The concept of pay-per-click (PPC) marketing is relatively straightforward: When a lead clicks on your ad, your business pays the ad publisher. But why should you choose to run PPC ads to promote your electrician services over free marketing channels like social media and SEO?
It’s simple: You need to be there when local homeowners need you. The next time their lights start flickering, they’ll turn to Google to search for local electricians. According to Hubspot, nearly half of all Google searches are looking for local information.
If you choose the right PPC keywords, you’ll serve hyper-targeted, ultra-relevant ads that drive local homeowners straight to your landing pages. But if you choose the wrong ones, you’ll waste valuable marketing dollars on low-quality leads that won’t ever convert.
Search engine marketing can be your ticket to Google’s top spot, but you’ll need the right strategy to drive leads and dominate the competition. Here’s how to amplify your ad strategy with powerful PPC keywords.
Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer. Your circuit board keeps tripping, and you need to hire a pro to get the job done right. What search terms will you use to find a local electrician?
Write them all down. And trust us, there aren’t any bad ideas during this part of the process. Your list might include branded terms (terms that include your brand name) and generic terms (terms that relate to your niche or services).
After your brainstorming session, look at Google Search Console to identify what terms people search to land on your website. If you notice the same terms over and over again, jot them down.
If you already have keyword tracking set up, you can use Google Analytics to identify which keywords translate into conversions and appointments. You’ll want to pay special attention to these keywords since they can help you maximize your ROI from PPC ads.
If you’re new to PPC ads, here’s a quick guide to keyword costs: Generic search terms vary from high intent (terms that people use when they’re ready to purchase) to low intent (terms that people use during the research or awareness stage).Â
Your competitors want high-volume clicks that translate into conversions. That means they’re going to target highly searched, high-intent keywords. To sum up, the higher the competition and monthly search volume, the higher the cost per click (CPC).
So, how can you find the best electrician keywords for your budget? First, install the Keywords Everywhere extension. When you enter a search term, Keywords Everywhere will show you a list of alternative keywords, the search volume for each keyword, the cost per click, and the competition score.Â
Your goal is to strike the right balance between competition, cost, and search volume. And remember: Conversions aren’t always the immediate goal. Even if you’re not targeting keywords with high intent, low-intent search terms can help you build brand recognition so you can stay top of mind.
Want to drive down your CPC? Long-tail keywords can be one of the best assets in your PPC toolbox. The most effective long-tail keywords are longer, highly specific phrases that local homeowners use to find electrical companies online. For example, instead of targeting the term electrician, you might target the phrase best electrician in Cleveland.
Long-tail keywords are more specific and less competitive than short-tail phrases, so they can help you attract high-quality leads with clear search intent.Â
These searchers typically have a better idea of what they want compared to someone who just searches the term electrician. And when they click on your website, they’ll be more likely to fill out a contact form, request an appointment, and hire your company.
What’s the best way to find long-tail keywords? Use Google’s autocomplete feature. Start typing generic search terms into Google, like local electrician or electrical services. Then, instead of hitting enter, look at the long-tail phrases that Google suggests.Â
Before plugging these keywords into your campaign, you’ll want to assess the monthly search volume and how hard it’ll be to rank for each phrase. Ask yourself which keywords will deliver the most benefit to your business. Once you’ve nailed down the right phrases, start writing compelling copy to drive leads to your landing pages.
When it comes to keyword research, you might be doing everything right. You’re targeting high-volume, low-competition keywords…but your ads keep showing up for irrelevant searches. Chances are, you forget to add negative keywords to your ad campaign.
Negative keywords let you exclude search terms from your ad campaign so you don’t have to pay for irrelevant clicks. To find them, check your Search Console. If you find search terms that aren’t a good fit for your business, add them to your negative keyword list.
For instance, you might be targeting the phrase local electrician, but your PPC ads keep showing up when people search for local electrician marketing. You might discount phrases like marketing to avoid searches from unqualified leads.
The success of your PPC campaign isn’t about clicks. It’s about your progress toward long-term business goals. After all, clicks don’t mean anything if those leads are never going to convert.
To measure your PPC performance, start tracking conversions on your website. This way, you can measure how individual keywords translate into conversions and appointments.
With conversion tracking, you can identify which keywords lead to conversions. Then, you can calculate your ROI and fine-tune your campaign as needed. If your keywords yield a positive ROI, it’s a good sign to scale up your campaign. If your keywords aren’t driving results, it might be time to rethink your strategy.
In today’s saturated home services market, you can’t afford to ignore PPC.Â
If you get it right, it can give you an unrivaled reach that would be almost impossible to achieve through organic traffic alone. Beyond traffic, PPC gives you complete control over your advertising campaigns and how you spend your money.
With that said, finding the right keywords takes time and patience—and it’s not going to happen overnight. If you have any questions about keyword research or PPC, reach out to our team.
