Google Search ads

Why Google Search ads suit local businesses

Google Search ads are the most direct kind of online advertising: a person types a problem and your ad answers it. A homeowner with water on the basement floor isn't browsing; they want a phone number. That's why a Search campaign is the first thing I build for almost every service business, before Display, YouTube or anything heavily automated.

The catch: Search pays off only when keyword, ad and landing page all match what the person typed. “Bathroom remodel Plano” and “bathroom remodel ideas” look alike in a keyword tool, but only one of them is a customer.

Intent comes before volume

I sort every keyword by how close it sits to a purchase:

• Ready to buy: price, estimate, near me, emergency, book, or a service plus a city name. These get most of the budget.
• Comparing: best, reviews, vs. Useful, but they convert slower, so they get lower bids.
• Learning: how to, DIY, what is. These become negatives, because they cost money and rarely call.

Match types matter as well. Core services run on phrase and exact match; broad match comes in only after the account has enough conversion data for Google's bidding to make good guesses. My guide to negative keywords shows the lists I start from.

Ads that deserve the click

A responsive search ad holds up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, which Google mixes and matches. I write headlines covering the service, the area, a concrete reason to pick you (licensed and insured, same-day service, upfront pricing, a warranty you really offer) and a clear next step. Then come the assets: a call button, your address from Google Business Profile, sitelinks to key services and callouts. A bigger ad fills more of a phone screen and usually earns a higher click-through rate.

One US-specific caution: claims in ads have to be true. Calling yourself “the best in Dallas” or showing star ratings you can't back up invites trouble with Google's policies and, in some cases, with the FTC.

Measuring what actually matters

Google can only optimize toward what it measures. I record calls from the ad, calls from the website, form submissions and chat or text clicks as separate conversions, and import offline outcomes from your CRM when the setup allows. If you aren't sure your tracking is right, a GA4 and Tag Manager setup for $550 fixes the foundation for every channel, not just Google Ads.

Example: an HVAC company through the seasons

Think of a heating and cooling company in a Midwest metro. In January, searches for “furnace repair” and “no heat” jump, and a campaign set up in summer runs out of budget by lunchtime. I'd build separate ad groups for repair, installation and maintenance, raise the repair budget during cold snaps and pause installation ads when the crews are fully booked. In late spring the money shifts to AC repair. For a company in Phoenix or Houston the calendar flips, with summer as the peak. The same logic works for roofing, pest control, pool service or landscaping.

The landing page is half the campaign

A strong ad that lands on a slow homepage loses most of its value. The page should repeat the ad's promise, show the phone number at the top, answer the price question at least roughly and ask for one action. For many service companies I send each main service to its own landing page, and cost per lead falls simply because people find exactly what they clicked for.

When Search alone won't do it

Search captures demand that already exists. If few people look for what you sell, or you run an online store with a product feed, other campaign types fit better: Google Shopping for stores, YouTube or Demand Gen to build demand. For local companies, Search pairs well with Local Services Ads and a well-kept Google Business Profile.

Setup is $600 and management starts at $1,000 a month. See how Search fits with other channels on the advertising pricing page, or go back to the Google Ads services overview to compare every campaign type.