Pearl Lemon PPC Case Study: How We Built a High-ROI Paid Media Strategy for Plant Sumo (Vegan Food Subscription Brand)
When Plant Sumo, a London-based vegan subscription brand, partnered with Pearl Lemon, their goal was to scale both one-off purchases and recurring subscription sales through paid media. Their product was strong, their positioning was clear — – but their PPC structure, keyword plan, and conversion flow needed a complete strategic overhaul.
This case study breaks down exactly how we built a conversion-focused PPC strategy from scratch, balancing budget efficiency with long-term growth, and using data-led insights from keyword research, bid ranges, and ROI modelling.
Although this project dates back to early 2021, the principles Deepak shares in the walkthrough remain 100% relevant for PPC marketers in 2025 and beyond.
Introduction to the PPC Case Study
Deepak opens by explaining the campaign’s focus:
- A London-centric PPC strategy
- Designed for a direct-to-consumer vegan subscription brand
- With the goal of increasing both subscription signups and single-purchase box sales
The objective:
Build a full PPC campaign plan that could be executed immediately and scaled profitably.
Understanding Plant Sumo’s Business Model
Plant Sumo sells:
- Subscription meal boxes
- One-time vegan food bundles
- A rotating selection of plant-based dishes
Their website is the revenue engine – meaning PPC success required:
✔ Strong landing pages
✔ Fast page speed
✔ Simple CTAs
✔ Clear subscription pathways
The campaign was focused almost entirely on London-based audiences ready to purchase plant-based meals online.
Keyword Research & Ad Planning
The campaign began with a detailed keyword research and planning document – built before any ads went live.
This included:
- Seed keyword extraction (“vegan meals delivered”, “plant-based food London”)
- Average monthly search volume analysis
- Top-of-page bid ranges in GBP
- Competitor keyword insights
- Phase 1 and Phase 2 keyword groups sorted by ROI potential
These insights determined:
- Campaign themes
- Match type distribution
- Expected CPC
- Budget allocation
This level of planning ensured that every click had purchase intent behind it.
Structuring Campaigns for ROI
Once keyword groups were established, Pearl Lemon built:
- A predefined campaign structure
- Ad groups based on tightly aligned keyword clusters
- Negative keyword lists
- Landing page mappings
- Geo targeting refinements
Although created in 2021, this structure resembles modern PPC best practices:
🟢 Single-theme ad groups (STAG)
🟢 High intent + mid-funnel segmentation
🟢 Keyword grouping for better Quality Scores
Everything was built to ensure the highest possible conversion rate for the lowest possible cost.
Workflow and Client Requirements
Pearl Lemon provided a full internal planning document outlining:
- What the client needed to provide (access, analytics, creatives)
- What Pearl Lemon would manage
- The expected timeline
- Required approvals
To ensure clean data, we also:
- Blocked agency internal IPs from tracking
- Coordinated with Plant Sumo’s dev team
- Set up early tracking infrastructure
This prevented reporting distortions and ensured every click counted.
Conversion Optimization & Page Speed
Before launching PPC, Pearl Lemon reviewed Plant Sumo’s website and identified CRO improvements:
- Page speed issues
- Mobile performance bottlenecks
- CTA placement improvements
- Visual hierarchy adjustments
- Subscription path clarity
By improving load speed and on-page UX, the client could convert more of their paid traffic – significantly lowering CAC.
Ad Copy Examples & Creative Strategy
The internal document included:
- Headline variations
- Description lines
- Sitelinks
- Callout extensions
- USP-focused messaging
Themes included:
- Vegan convenience
- Meal variety
- Subscription savings
- Free delivery offers
- Fresh London-made meals
This gave Plant Sumo multiple pre-built angles to test from day one.
Recap: What to Expect from a Pearl Lemon PPC Plan
Deepak closes by summarizing what clients receive from Pearl Lemon before a campaign launches:
✔ Full keyword plan
✔ Competitor analysis
✔ Budget modelling
✔ ROI-focused campaign structure
✔ CRO recommendations
✔ Ad copy frameworks
✔ Tracking + analytics setup
✔ Clear next steps for implementation
This Plant Sumo campaign remains a perfect example of how a strong PPC foundation is built – long before the first ad goes live.
