Businesses can do one of many things to optimize their PPC ad campaigns and improve profitability.
However, if you just started a business, these strategies may seem a little daunting initially.
Ad groups either contain a single ad or several ads that target specific keywords. Then, you set a certain price for those ads every time your ad group’s keywords trigger it to appear in front of your audience.
The best part about this strategy is setting your price for individual keywords within an ad group. You can also customize your ad group according to a specific theme.
For example, you can personalize them according to your brand’s persona or the types of products and services you offer.
Before jumping into how you can optimize your ad groups for better reach, it is essential to understand what ad groups are.
Ad groups are sets of keywords that businesses use in their targeted campaigns: every single ad or a group of ads shares similar targets.
You will be required to set a specific price or bid that will be used when the keywords cause an ad to appear to your audience.
These bids are called CPC ( Cost Per Click) bids. The advertising service usually sets these keywords for your PPC marketing campaigns.
When creating an account and setting up details, you will be asked to generate an ad group that will store text ads, landing pages, and keywords.
This will allow you to create an organized structure for your PPC ads. This can be very helpful when you monitor your progress and make specific changes to your PPC Ad campaigns.
For example, if you make a unique ad group for all the products and services your business offers, you might make an ad group for products you offer to your commercial clients and a different one for your residential ones.
Long story short, you can effortlessly structure your promotional materials through tools provided by PPC advertising agencies and services.
Every PPC advertising campaign you create lets you have multiple ad groups. Every ad group must contain at least one ad and one keyword. You can perfectly run a PPC ad with one ad group, one campaign, and one keyword. Moreover, you can also use one campaign and one ad group to market multiple keywords.
The question most business owners ask themselves is, “what is the benefit of running an ad group for PPC ad campaigns?”
To understand these benefits, it is crucial to look at the features shared between several ad groups and the parts that can be set separately for each one.
Let’s use an example to explain the benefits of ad groups better. Think of owning a restaurant that serves different types of cuisines from all over the world.
Having several ad groups for your PPC campaigns allows you to generate ads close to a specific group of keywords.
You can also fragment your keywords into different lists that are much more related. However, each ad group must ideally have one specific keyword and numerous variations.
For example, you can have separate ad groups for “Sushi rolls” or “Pepperoni Pizza.” In addition, you can create an ad campaign for a specific keyword and include several keywords such as “Cheese Pepperoni Pizza” or “Sushi Rice Rolls.”
Targetting long-tailed keywords drives better conversations than using common keywords. However, it would help if you still made sure that the ads are compelling enough so that users can click and improve conversion rates.
You can do this by creating different ad groups for long-tailed keywords. For example, you can create long-tailed keywords like “Which sushi roll flavor should I try.”
This will give you a chance to specifically target a user who wants to try different flavors of sushi rolls. You can also create a landing page and ads that compare different flavors of sushi roll sauces.
It’s not like you can set up a campaign, and it will keep running for life. You will need to tweak your keywords constantly.
For example, delete the old ones you don’t need and add new ones. You can also generate new ad groups for your new keywords without disrupting the old ones.
You can easily optimize your ads by creating new ad groups for the keywords. Moreover, you will also optimize your landing pages without worrying about harming other keywords.
The changes in your ad groups can significantly impact your overall campaign budget. However, you can also preset specific funding for all ad groups without worrying it will exceed.
Then, when there is a peak in queries related to one ad group, it will automatically absorb the price from other ad groups.
This strategy can be beneficial if you own a small business since startup businesses usually work within a limited budget.
Now that you are aware of the importance of ad groups in PPC let’s look at ways you can create better ad groups for your PPC campaigns.
It is essential to get all the tactical elements right to ensure functional structure. This will help you quickly benefit from the most innovative paid search methods that rely on automation and scripts.
For example, when you decide the number of ad groups you need, you must consider what type of searches need to be covered the most.
Your audience plays a crucial role in your ad group structure. You can use bid modifiers to avoid creating separate campaigns.
Moreover, it is vital to identify your audience’s specific needs and preferences. It will help you understand the niche of your business and help you come up with new product ideas according to the requirements of your customers.
In addition, identifying a specific need will help you communicate with your audience effectively while improving engagement rates.
