Maybe you’ve already mastered the art of search engine optimization, but you’re still struggling to drive a steady stream of plumbing leads. Sure, you’re already generating a handful of leads with organic marketing tactics, but you want to scale your business and keep your appointment book full. That’s where pay-per-click marketing (PPC) can be your marketing MVP.
Contrary to popular belief, PPC doesn’t have to drain your marketing budget—and they’re more effective than you might think. According to Google, businesses that use Google Ads see an average of 220 percent more traffic than those that don’t. And even if you’re not driving clicks, you’ll still raise brand awareness—without any cost to your business—by bidding on relevant search terms.
At the end of the day, pay-per-click ads can be a powerful asset for your plumbing business, not just an expense. Here’s how to make paid ads work for your business so you can drive qualified leads without breaking the bank.
First things first: What exactly is PPC advertising, and how can it work for your business? Also known as pay-per-click advertising, PPC is one of the best tools in your marketing toolbox. Just like the name suggests, it’s a type of paid search strategy where an advertiser pays a fee only when their ad is clicked.
According to marketing research, the average click-through rate on Google Ads is about 2 percent. The catch? You’ll need to spend time researching keywords and identifying your target audience to drive clicks and conversions. Long story short, if a keyword isn’t relevant to your plumbing business or isn’t generating leads, you shouldn’t be aiming for a high click-through rate.
Once your ad campaign is set up, your PPC platform (i.e., Google Ads) uses a complex algorithm to determine when and where to display the ads based on multiple factors, including the relevance of the keywords to the search query, the quality of the ad itself, and the bid amount that the advertiser is willing to pay for each click.
Before we dive into strategy, let’s get one thing straight. Just like any other form of marketing, you’re probably not going to see PPC success overnight. Effective ads require an investment of time and money—from identifying relevant search terms to creating compelling copy. You’ll also need to set an advertising budget and monitor your ad performance regularly to ensure you’re getting a good return on investment (ROI).
Whether you’re on the fence about PPC or looking to revamp your ad campaign, here’s how paid search can transform your plumber marketing strategy.
As a contractor, you’re constantly looking for ways to expand your reach and generate more leads—and that’s where PPC can help. When you target the right keywords, PPC ads will put you in front of local homeowners who are actively searching for plumbing services, helping to boost your visibility and drive sales.
How can PPC ads help you expand your reach? First, they allow you to target specific keywords and phrases related to your plumbing business. When people search for those keywords, your ad will appear at the top of the search results. From there, you can direct potential customers to a personalized landing page based on their search query.
One of the biggest advantages of PPC advertising? It allows advertisers to target their ads with laser precision. If you’ve already created buyer personas, you can create targeting audiences in Google Ads that match your persona’s specific demographics, location, and more. We’ve seen clients use this strategy to get their ads in front of the right people at the right time, leading to more conversions and a higher return on investment.
PPC ads can be highly targeted based on a variety of factors, including location, device, and even time of day. This means that you can show ads to the people who are most likely to be interested in your plumbing services, maximizing the chances that they’ll convert into loyal customers. We’ve seen this strategy work for many home services businesses—take Pristine Clean and The Gutter Boys, for example. They used paid advertising to target people who’d already shown an interest in home services like gutter cleaning or power washing. Plumbers can take a similar approach.
It’s time to stop leaving money on the table. Instead of letting potential leads click away from your website without converting, you can use PPC targeting options to stay top of mind.
What does that mean for your business? Even if someone doesn’t convert on their first visit to your website, you can continue showing them ads and remind them of your business, increasing the chances that they’ll come back and make a purchase.
Retargeting might sound complicated, but it’s relatively straightforward. It involves placing a tracking pixel on your website that tracks visitors and their behavior on your site. Once someone visits your site and leaves without taking a certain action (think: filling out a contact form), the tracking pixel will place a cookie on their browser. Then, you’ll be able to target them with ads on other websites they visit in the future.
PPC ads also provide plumbers with valuable data and insights. By tracking key metrics like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per click (CPC), you can gain a better understanding of your target audience and overall ad performance.
By analyzing this data, you can optimize your ads for better performance. For example, if you notice that one ad drives a higher click-through rate than another, you can refine the copy on the lower-performing ad to boost your ad’s performance. This can help you improve the overall performance of your ads and boost your ROI.
As we mentioned before, you’ll only be charged for PPC ads when someone takes action and clicks on your ad—which can make all the difference in your lead generation strategy.
Most PPC ads target a specific stage in the customer journey, and people who aren’t ready to take action will scroll past your ad. Local homeowners who are ready to hire a plumber will click on your ad, check out your website, and (ideally) convert. Your target audience will still be exposed to your brand, but it doesn’t cost you a penny if they don’t click.
Ultimately, the pay-per-click pricing model allows you to shift your attention from how much you’ll spend per campaign to how much you’ll spend per lead. And remember: You might spend different amounts for different types of leads depending on the target keyword you use.
Now that you know what PPC marketing can do for your plumbing business, how can you implement a budget that drives results?
Truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pay-per-click ads. Depending on the size of your business and your marketing goals, your PPC campaign can range anywhere from $300 to $5,000 per month. Some factors that can help determine your budget include:
The good news? Even if you’re working with a limited budget, you don’t have to spend thousands to start a PPC campaign. Whether you’re a start-up or a seasoned contractor, an experienced marketing partner can help you create a tailored advertising strategy for your business.
As a component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, PPC advertising can be an incredibly effective strategy to drive traffic and generate leads—but it’s important to approach it with a clear strategy and realistic expectations. Ultimately, with a smart approach and ongoing optimization, paid search ads can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.
When you’re ready to ignite your marketing strategy with PPC ads, we’re here to help. From pinpointing your target audience to executing your next ad campaign, Company 119 takes a holistic approach to marketing so you can get the most out of your budget. Contact us today to get started.
