Vasil Levski Solar: 2026 Airport Solar Success

The Vasil Levski Solar campaign demonstrates how a focused green PPC strategy can drive significant results for specialized B2B services, even in a niche like airport solar infrastructure. This case study details the tactical decisions and performance metrics that shaped a successful digital advertising effort.

Campaign Overview: Vasil Levski Solar

Vasil Levski Solar, a leading provider of large-scale solar energy solutions for commercial and industrial applications, aimed to increase qualified leads for their airport solar installations across North America. The campaign ran for six months, from January to June 2026, with a total budget of $180,000. The primary objective was to generate high-quality leads for their sales team, measured by completed contact forms and direct inquiries.

Strategy: Precision Targeting for a Niche Market

Our strategy centered on identifying and engaging decision-makers within airport authorities, logistics companies operating at airports, and large industrial facilities adjacent to airfields. We understood that these were complex sales cycles, so the PPC campaign focused on the initial lead generation, not direct sales conversion. The core platforms used were Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads, chosen for their strong targeting capabilities. For Google Ads, we structured campaigns around highly specific long-tail keywords. These included terms like “airport solar panel installation,” “runway lighting solar power,” “air cargo facility solar solutions,” and “sustainable airport infrastructure.” We avoided broad terms such as “solar energy” to prevent wasted spend on irrelevant traffic. Our bid strategy employed a target cost per acquisition (tCPA) model, aiming for efficiency once initial conversion data was established. LinkedIn Ads allowed us to target by job title (e.g., “Airport Operations Manager,” “Director of Facilities,” “Head of Sustainability”), industry (“Aviation & Aerospace,” “Logistics & Supply Chain”), and company size. This precision was important for reaching the right individuals within large organizations. We also leveraged LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences feature, uploading a list of target companies identified through market research.

Creative Approach: Education and Authority

The creative strategy emphasized Vasil Levski Solar’s expertise and the tangible benefits of their solutions. Ad copy focused on ROI, operational efficiency, and environmental impact. For instance, one high-performing Google Search ad headline read: “Reduce Airport Operating Costs with Solar, Vasil Levski Solar.” The description highlighted specific benefits: “Expert installation for hangars, terminals, and ground support. 25-year performance warranty.” On LinkedIn, we used carousel ads showing different airport solar projects, including ground-mounted arrays near runways and rooftop installations on maintenance facilities. Each slide detailed a specific project’s scale, the technology used, and the projected energy savings or carbon reduction. Video testimonials from existing clients, even short 30-second clips, performed exceptionally well, demonstrating social proof. According to a HubSpot report on B2B content trends, video content generates 66% more qualified leads per month than other content types for B2B marketers, a metric we saw reflected in our LinkedIn performance. Landing pages were designed for conversion, featuring clear calls to action (CTAs) like “Get a Custom Quote” or “Download Our Airport Solar Solutions Guide.” Each page included detailed case studies, technical specifications, and a clear explanation of the installation process. We gated premium content, such as detailed whitepapers on airport microgrid integration, behind lead forms to capture contact information.

Targeting Breakdown and Performance

Google Ads Performance

• Keywords: Predominantly exact match and phrase match, focusing on commercial and industrial solar terms related to airports. Negative keywords were rigorously applied to filter out residential inquiries, academic searches, and unrelated industries.
• Geotargeting: Specific airports, major metropolitan areas with high air traffic, and a 20-mile radius around known industrial parks.
• Audiences: Custom intent audiences based on search history for competitors and related B2B services. In-market audiences for “Commercial Solar Services” also performed strongly.
• Budget Allocation: Dynamic budgeting was implemented, reallocating up to 30% of the daily budget hourly to campaigns and ad groups showing higher conversion rates or lower CPL. This was managed through automated rules within the Google Ads platform.