Moreover, you must use any first-party and third-party data that helps you guide your structure. You can also target old customers using RLSA campaigns.
However, you must slice your structure a little bit further, mainly if you sell several products and services.
For example, you can create separate ad campaigns for users who have purchased specific products from you. This will help you support cross-selling business objectives that have specific dedicated goals.
You may want a similar geography footprint for your business, just like it does with any other channel.
However, the demands of your search engine will likely be different from the location of your offline sales.
So, take your time and search where most of your online and offline sales occur—for example, the cities, states, countries, areas, etc.
Once you do this, you can set up individual campaigns for your top markets. Then, if you still have some of the budget remaining, you can create a campaign that covers all the remaining audience in places your consumers usually come from.
When deciding a specific language to target, you need to see where most of your bulk audience is coming from. If you want to target several languages, you can create separate campaigns for each language.
Every device’s performance dramatically varies. Therefore, before optimizing your campaigns in relation to a specific device, you must consider some of the advantages and disadvantages listed below.
The mobile user experience will be vital if the site has a responsive design. Your campaign can have the same goals as those generated on other devices.
Moreover, segmenting your campaign according to the devices will reduce the KPI and traffic available for optimization. This may create campaigns that do not have much volume.
It is recommended that you do not generate campaigns concerning a device if it does not present a solid amount of cost, traffic, and goals.
Instead, you can use device bid modifiers to efficiently tailor the ad message across several devices.
Using keywords is extremely important in any PPC ad campaign. While Google does provide you with good quality keywords according to the relevance of your campaign, it is highly crucial to integrate keywords that have a higher CTR.
Studies have shown that 68% of online searches begin with a Search engine through keywords. So, when you make an ad group, make sure to check the performance of your keywords before integrating them.
And if your audience belongs to a different geographical location, finding keywords relevant to that specific location may be challenging. In such cases, you must use a VPN to discover what keywords rank in that location.
With a VPN, you will acquire an IP address of a particular area. This will help you navigate through the internet just like a local would.
Although several VPN options are available, some of them might not be up to the mark in terms of quality.
Therefore, you need to make a wise decision regarding the VPN you choose to surf through the internet in that particular location. Check online reviews before investing in a VPN service.
Using ad extensions is one of the best ways to unravel information regarding your products and services. Generally, there are two kinds of ad extensions.
Advertisers use manual ad extensions according to the requirements of their business. Therefore, you can easily customize and personalize manual ad extensions.
Moreover, these extensions further segment into several other extensions like location, call out, site link, review, etc.
On the contrary, automatic ad extensions function automatically. Furthermore, automatic ad extensions are also segmented into several other attachments such as previous visits, dynamic site links, customer ratings, etc.
It is common for ads to have a high bounce rate in pay-per-click marketing. For example, you might have specific customers who purchase products from you and then sway away.
Advertisers use remarketing through blogs, articles, and websites to regain those customers. In addition, advertisers can generate custom messages that lure visitors to revisit your website and purchase a product or service through remarketing.
It is essential t keep track of your PPC campaigns to ensure the success of your ad groups. Unfortunately, some marketers don’t realize the importance of keeping track of their PPC campaigns. This is one of the reasons why their PPC campaigns are unsuccessful.
Make sure you constantly monitor the performance of your PPC campaigns, as it will help you gain significant insights into how well your PPC campaign is performing.
Google Analytics is an excellent tool for advertisers who use Google Ads to market their advertisements. Research has shown that Google Ads convert 50% better than organic reach.
Hence, if you use Google Ads to market your campaign, there are high chances your website will rank better if you optimize your ad groups.
You can invest in an automation tool to improve the efficiency of your ad groups. Automation tools offer closed-loop reporting to help you quickly find information regarding your campaigns.
It also allows you to use excellent marketing strategies to improve the performance of your campaigns.
PPC advertising can help you boost engagement and increase your website’s visibility irrespective of the type and size of your business. However, following the steps listed above is essential to ensure your campaign is working well.
Ad copies are a great way to ensure the success of your ad groups. Therefore, it is essential to write an ad copy that is convincing enough to retain old customers and attract newer ones.
