Introduction

What This Case Study Covers

In today’s digital-first world, strategic advertising can redefine growth for businesses, especially in niche markets like finance and lending. This case study unpacks how a tailored Facebook Ads campaign helped a U.S.-based alternative financing company increase leads by 94% in just three months—all while keeping cost-per-lead (CPL) to a modest $20.05.

Why It Matters for Digital Marketers & Lenders

Whether you’re a digital marketer, SME owner, or part of a finance-focused firm, this campaign’s success highlights the untapped potential in correctly executed paid ad strategies. It’s proof that clarity in goals, audience insight, and persistent testing can yield remarkable results—even on a limited budget.

About the Client

Who They Are

The client is a leader in alternative lending, offering business credit, real estate loans, and business debt relief. Their mission? To help startups and SMEs that are often overlooked by traditional banks.

Their Market Position

Operating across the United States, the client prides itself on flexibility, speed, and accessibility, catering to entrepreneurs in urgent need of capital or credit support.

Lending Challenges They Solve

From rejected bank applications to complex real estate loan processes, they’ve built a brand around simplifying finance for the underserved business owner.

The Business Challenge

Market Competition

With increasing competition from both traditional and online lenders, cutting through the noise required a smart, data-backed digital strategy.

Barriers to Loan Access

Most startups and small business owners don’t qualify for standard bank loans, making it vital to educate and attract those needing faster alternatives.

The Need for Alternative Lending

Given their unique offerings, the client needed to reach the right decision-makers—quickly and cost-effectively.

Goals of the Campaign

Lead Generation Focus

The campaign aimed to generate high-quality leads—primarily from small and mid-sized business owners, startups, and solo entrepreneurs.

Building a Loyal Audience

The objective was to not only generate leads but to create a warm audience for long-term remarketing and eventual conversion into repeat clients.

Conversion-Centric Retargeting

Using lookalike and remarketing audiences, the campaign focused on converting interest into action and reinforcing brand trust.

Campaign Strategy Breakdown

Audience Research & Segmentation

Detailed interest and behavior-based segmentation was carried out using Facebook Audience Insights and Instagram behavioral data to zero in on lending-focused SMBs.

Ad Format Testing (Static vs. Video)

Through multiple A/B tests, static image ads outperformed video content, providing better engagement and more cost-effective conversions.

Use of Lookalike & Remarketing Audiences

By targeting people similar to existing customers and site visitors, the campaign saw significant improvements in lead generation month-over-month.

Creative & Messaging Insights

Static Ad Design Elements

The most successful creatives featured clean, professional imagery with bold text overlays, clearly explaining the offer in under 5 seconds.

Crafting Resonant Messaging

Copy was tailored to resonate with pain points like “rejected by banks?” or “need capital fast?”, prompting high click-through and conversion rates.

Audience Behavior Observations

Insights showed a strong response from mobile users, with Facebook placements outperforming Instagram in terms of conversions.

Campaign Execution

Budget Allocation ($700/month)

With a modest monthly spend of $700, the team optimized placements and ad types for maximum ROI.

Timeline (3 Months)

The campaign was live for 90 days, structured in three phases: testing, optimization, and scaling.

Platform Selection: Facebook & Instagram

Both platforms were used, with Facebook performing better for lead generation due to its mature audience base.

Month-by-Month Results

Month	Leads Generated	Cost Per Lead (CPL)
Month 1	31 leads	$25.11
Month 2	33 leads	~$20.00
Month 3	60 leads	$15.27

Month 1: Testing Phase

Initial creatives and audiences yielded a CPL of $25.11, laying the groundwork for performance benchmarks.

Month 2: Optimization Phase

Creative adjustments and tighter audience focus slightly improved lead count and reduced CPL.

Month 3: Scaling Phase

Refined ad sets and retargeting tactics delivered a remarkable surge in lead volume and a notable CPL drop.

Overall Performance Summary

• Total Leads: 124
• Average CPL: $20.05
• Lead Increase: +94%
• Budget: $2,100 across 3 months

What Worked Best

Remarketing Strategy

Using Facebook Pixel data, remarketing campaigns delivered warm leads with higher conversion probability.

Static Image Ads

Despite the trend towards video, static visuals proved superior, offering clarity and faster viewer engagement.

Narrow Targeting Efficiency

Tightening the audience to decision-makers and startup founders significantly improved response rates.

Lessons Learned

Static vs. Video: Surprising Results

Static images, with sharp copy and compelling CTAs, outperformed dynamic video across all metrics.

Importance of A/B Testing

Constant testing across creative and copy was crucial to refining performance and lowering acquisition costs.

Scaling What Works

Success came from doubling down on high-performing ad sets rather than constant reinvention.

Tools & Technologies Used

• Facebook Business Manager
• Facebook Pixel
• Canva & Adobe Illustrator (for creatives)
• Google Sheets (reporting & tracking)

Budget Effectiveness

With only $700 per month, the campaign achieved metrics typically expected from higher ad spend, proving that smart strategy beats big budget.

Future Growth Potential

The client is now planning to:

• Scale ad spend to $1,500/month
• Target new industry verticals
• Use CRM data to fuel deeper segmentation

Industry Takeaways

• Alternative lenders can thrive on digital if they nail the right message and audience.
• Facebook Ads remain a powerful platform for financial marketing—despite rising competition.
• Creative testing should never be overlooked, even in traditionally “boring” industries.

FAQs

Q1: How long did the campaign run?
A: 3 months.

Q2: What was the total budget?
A: $2,100 ($700/month).

Q3: How many leads were generated?
A: 124 qualified leads.

Q4: What types of ads worked best?
A: Static image ads with sharp copy.

Q5: What was the final cost per lead?
A: $20.05.

Q6: Is this strategy replicable in other niches?
A: Yes, especially for service-based businesses with clear value propositions.

Conclusion

This Facebook Ads case study is a shining example of how even modest ad budgets can drive exceptional results in high-stakes industries like finance and lending. Through precision targeting, continuous testing, and creative clarity, the client was able to exceed expectations and set the stage for scalable, sustainable digital growth.