Google Ads Metrics (January-June 2026):

• Total Impressions: 3,200,000
• Total Clicks: 75,000
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): 2.34%
• Average Cost Per Click (CPC): $2.40
• Total Conversions (Contact Form Submissions): 1,800
• Cost Per Lead (CPL): $80.00
• Conversion Rate: 2.4%
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): 3.5:1 (based on estimated lifetime value of closed deals)

LinkedIn Ads Performance

• Targeting: Job titles (e.g., “Chief Operating Officer – Aviation,” “Airport Facilities Manager”), company industries (e.g., “Airlines/Aviation,” “Logistics & Supply Chain”), and company size (500+ employees).
• Audience Expansion: Initially tested, but quickly scaled back as it diluted lead quality. Precision proved paramount here.
• Content: Mix of case studies, whitepapers, and short video testimonials.
• Retargeting: Audiences built from website visitors who viewed specific solution pages but did not convert.

LinkedIn Ads Metrics (January-June 2026):

• Total Impressions: 1,500,000
• Total Clicks: 22,500
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): 1.5%
• Average Cost Per Click (CPC): $4.80
• Total Conversions (Whitepaper Downloads/Demo Requests): 450
• Cost Per Lead (CPL): $160.00
• Conversion Rate: 2.0%
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): 2.8:1

What Worked and What Didn’t

One significant success was the implementation of very specific, high-intent keywords on Google Ads. For example, the keyword phrase “solar power for airport ground support equipment” consistently delivered leads with a CPL of $65, significantly below the overall average. This reinforces the idea that in B2B, specificity trumps volume every time. Another effective tactic was A/B testing ad copy that highlighted concrete environmental benefits, such as “achieve net-zero airport operations,” which saw a 15% higher CTR than more generic calls to action. According to IAB’s 2025 Digital Ad Spend Report, personalized and value-driven messaging continues to outperform broad appeals, particularly in sectors with longer sales cycles. On the other hand, broad targeting on LinkedIn, such as targeting “all employees in aviation,” led to a higher volume of clicks but a significantly lower conversion rate and higher CPL. We quickly pivoted to much tighter targeting based on specific job functions and seniority levels. Another challenge was managing ad fatigue on LinkedIn for retargeting audiences. We found that refreshing creative every two weeks prevented significant drops in CTR and conversion rates. Initially, we also experimented with display network campaigns on Google Ads, targeting websites related to renewable energy and aviation news. While impressions were high, the conversion quality was low, and CPL was unacceptably high at over $300. We paused these campaigns after the first month, reallocating the budget to search and LinkedIn. This was a clear example of prioritizing lead quality over impression volume.

Optimization Steps Taken

Throughout the campaign, continuous optimization was key. We performed weekly reviews of search query reports to identify new negative keywords and potential long-tail opportunities. For instance, we discovered that searches including “airport security solar” were often looking for smaller, standalone security camera solutions, not large-scale infrastructure, leading us to add “security camera” as a negative keyword. Daily budget adjustments were made based on real-time performance, particularly for Google Ads where conversion velocity could fluctuate. If a particular ad group for “airport hangar solar installation” showed a strong CPL trend by mid-day, its budget cap would be increased. Conversely, underperforming ad groups saw their budgets reduced or paused entirely. Landing page optimization also played a critical role. We conducted A/B tests on CTA button colors, form field lengths, and headline variations. Shortening the lead form from eight fields to five, for example, increased conversion rates by 8% without compromising lead quality, as verified by the sales team. The most impactful change was adding a prominent “Trustpilot” widget displaying a 4.8-star rating, which we observed improved form completions. Plus, we regularly updated our ad creative based on performance. Ads with specific numbers (e.g., “30% energy savings”) consistently outperformed those with vague promises. We also rotated through different value propositions, testing whether “cost reduction” or “sustainability goals” resonated more strongly with different audience segments. This iterative process of testing, analyzing, and refining was fundamental to achieving the campaign’s overall success. This case study highlights that even in highly specialized sectors like airport solar, a data-driven approach to green PPC can yield substantial returns. The focus on precision targeting, relevant creative, and continuous optimization allowed Vasil Levski Solar to efficiently connect with their target audience and generate valuable leads.