It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in business. If you’re not using digital marketing to your advantage, you’re going to have a hard time getting your message to homeowners when they’re searching for a local electrician.
What’s the solution? You need to tap into pay-per-click advertising to light up your business and set yourself apart from the competition. The more homeowners know about your electrical company, the better chance you’ll have at converting those leads into paying customers.
Of course, there’s a catch: You’ll need to know exactly how much you can afford to spend on your advertising efforts. After all, you don’t want to throw hard-earned marketing dollars at ineffective campaigns without anything to show for it. So, how much should you spend on electrician advertising?
Before we dive into the ins and outs of budgeting, let’s answer the million-dollar question: Why do you need an advertising budget? It’s simple: You’ve already sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to grow your business. You shouldn’t throw in the towel now and rely on gut feelings to guide important marketing decisions.
Truth is, countless contractors don’t have a formal marketing budget in place, and most small businesses aren’t keeping track of what they spend on digital marketing. And to make it even more complicated, there’s a ton of considerations you’ll need to take into account to nail down your budget. What’s normal for your industry? What are your biggest competitors spending? And what exactly constitutes an advertising budget?
Budgeting might sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. When you create an ad budget, you can rest assured you’re spending your advertising dollars wisely without draining money on ineffective campaigns. Plus, you can figure out exactly what is (and isn’t) working so you can start throwing money in all the right places—and stop pouring money into areas that will never convert.
Ultimately, building a budget provides a basis to assess your advertising results. When you know how much you’re spending on advertising, you’ll have a better idea which marketing channels to use to maximize your return on investment.
How much money should electricians spend on advertising? Well, it depends. The U.S. Small Business Administration recommends spending 7-8 percent of your gross revenue on marketing and advertising. Meanwhile, the average marketing budget climbed from 6.4-9.5 percent of revenue in 2022, but spending still lags behind pre-pandemic budgets.
Most of the contractors we work with spend 3-4 percent on marketing, and with an organized plan and healthy budget, that’ll usually be enough. That said, there’s no cookie-cutter formula for calculating your ad budget. Instead of choosing a number and hoping for the best, you need to build a budget that works for your business. Here’s what you should consider when calculating your budget.
Once you’ve nailed down your budget, it’s time to allocate your advertising dollars. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry; we’ve compiled a list of impactful ad strategies for electricians so you can outpace the competition.
Before you start brainstorming your new strategy, keep in mind that this isn’t a comprehensive list of PPC techniques. You can always adjust your strategy based on what you’ve done before and what’s working for your business. What does your current strategy look like? Where are you driving results, and where can you cut back your spending?
If you’re already generating leads with Google Ads, you might want to kickstart a new campaign with your top-performing keywords. Meanwhile, if you’re not getting any traffic or engagement from Instagram, it’s probably time to cut your budget. You should track ad spending across each channel, along with your ROI, so you can fine-tune your budget as needed. Just avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Remember: You need to promote your electrical business on all the channels you can find your target customers.
Ready to light up your ad strategy? Here are some of the best channels to grow your business.
If you’ve already mastered Google Search and Display ads, it’s time to unlock the potential of Local Services Ads. Why? If you’re like most electricians, you serve a particular area. You’re going to want to target a specific suburb, community, or town to build awareness, showcase your services, and show local homeowners why you’re the best choice for their next electrical job.
To start advertising with Local Services Ads, you’ll need to show Google that you’re a reputable business. It’ll take some time to upload your business license, business insurance, and other details. You’ll also need at least one customer review on your Google Business Profile. If you already have a verified profile, you can link it with your Local Services Ads account to sync your online reviews.
With the right strategy at your fingertips, Local Services Ads can be a lead magnet. When a homeowner searches for “electrician in Columbus,” you’ll pop up with a verified badge and a direct link to your phone number. And since you’re only paying for leads (rather than per click), you’ll only pay if a prospect calls or messages you directly through your ad.
From Facebook to TikTok, social media ads can be a game-changer for your business. But if you’re just getting started with social media marketing, Facebook is a great starting point.
Facebook is the top platform for social media ads, and it’s easy to see why. On Facebook, engagement with brands is over 10-times higher than any other social media platform. And with 200 social media million users visiting at least one business profile each day, you’ll be able to spread the word about your business to local homeowners with laser-targeted ads.
You need to reach homeowners where they’re already spending time online—and that’s where Facebook ads can be your MVP. Your ideal customers are scrolling through social media right now. It’s your job to set yourself apart with scroll-stopping creatives and compelling copy.
Want to take a different approach to electrician advertising? It’s time to harness the power of video, and that’s where YouTube ads can give your business a competitive edge. Marketing statistics show that video campaigns can boost your conversion rate by 34 percent. At the same time, video helps generate leads for 84 percent of marketers.
Whether you’re retargeting leads with a special promo or creating the first touchpoint, you can use YouTube ads to reach the people who are likely to convert. Plus, you can easily reach your ideal customers using topics, keywords, or demographics, like “men over 40.” Of course, you’ll want to impress your audience with professional videos to keep them coming back for more.
Just like Google Ads, you can monitor your results by tracking views, costs, and budget details. When you click the Analytics tab on your YouTube account, you’ll gain valuable insights into which videos your customers watch and for how long. This way, you can tailor your video ads to resonate with your target audience and make the most of every advertising dollar.
Advertising is the tool you need to drive electrician leads and keep the phone ringing, but you don’t have to spend thousands on high-value keywords to grow your business. We’ve helped countless contractors make advertising work for them—and it all starts with smart budgeting.
Once you’ve calculated your ad budget, you can start building an effective PPC campaign to attract, nurture, and convert your dream customers. So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to kickstart your ad strategy.
