Multi-Billion £ IT Distributor: 3X Cheaper Clicks
Clicks around 3X cheaper than the incumbent agency, with 10:1+ ROI held for 7 years.
The before and after
Incumbent agency pricing
Roughly 3X cheaper, like for like
Incumbent agency baseline
Around 50% higher
'Never seen real results from it'
10:1+ ROI held across UK and Europe for 7+ years
The fuller story
Westcoast is one of the UK's largest IT distributors. We've worked with them for over eight years across multiple departments, and they trust us to run large-scale MDF (market development fund) campaigns on behalf of blue-chip technology brands. When a global vendor hands over its marketing money, the campaign has to stand up to their scrutiny as well as Westcoast's.
Seven years ago we helped them launch their reseller incentive programmes. We still routinely bring in new members with paid social, for around 4x cheaper than their other channels.
Then there's the reporting. Google's own feedback was that Evergreen's reporting is best in class and industry-leading for insight into who actually engages with the ads. Not just clicks, but which companies, which job titles, which seniority. That gives Westcoast and the vendors something real to drill into, and it shapes every campaign that follows.
This started with a team who had never seen real results from paid social. Like-for-like against the incumbent agency, clicks came in around 3X cheaper with a click-through rate around 50% higher, and a 10:1+ ROI has held across the UK and Europe for 7+ years.
Brands we have run campaigns for on behalf of Westcoast
The situation
A multi-billion pound technology distributor was not sure paid social would work in B2B. Their internal teams had never seen real results from it, and an incumbent agency was running the comparable campaigns.
What we did
We started small with one department to prove it worked, then expanded across multiple business units. Mix of brand, demand and direct response. Feed-only placements, no cheap network filler inflating the numbers.
The result
On like-for-like feed placements our cost per click came in at roughly a third of the incumbent agency's, with around 50% higher click-through rate. On one flagship partner campaign clicks landed 3X cheaper again. 10:1+ ROI sustained across UK and Europe for over 7 years.
Why it worked
James's read on what actually moved the numbers.
Trusted with other people's money
Distributors don't hand blue-chip vendor MDF to an agency on a whim. Seven years of it, across multiple departments, is proof the work holds up to scrutiny from Westcoast and from the brands behind them.
Reporting that shapes the next campaign
Most reports stop at clicks. Showing who engaged, company by company and role by role, gives Westcoast and their vendors something to drill into and act on. That's what Google called best in class and industry-leading.
Like for like or it doesn't count
The 3X cheaper clicks came from the same placements in the same markets as the incumbent agency. No network filler flattering the numbers, which is why the 10:1+ ROI has survived seven years of scrutiny.
4x cheaper compounds
Every new reseller in the incentive programmes keeps selling. Bringing them in for a quarter of the cost of other channels adds up every year the programme runs.
Who we targeted
One department first, to prove paid social worked in B2B.
Rolled out across multiple business units in the UK and Europe.
Feed-only placements. No cheap network filler inflating the numbers.
Creative angles
Vendor hardware launches
MDF-funded campaigns launching new devices and ranges for the vendors Westcoast distributes, aimed at IT buyers and resellers.
Why it worked: Vendors care about one thing: did the money reach people who buy. Feed-only placements and company-level reporting answer that with evidence instead of impressions.
Reseller promotions
Campaigns pushing time-limited partner offers such as warranty extensions, trade-in deals and range promotions to the resellers who sell them on.
Why it worked: Resellers act on margin and timing. A clear offer with a deadline gives them a reason to act this month, not someday.
Incentive programme recruitment
Always-on paid social bringing new members into the reward programmes we helped launch seven years ago.
Why it worked: Members join for what's in it for them, so the ads lead with the reward. That's how new members keep coming in for around 4x cheaper than other channels.
Reporting on who engages
Company, job title and seniority breakdowns for every campaign, fed straight into planning the next one.
Why it worked: Knowing exactly who engaged tells you who to go after next and what they care about. It turns every campaign into research for the one after it.
| Company | Job function | Seniority | Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example Reseller Ltd | IT | Manager | 42 |
| Sample Systems plc | Purchasing | Director | 31 |
| Demo Solutions | Sales | Senior | 27 |
| Placeholder IT | Operations | Owner | 18 |
How company-level engagement reporting works, and how to use it to shape your next campaign.
Read the engagement report guideHow the funnel worked
- Step 1
Facebook, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit
- Step 2
Brand and demand campaigns
- Step 3
Direct response campaigns
- Step 4
Partner campaigns
"Initially we weren't sure if Evergreen's methods would work in the B2B space... Once we found out what targeting was possible it was a no-brainer and we've never looked back!"
What you can take from this
Compare like for like
On the same feed placements, clicks cost roughly a third of the incumbent agency's, with around 50% higher click-through rate.
Prove it in one corner first
Starting with one department built the internal case to expand.
Cheap placements flatter reports
Excluding network filler kept the numbers honest and the 10:1+ ROI real over 7+ years.
Run this play yourself
Free guides, playbooks and tools covering the exact strategy and sector behind this case study.
The hidden cost maths of hiring in-house versus an expert partner.
Read itCase studyWhat £96k of trusted agency spend looks like when nobody checks the placements.
Read itGuideThe complete guide to making Facebook work for B2B, placements included.
Read itPlaybookThe YouTube in-feed playbook for building real B2B audiences.
Read itWant a pipeline like this?
Tell us where your pipeline is stuck and we will tell you, straight, whether paid ads are the right fix.