Blog > Google Ads for Moving Companies
Google Ads for Plumbers: The Ultimate Guide for 2024
By Cullen E
If you are a plumber or own a plumbing business and want to increase local awareness of your services, generate more leads, and attract local customers, then you need a successful Google Ads campaign.
In this guide to Google Ads for Plumbers, I'll provide you with all the industry-specific knowledge you need to know when running Google Ads for your plumbing business.
Your time is valuable. I won't waste it with rubbish. In this article, you will get solid strategies from a PPC expert to help plumbers attract more local customers through local services ads.
What is Google Ads?
Already know a little bit about Google Ads? Fast forward to the next section if you're ready to learn plumbing industry-specific strategies.
Google Ads is a 'pay-per-click' advertising suite that includes all of the Google network from Google Search to Maps, Display, and Discovery.
But what is 'pay-per-click'?
Basically, your business only pays when someone clicks on your Google Ad to visit your website or book your services.
Google gives your business the tools it needs to reach potential customers looking for local plumbers in their area.
Need to know more? Google has a guide on How To Set Up Your First Ads Campaign.
Why Plumbers Need to Use Google Ads and PPC
There are many reasons why plumbers should use Google Ads and PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising. For example:
Targeted Advertising
Google Ads helps plumbers reach potential customers at the exact moment they need them – when they are actively searching for plumbing services. By using or 'targeting' specific keywords in their ads, like "emergency plumber," plumbers can ensure their ads are seen by the right people.
Local Reach
Most plumbers serve a specific area, and Google Ads allows for location targeting. Location-specific ads are shown only to people in a particular town, city, or radius from a set location. This means that the only people who see your ads are the people who actively search the areas your plumbing business serves.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Pay-per-click advertising means precisely that. Your plumbing business only pays when someone clicks on their ad. This helps ensure that marketing budgets aren't wasted on ad impressions and actively encourage service bookings.
Google Ads Campaign Strategy for Plumbers
The strategies and tips in this section will give plumbing businesses the basic building blocks for their Google Ads campaigns.
While these tips are all relevant to the plumbing industry, remember that you will likely get the best results when you work with an experienced PPC freelancer.
Step 1: Choose the Right Conversion Goal (Leads)
The success of Google Ads or PPC campaigns ultimately depends on the number of people enquiring to use your plumbing firm.
And for that reason, plumbers should always set their campaign goals to ‘Leads.’
This helps Google optimise ad campaigns for what matters most to their business: customers booking their plumbing services.
Step 2: Choose the Right Campaign Type (Google Search)
People searching for a plumber are most likely looking for plumbing businesses that are local to them.
This is why using Search Campaigns to target local customers is the best bet.
When potential customers use Google Search to find a plumber in their town, they should see your ad.
Plumbing businesses will want to focus on Google Search ads to find people who are:
-
Looking for a local plumber
-
Ready to book plumbing services to help them with their plumbing needs
-
Seeking more information about plumbing services
Step 3: Find Relevant Keywords & Search Terms
Knowing the search terms customers use in your industry is essential to any Google Ads campaign.
To do thi, you will need to conduct keyword research to find the most searched-for terms that are relevant to your business and set these relevant searches as target keywords for your Ads campaign.
Here are some common Google search terms in the plumbing industry, including the volume of searches and an estimated cost-per-click to advertise on each of the terms:
Search Term | Search Volume | Estimated CPC |
|---|---|---|
find a plumber | 800 | £2.50 |
local plumber near me | 1400 | £2.50 |
local plumber | 1600 | £2.50 |
plumber salary | 1900 | £0.15 |
plumber call out fee uk | 2200 | £1.50 |
emergency plumber | 5900 | £6.00 |
plumber near me | 11000 | £2.50 |
Data collected from Ahrefs.com. Search volume refers to UK monthly searches on Google
As you can see from the table above, when looking for plumbing services, most people search for plumbers who are local to them (We will look at how to tailor your ads to specific locations later).
You also notice a difference in potential customers' intent depending on the search terms used.
People looking for an "emergency plumber" have very high intent, and this is reflected in the CPC you can expect to pay if you set this as a target keyword.
In contrast, "find a plumber" is broader, so you'll pay less.
On the other hand, we can see search terms like "plumber salary." This search clearly comes from people interested in becoming plumbers, not your potential customers.
You should avoid spending your marketing budget on these irrelevant terms, and you can do this by adding them in as negative keywords.
Estimated Cost Per Click for Plumbers
The typical CPC that plumbing companies can expect to pay is around £2.50. However, this can range up to £6.00 for competitive search terms like 'emergency plumber near me'.
Step 4: Craft Compelling Responsive Search Ads
Next, you need to create compelling Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) to attract local customers to click on your ads. Here are some tips on how to craft ads that customers want to click on.
Organize Your Campaigns with Ad Groups
In order to make sure your Google Ads campaign is as effective as it can be, you should break up your campaign into different ad groups.
