If you’ve spent any time exploring how to market your pest control company, you’ve probably heard about the value of running Google Ads or Local Service Ads campaigns. Google Ads and Local Service Ads are two of the most effective tools many pest control companies use to help the customers in their local market find them instead of their competitors.
However, determining what type of ad campaign to run, how much to invest in an ad campaign, and whether or not a Google Ads campaign is even the right strategy for your business can be intimidating when you’re first starting out. Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of Google Ads and Local Service Ads so you can decide whether or not it’s worth it for your pest control company.
Google Ads vs. Local Service Ads: What’s the Difference?
First, it’s important to know the difference between Google Ads and Local Service Ads to determine which one, or whether a combination of both, should be included in your ads campaign. Let’s look at some of the key differences between Google Ads and Local Service Ads:
Google Ads Have Lower CPC
One of the main differences between Google Ads and Google’s Local Service Ads is that Local Service Ads typically cost more per click than Google Ads do. However, Local Service Ads also tend to have a significantly higher conversion rate than Google Ads.
Local Service Ads Are Always at the Top
Another difference is that Local Service Ads are always at the top of search engine results pages, while your placement in Google Ads depends on how much money you invest in your chosen keywords to outbid your competitors. Local Service Ads are shown to users specifically in your area (a great benefit in the pest control industry, as your local audience are those who can become your monthly recurring customers) and ranking is determined based on your reviews and the scope of your client base.
Local Service Ads Have the Google Guarantee
Finally, a key difference between Google Ads and Local Service Ads is that Google offers a “Google Guarantee Badge” for some businesses, based on the quality of their online reviews. This badge signifies that Google backs your business and provides increased confidence for customers, which can result in greater conversion rates.
Strategies for Your Google Ads Campaign
Now, let’s take a look at some of the key strategies you should use to set up your Google Ads campaign. Here’s what you need to know to get started:
Decide on a Daily Budget
The first step when creating your pest control campaign strategy is to decide how much money to allot towards your campaign. One of the best aspects of a Google Ads campaign is that Google allows you to set a certain budget per day, so you’ll never have to worry about accidentally exceeding it. If you’re not sure where to start, Google’s Performance Planner tool can provide information about what a reasonable budget would be as a pest control company in your area.
Carefully Select Your Keywords
Selecting what keywords to bid on can be one of the most challenging aspects of setting up a Google Ads campaign. In the pest control industry, popular keywords tend to cost more than in other industries, but exact cost will depend on your location and the competition in the surrounding area. In principle, the higher the population in your area, the more it will cost to outbid your competitors.
Set Up Ad Groups
The importance of setting up ad groups within your pest control Google Ads campaign can’t be overstated. This means grouping highly similar ads together. Within each group, you can include a list of associated keywords that tells Google to show the ads only on sites that are relevant to those keywords. For example, an ad group geared specifically towards residential homeowners wouldn’t be attached to keywords such as “pest control for office buildings” or “pest control for businesses.”
Taking advantage of Ad Groups can not only increase your click-through rate, but lower your overall cost per click. The more detailed and relevant the ads within your ad groups are to each other and to their corresponding landing pages, the higher your Quality Score will be, lowering your cost per click.
Invest in Your Landing Pages
One of the most important steps for running a successful Google Ads campaign is creating effective landing pages. Your landing pages should be relevant to the user’s query, look professional, and have a clear call to action in order to seal the deal by converting your lead into a client.
Create separate landing pages for ad groups within your campaign with specific information pertaining to each type of ad. For example, if one of your ads is geared specifically towards residential homeowners, don’t direct the user to a landing page with information directed at business owners or property managers.
Conclusion
Now that you understand the basics of Google Ads and Local Service Ads, you might have more questions about applying these principles to create a Google Ads Campaign for your pest control company. If so, sign up for a free, no-strings attached consultation call. With years of helping pest control companies grow under our belts, we’ll provide an honest evaluation of how a Google Ads Campaign can help your business.
