Introduction
Navigating the world of digital marketing today can feel like steering through a vast and unpredictable river. With so many channels, platforms and methodologies at our disposal, it is easy for marketers to fall into the trap of focusing on surface-level metrics, particularly clicks and click-through rates (CTR). But while clicks may signal engagement, they do not necessarily drive what really matters: sales.
In this post, I will walk you through why it is crucial to shift your focus from chasing clicks to targeting intent, and how this approach has helped generate hundreds of thousands in revenue for our clients.
The problem with chasing clicks
Clicks cost money, often a lot of it. If your ad generates high click-through rates but fails to convert those clicks into paying customers, you are simply burning through your marketing budget. A click does not equal a sale; it only means someone found your ad interesting enough to engage.
What is more, many advertising platforms charge for any type of click, not just those that bring users to your landing page. That means you might be paying for interactions with your post image or headline, giving you a false impression of how your ad is performing. The result is a high CTR that looks good on paper, but fails to impact your bottom line.
How to design ads for high intent
To avoid paying for low-quality clicks, your ad should give people enough information to decide whether your offer is right for them. This helps attract users with genuine intent and filters out those who are unlikely to convert. Here are some elements you can include in your ads to qualify clicks, whether you are in B2B or B2C:
- Price range or starting price
Mention the price or a starting figure to set expectations. This helps filter out users who are not ready or able to invest at your price point.
Example: “From £50” (B2C) or “Solutions starting at £500 per month” (B2B) - Who it is for (persona or use case)
Be clear about who will benefit from your product or service.
Example: “Perfect for home cooks” (B2C) or “Built for SaaS startups” (B2B) - Key feature or differentiator
Highlight something only your ideal customer would value.
Example: “Ethically sourced materials” (B2C) or “GDPR-compliant cloud hosting” (B2B) - Region or location
If your offer is only available in certain areas, make that clear.
Example: “UK delivery only” or “For EU-based businesses” - Delivery speed or onboarding time
Mention lead times to align with customer urgency.
Example: “Delivered in 48 hours” (B2C) or “Onboarding in under 7 days” (B2B) - Commitment or contract style
Frame your terms in a way that appeals to your target customer.
Example: “Flexible monthly plans for growing teams” (B2B) or “No contract, cancel any time” (B2C)
By adding these details, you help ensure that when someone clicks, they are doing so with intent and are more likely to convert. The clearer you can be, the better your return on ad spend will be.
Finding the right balance
Of course, there is an art to finding the sweet spot between being too generic and being overly specific. If your ad is too vague, you will attract irrelevant clicks. If it is too narrow, you risk limiting your audience unnecessarily.
Aim to communicate clearly who your offer is for, without overcomplicating your message. Your goal is to achieve reach with relevance. You want your ad to be accessible to a wide enough market, while still ensuring it speaks directly to the right people.
Make every click count
When you focus on paying for high intent clicks, you gain valuable insights into the types of creative and copy that actually drive results. Over time, this approach allows you to refine your strategy, optimise your ad spend and generate more consistent sales.
The clearer and more transparent you can be in your advertising, the better. At the end of the day, you are not marketing for the sake of impressions. You are communicating a valuable offer to your ideal customer, and that requires clarity and focus at every step.
Clicks without intent waste your budget. Clicks with intent build your business. By designing ads that attract the right audience and discourage irrelevant traffic, you can lower your cost per acquisition and create a marketing engine that fuels real growth.
So next time you launch a campaign, ask yourself: Am I paying for clicks or am I paying for intent?