These ad groups should target keywords that are specific to the services you offer, for example:
-
emergency plumbing services
-
gas plumbing
-
drain unclogging
With each service inside it's own ad group, you are able to write focused ad copy tailored to each service you offer and the keywords you are targeting. This makes your ads more relevant to potential customers with specific plumbing concerns.
For example, if you create an ad group for "emergency plumbing services," your ad copy may highlight your 24/7 availability, rapid response times, and any special emergency services you offer.
Use Top Keywords in Your Headlines and Descriptions
Use the most relevant keywords you've identified in your research , like "plumbers in London," "emergency plumber," or "local plumber," directly in your ad headlines and descriptions.
Including these keywords helps improve your ad's relevance and quality score by directly addressing your target customers' search terms, which may lead to better ad placement and a lower CPC as well.
Some example ad headlines are:
-
24/7 Emergency Plumbers in London
-
London's Local Plumber
-
Top-Rated Plumber Near Me
You should also include any value propositions in your ad headings where you can.
Informing potential customers immediately of your "20 Years of Experience" or letting them know you are "Certified and Insured" can build trust and encourage people to book you.
Send Users to a Relevant Landing Page
What good is having a good ad that gets seen if it leads potential customers to a rubbish page with little or no relevance to the ad they have just clicked on?
A well-designed landing page increases the likelihood of converting clicks into leads and lowers your overall cost per contact.
Ensure the landing pages your ads direct potential customers to are relevant to the keywords you are targeting.
For example, for your emergency plumbing ad group, send users to a page with a relevant page title like "Emergency Plumbing Services in [Your Location]."
Your landing page should also include everything your potential customers need to know like service information, testimonials, and ALWAYS include a simple contact form or telephone number.
Step 5: Leverage Location Targeting
When users are looking for plumbers, they want someone local to them - just as we saw in the search term examples earlier.
But how do we make sure that the right people see our ads in the right place?
Through location targeting.
Location is a marker of relevance for potential customers.
If you are paying for clicks and advertising outside of your target area, you are wasting your hard-earned cash as this is unlikely to lead to a paying customer.
How to Set Up Location Targeting
You'll know your service area well if you've been in business for a little while. All you have to do now is edit your location targeting in Google Ads to match:
-
Log into your Google Ads account
-
Go to your chosen ad campaign(s)
-
Navigate to 'Locations'
-
Click the ‘+’ Icon
-
Enter your target location(s)
If you're unsure of your target location, add a radius around your business, for example, 30 miles.
More Tips on Location Targeting
-
Add your location into your ad headlines and descriptions so users see that you are local to them
-
Use location extension to double down on locality
-
Use a location customiser in your RSA headlines so the headline of your ad will dynamically change to match the location the user is searching from
Step 6: Implement Local Service Ads
The majority of people use Google Maps when searching for local services. Plumbers are no exception.
Prospective clients use Google Maps to inform their decision-making as it provides information like location, opening times, phone numbers and reviews. Local Search Ads allow you to generate ads that are visible on Google Maps listings.
But how do you show local search ads on Google Maps?
To show Google Local Services Ads on Google Maps, you need to:
-
Enable location assets for your Google account
-
Set up a Google Business profile listing
-
Add reviews, images, location, website and opening hours to your Google Business profile
-
Use location targeting and set bids by location
-
Add keywords related to your location, e.g.' plumbers in Manchester.'
Advertising your plumbing business through local search ads will allow you to reach one of the top spots on Google Maps – a huge advantage over competitors who aren't making the most of this feature.
Bonus Tip: How to Set and Decide Your Google Ads Budget
A budget in Google Ads is how much your business plans to spend each on an ad campaign over 30.4 days (or a month).
You can only set daily budgets in Google, so you need to work back from your monthly budget using the following formula:
Daily budget = monthly ads budget / 30.4
Whilst your daily budget may fluctuate, the total spend in a month will never exceed your overall budget.
How Do I Decide on a Monthly Google Ads Budget?
This is entirely dependent on your business goals, your current cash position, and ultimately what you are comfortable in investing into Google Ads.
It’s important that you go into it with the mindset of ‘what budget do I need to learn as much as I can about Google Ads’.
Do not go into Google Ads or PPC thinking it’s a gold mine that will print money for you right off the bat.
You need to constantly be learning, optimizing and improving your campaigns.
My general advice for those new is to aim for a minimum of 1000 clicks per month. If your estimated CPC is £3, then you need a minimum monthly budget of £3000, and a daily budget of £98.68.
Summary
Google Ads for plumbers are essential for plumbing businesses to expand their reach and attract more local customers.
By targeting the right keywords and using the local ad strategies above, your Google Ads account will become your employee of the month as it brings in high-quality leads.
Need help getting the ball rolling on your plumbing business's Google Ads campaign? You don't need an agency or marketing company! Book a free 15-minute consultation with a freelance Google Ads expert today and make plumbing Google ads work for you.