In addition, make sure you state your business’s unique selling point so that your customers have a reason to choose you over your competition.
Moreover, make sure your ad copies are relevant. Link all your ads with relevant keywords and landing pages.
Furthermore, make sure you generate eye-catching headlines since these are the first thing a visitor looks at.
Use power words in your headlines to make them even more compelling. For example, you can use words like Free, Today Only, Exclusive, Instant Etc. Finally, end your ad copies with an eye-grabbing call to action.
Every marketer seeks ad groups that are compelling and cost less at the same time. Therefore, consistency in an ad group is critical.
In addition, your landing pages must directly speak to an audience searching for something to reach your website. Therefore, make sure you consistently create ad texts, landing pages, and keyword groups closely related.
When you create well-aligned ad groups, not only do you pay less, and convert more.
For example, suppose a user searches for graphic designing services, and your ad talks about it and sends them to a similar landing page. In that scenario, you will get more conversions than a landing page that does not associate graphic designing services.
So, long story short, you need to be very vigilant in what you include in your ad copies as they play a huge role in determining how successful your ads will be.
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When you’re a plumber relying on a steady flow of leads to be profitable, it’s not enough to get your leads through word-of-mouth alone. That may work if you’re only a two-person team, but if you plan to grow your business, you’ll need to start marketing your services, specifically with PPC advertising.
Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are a beneficial form of advertising, but they can be a source of leads or a money pit for plumbers. When done right, PPC helps plumbing companies generate targeted leads looking for services, but poorly-crafted PPC campaigns can burn through a budget without results. The good news is with smart targeting, strategic bidding, and continual optimization, plumbers can generate qualified leads at a cost that provides a positive ROI. Here’s how pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is done for lead generation for plumbing businesses.
The biggest mistake plumbers make is targeting a broad area rather than a specific local area. Hitting your target audience by demographic and location will be critical to be most efficient in your PPC ad spend. Even when your company serves customers throughout several counties, you’ll want to create ad campaigns that target each individual city or county. If your ads are reaching people outside of your service area, you’re paying for clicks that won’t turn into paying customers.
An easy way to prevent this problem is to use location targeting inside of your PPC account to set your target location by zip codes, cities, or a custom radius around your main location. This will ensure your ads will only be seen by leads you can actually convert.
You’ll also want to explicitly exclude areas you don’t serve. For example, you might serve a whole county with the exception of a couple cities or neighborhoods because of traffic congestion or licensing issues. Make sure to add these locations as exclusions in your ad campaign settings to avoid wasting money.
The keywords that will bring you the best leads are keywords that signal high intent to purchase. This includes terms like “emergency plumber near me,” “24-hour plumber,” “toilet overflowing fix,” or “fix for busted pipe.” The people who search for these terms aren’t just casual browsers. They’re people who need a plumber immediately.
This type of expert keyword research isn't necessarily rocket science, but it's critical for your rankings in search engine results pages.
Prioritize these keywords and increase your bid to capture more of these leads.
Avoid using the kinds of keywords that will attract people who aren’t likely to hire you for plumbing services. For example, terms like “DIY toilet repair” or “how to fix (fixture)” will rarely lead to calls. People who search for these phrases are usually just looking for ways to fix their own problem, so filter them out.
When people need a plumber, they want to call and get someone out fast, especially if their basement is flooding or they’re dealing with a busted pipe in the house. Google offers call-only ads that let users tap to call you immediately from search results rather than click to visit your website, where they’d need to search for a way to contact you. This ad type alone will increase your conversions.
It’s crucial to use ad tracking tools like Google’s call forwarding or third-party platforms that track which ads generate your phone calls. Knowing what ads are driving your best leads will help you do more of what works and eliminate what doesn’t.
Since most leads will want to call you immediately, only schedule your ads to run when you’ll be available to answer the phone. If you don’t offer 24/7 emergency services and don’t answer your phone at 2 AM, don’t schedule your ads to run until the start of your business day.
Depending on your location and services, you might get more calls on weekdays or weekends. To find out your peak, check your reports to see when you’re getting the most calls and then adjust when you run your ads based on your actual performance data.
