Neu-Isenburg – November 12, 2026 -- A three-month online ad campaign run by an external agency generated only four customer inquiries for one company, even though the ads were shown frequently and drew numerous reactions, according to Tobias Riedl, founder of Riedl Webmarketing. Most of the response consisted of "likes" that had little relevance for winning customers, yet the agency rated the campaign positively and recommended continuing it unchanged.
Impressions and clicks do not show whether ads win customers
Impressions only measure how often an ad was displayed, Riedl said. Clicks and reactions do not show whether new customers result. Even four inquiries are not automatically a poor outcome, he said; what counts is the campaign cost, whether the leads fit the offer, and whether they turned into profitable orders.
Cost per inquiry misleads when leads do not qualify
Riedl points to advisory-intensive products such as kitchens, photovoltaic systems and private health insurance, where reaching qualified buyers matters more than reaching many people. A solar seller gains little from many contacts who own no suitable property or plan no purchase. Companies should track how many leads reach a consultation, how many buy, and whether revenue justifies ad spend and other costs. They should also set target results and acceptable costs before launch.
Diagnosing weak campaigns starts with the funnel
Frequent impressions with few clicks can indicate that the messaging, design or offer misses the target group. Many clicks without inquiries point to the landing page, where information may be missing, the offer unconvincing or contact too complicated. Riedl Webmarketing builds both ads and landing pages and selects among platforms including LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube rather than running all channels at once.
Riedl reviews campaign results with clients every two weeks
Riedl, who has worked with digital advertising for more than ten years, discusses current results with clients every two weeks and proposes concrete improvements. Some clients have worked with him for more than ten years.