Paid search lets a plumbing company appear at the top of Google today, which matters when a basement is filling with water. It is also the fastest way to waste money if the targeting is loose. We set up Google Local Services Ads and search campaigns around urgent searches, your real service area and the hours someone answers the phone, and we judge them by booked jobs, not clicks.
What it is
The short answer: buying the searches that turn into booked plumbing jobs, and refusing the ones that don't.
There are two main products. Local Services Ads appear at the very top for many plumbing searches and charge per lead. Google search ads charge per click and give more control over keywords, wording and landing pages. Most plumbing companies use both, with Local Services Ads carrying urgent calls and search ads covering specific jobs such as water heater replacement or sewer camera inspection.
Who it's for
- Plumbing companies with spare capacity now, who can take more calls this week.
- Owners entering a new area while local search is still building.
- Companies with reliable call handling. If calls are often missed, fix that first.
It is not a good fit if you're already booked weeks out; you'd be paying to disappoint people.
What's included
- Account review or setup in your name, with conversion tracking for calls, texts and quote requests.
- Local Services Ads setup and support through Google's screening, service selection and service area.
- Search campaigns by job type: emergency repairs, drains, water heaters, repiping, lead service replacement where relevant, each with its own ad text and landing page.
- Negative keywords to block do-it-yourself queries, parts shoppers, job seekers and areas you don't serve.
- Scheduling so ads run when you answer, with bids that rise during your busiest, most profitable hours.
- Honest ad copy. Prices shown include mandatory fees, as the Competition Bureau's drip pricing rules expect, and efficiency claims are sourced. Our green claims story explains why.
- Monthly review of search terms, lead quality and cost per booked job.
Timeline
- Week 1: tracking and account access; Local Services Ads verification started.
- Weeks 2–3: search campaigns launch for your highest-value jobs.
- Weeks 4–8: waste removed, bids adjusted, landing pages tested.
- Ongoing: monthly changes based on booked-job data.
Local Services Ads verification times depend on Google and can vary.
How results are measured
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Cost per call | The first check on efficiency |
| Booking rate | Shows whether calls were real customers and how well they were handled |
| Cost per booked job | The number that decides whether ads are worth it |
| Gross profit per booked job | Keeps attention on profitable job types |
We compare those against the plan's targets each month and tell you plainly when a campaign isn't earning its spend.
Mistakes to avoid
- Running ads all night with no one answering. You pay for the click whether or not anyone picks up.
- Broad match without negatives. "How to unclog a toilet" is not a customer.
- Sending ads to your home page. A water heater ad should land on a water heater page.
- Judging by clicks. A cheap click from the wrong town is expensive.
- Advertised prices that leave out fees. That is a drip pricing risk and a review problem.
Seasonal patterns to plan for
Plumbing ad demand moves with the weather. Cold snaps bring frozen and burst pipes, spring thaw and heavy rain bring sump pump and backwater calls, and holidays bring kitchen drain work. We schedule budget changes ahead of those swings for your region, using the climate notes on our coverage pages.
Proof from our HVAC work
HVACDeal.ca recorded 500+ leads and a 12:1 ROI, and CanroHeat.ca saw 250% lead growth. These are results from our HVAC work, shown as evidence of method rather than plumbing results; details are on the results page.
Ads work best with a call-first website and solid local search. See pricing or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a plumbing company spend on ads?
Work backwards from gross profit per job and your booking rate. If a typical repair leaves $225 of gross profit and you book six calls in ten, a call costing $45 means $75 of ad spend per job. We set budgets from those numbers, not from a percentage of revenue.
What are Local Services Ads?
They are Google's pay-per-lead ads for local service businesses, shown above regular ads for many plumbing searches. Businesses go through Google's screening, and you pay for leads rather than clicks.
Is the ad budget included in your plan price?
No. Your ad spend is paid directly to Google from your own account. Our plan covers the strategy, setup and management.
Who owns the ad account?
You do. Accounts are set up in your name and we work in them with access you control.