Don’t create complicated, wordy ads. Use simple, clear, and direct headlines that speak directly to the problems your leads may be dealing with. They’re going to be drawn to ads that promise to help them with real problems. For example, write headlines like “Broken water heater? Get 24/7 help,” “Clogged drains fixed fast,” and “Overflowing toilet? Get help now.”
In your ad copy, it helps to use location-specific phrases. For example, you might write “Serving Phoenix homes since 2001.” Doing this helps build trust and establishes relevancy.
For Google Ads that send visitors directly to your website, you’ll need to optimize your landing pages for conversion. The following elements are essential:
· Landing page copy that matches your ad. To create a seamless experience, don’t send leads to your home page. Send them to a landing page that matches your ad. For example, if your ad targets people with a clogged drain, ensure your landing page speaks to people with a clogged drain.
· An easy-to-find phone number. Your phone number should be readily visible on every page of your website, including all of your landing pages. The ideal place is in the top right corner of every page header.
· A click-to-call button. It’s easier for mobile leads to click to bring up your phone number in their dial pad rather than forcing them to write down a phone number they’ll need to then dial.
· A call-to-action (CTA). Leads need to be told what to do. Be direct and tell them to call you now for an estimate or to schedule a service call.
Your search ads will only bring you potential leads. Your landing pages are responsible for converting potential customers into paying customers.
To maximize your ROI without wasting money, you’ll want to set a realistic daily budget and scale it only when you know you’re ready. Most local service providers stick with a $10-$50/day budget, but it depends on the industry and your location.
Over time, you’ll find that some campaigns are working better than others. A varied performance can be caused by a variety of factors, and you’ll need to take a close look before making any changes. For example, underperforming keywords and plumbing ads that don’t get many clicks should be paused. However, if your ads are getting clicks, but limited conversions, you’ll want to tweak your landing page copy and/or your offer.
Sometimes irrelevant keyword searches will display your ads, so if you can come up with a list of keywords related to services you don’t provide, you can limit where your ads show up. For example, if you don’t offer sewer camera inspections, make “sewer camera” a negative keyword. If you don’t service septic systems, make “septic” a negative keyword. Doing this will prevent clicks from irrelevant leads.
Local Service Ads appear at the top of Google’s search results above the typical PPC text ads and organic listings. LSAs are pay-per-lead, not pay-per-click, which makes them even more profitable. With LSAs, you only pay when a lead contacts you directly through your ad, either by calling you or messaging you. This is a much safer way to manage your ad spend and generate qualified leads. It’s also an easier way to capture bottom-of-the-funnel leads who need emergency plumbing services.
To set up these ads, head over to Google’s LSA page and click “get started.” You’ll be prompted to go through the setup process, which includes confirming your business eligibility. To complete the process, you’ll need your business license, general liability insurance proof, and at least one Google Business Profile with positive reviews. The system will then ask you to choose the zip codes or cities you serve, list the types of services you provide, and set your weekly budget. Once you submit the form and pass Google’s screening process, you’ll start showing up in results for searches related to your business.
Try to get as many positive reviews on your Google Business Profile as possible since businesses with better reviews tend to rank higher with Local Service Ads. Also, keep in mind that Google tracks your response times, and the faster you reply, the better placement you’ll get. Unlike PPC ads, you can request refunds from leads that aren’t relevant, like leads requesting the wrong services or who are outside your service area.
It’s important to take advantage of these ads because it’s an easy way to get your business listed at the top of search results pages when people search for terms like “plumber near me.” It’s easier than waiting months for SEO to kick in, and it will bring you immediate leads. People will see your reviews and your Google Guaranteed badge, which will boost your credibility.
Getting your business verified by Google will give you a green checkmark next to your business name in your Local Service Ads. It tells customers that Google has personally verified your business, you’ve passed a background check, your insurance has been verified, and Google Ads will back your services with up to $2,000 in reimbursement if a customer isn’t satisfied with your services.
Getting this badge can boost your visibility and credibility, which can get you more clicks, leads, and paying customers. It will also help you rank higher in the list of LSAs.
To get this green checkmark, you need to get approved for Google LSAs. Once you’re approved for LSAs, you’ll get the “Google Guaranteed” checkmark badge automatically. Just make sure you renew your insurance policy on time, maintain a high review rating, and keep responding to leads quickly. If you don’t maintain these things, Google Ads might remove your badge.
