–30%
Lower cost per booking than Google
+12%
Higher conversion rate to opportunity
THE CHALLENGE
Canadian Train Vacations creates luxury rail journeys through some of Canada’s most spectacular landscapes. Its core audience is older, affluent travellers planning high-value trips, where every booking carries significant revenue.
Google Ads was already the primary search channel, but relying on a single platform limited reach into part of this audience. The question was whether a second search channel could add genuine, profitable sales rather than just extra leads.
The challenge was not simply to launch on another platform. It was to find a channel that matched Google on lead quality and contributed reliably to bookings, without the setup cost of building a new program from scratch.
The Strategy
Impressive launched Microsoft Ads as a focused secondary channel, built to reach the right travellers and judged on bookings rather than lead cost.
Audience-First Channel Choice
Canadian Train Vacations’ older, affluent audience aligns naturally with Microsoft’s user base, making Bing a strong fit for reaching high-value travellers that Google alone could miss.
Fast, Proven Setup
Rather than building from scratch, campaigns were imported directly from Google Ads, carrying across a structure and keyword set already proven to perform.
Optimised for Lower Volumes
With less search volume than Google, campaigns were optimised over time to suit Bing’s smaller scale, keeping spend focused on the searches most likely to convert.
Measuring Downstream Value
Performance was judged on cost per final booking and conversion to opportunity, not just cost per lead, so the channel was valued on the sales it actually delivered.
Ongoing Lead Quality Tracking
Bing’s Lead Created to Lead Assigned conversion rate was tracked against Google’s, confirming lead quality held up as the channel matured.
Together, this turned Microsoft Ads into a dependable contributor to sales, delivering stronger downstream ROI alongside Google.
The Results
Since launch, Microsoft Ads has delivered better downstream ROI than Google, despite a higher cost per qualified lead.
Microsoft Ads vs Google Ads
- -30% lower cost per final booking than Google
- +12% higher conversion rate to opportunity than Google
- Lead quality consistently matched Google, with Lead Created to Lead Assigned conversion tracking closely between the two
The close match in lead quality suggests the higher cost per lead is a matter of scale and bidding data rather than audience fit, leaving room for Bing’s efficiency to keep improving.
Why a Second Search Channel Pays Off
Canadian Train Vacations’ results show that the right secondary channel can outperform on the metrics that matter most. Cost per lead tells part of the story; cost per booking tells the rest.
By choosing a platform that matched the brand’s audience, launching quickly from a proven Google structure, and judging success on final bookings, Impressive turned Microsoft Ads into a reliable source of high-value sales.
With Bing now established as a dependable contributor alongside Google, Canadian Train Vacations has a more diversified search program and a clear path to grow it further.
How We Can Help Your Travel Brand Achieve the Same
If your search program relies on Google alone, there may be valuable customers you are not reaching. We can help you add channels like Microsoft Ads that fit your audience and are measured on real bookings, not just leads.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you diversify your search program and grow profitable sales, with a strategy tailored to your market.
