers, suppliers or technologies
⚠️ Don’t just use your pitch or sales deck - maximise the value for the reader.
👉 In contrast, Google Ads needs less content. You can launch fast if your landing page and ad copy are solid.
Not sure if your website is ready for Google Ads?
Read this Step-by-Step Guide on How to Optimize Your B2B SaaS Website for Conversions (incl. free templates)
Conclusion: How to Invest €3k–€5k Ad Budget per Month the Best Way
If you want paid ads to contribute to growth at an early stage:
✅ Align on your funnel goal: Leads, MQLs or SQLs
✅ Start with Google Ads if there’s enough (search) demand, otherwise use LinkedIn Ads
✅ Build 1–3 strong pieces of content before spending on LinkedIn
✅ Use founders as the face and support them with content creation, if you start using LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads
✅ Run tests for 3–6 months and plan results realistically
Paid acquisition isn’t magic. But if you match expectations with execution, it can become a powerful lever, even at €3k/month.
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Cheers
Valentin
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