You can’t improve what you don’t track. Track your critical metrics, including call tracking, form tracking, and chat tracking. Run regular reports and check in with your ad campaign performance on a regular basis. It will take a little bit of time to gather enough data to make informed decisions, but the sooner you catch underperforming ads, the sooner you can make necessary changes.
It’s important to split test ads to see what elements drive the most conversions. Split testing, also called A/B testing, is where you run two nearly identical ads, but with one small difference between them. The difference could be a headline, colors, an image, the main copy, or the CTA. Once you run the ads long enough, take the winning ad and change one more element to test. Repeat this process by changing just one element at a time to see which version performs better. Use Google keyword planner to help navigate this. When done correctly, your clicks should increase over time.
Getting satisfied customers to review you is crucial, and as previously discussed, it can impact how your Local Service Ads show up. Reviews can also impact how you show up in the Local Pack. The more high-quality, genuine, recent reviews you have, the more likely you are to show up in search results. You’re also more likely to get clicks.
Positive reviews act as social proof that helps customers choose which business to call. You could have the best ad copy in the world, but if your competitor has 150 five-star reviews and you only have 6 reviews from 2019, customers will choose them over you.
It’s easy to get clicks, but getting real leads from search engines– the kind that book your plumbing services – takes work. For plumbers, a strong PPC strategy can make the difference between getting steady jobs or wasting cash. By targeting high intention search terms, targeting narrow service areas, and optimizing your ads, you can create high-performing ads that deliver real results without burning through your marketing budget.
Lead generation is critical for your plumbing business, but when done without a positive return on investment, it's foolish.
Whether you’re new to PPC ads, or you’re tired of wasting money on ads that don’t generate calls, we’d love to help you get real results. Our PPC experts specialize in helping local service businesses in the plumbing industry just like yours attract high intent plumbing leads, reduce wasted ad spend, and grow predictable revenue.
Contact us now for a free evaluation for your lead generation strategies, PPC campaigns and search engine optimization services – we’d love to help.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is the lifeblood of modern digital marketing, a finely tuned machine designed to separate serious advertisers from those who enjoy setting their money on fire. At its core, PPC is about buying attention—whether it’s from Google Ads, Facebook (or should we say Meta?) Ads, LinkedIn’s overpriced clicks, or whatever ad network is currently promising “unprecedented results.” The trick, of course, is making sure that the attention you’re paying for actually turns into conversions, and not just a collection of clicks that lead nowhere.
This guide is for marketers who already know the basics and are ready to squeeze every last drop of ROI from their PPC campaigns. If you’re looking for a “Beginner’s Guide to Google Ads,” this isn’t it. But if you’re tired of watching your ad spend disappear into the void and want to start running PPC like a ruthless efficiency machine, read on.
There’s nothing quite as tragic as a PPC campaign with no clear objective. Running ads without goals is like throwing darts blindfolded—sure, you might hit the board occasionally, but mostly you’re just making a mess. Before you even think about setting up a campaign, define what success looks like. Are you driving leads? Pushing e-commerce sales? Increasing brand awareness (ugh, we’ll get to why that’s usually a waste of money later)? If your goal is just “more clicks,” congratulations—you’ve just fallen for the ultimate PPC scam: paying for traffic that doesn’t convert.
Every campaign should have a quantifiable, measurable outcome tied to business KPIs. That means actual revenue, leads that don’t ghost you, or at the very least, cost per acquisition (CPA) that doesn’t make your CFO break out in hives.
Google Ads is the undisputed king of PPC, but let’s not pretend it’s the only game in town. Depending on your audience and objectives, Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) can still be a goldmine—if you’re willing to put up with Meta’s ever-changing rules and the occasional algorithmic meltdown. LinkedIn Ads? Great if you enjoy paying $12 per click for someone who will never fill out your lead form.
And then there’s the rising trend of alternative ad platforms. TikTok Ads are fantastic if you’re targeting Gen Z and have the budget to experiment. Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) may be the underdog, but they offer cheaper CPCs and a surprising number of high-intent users. If you’re in e-commerce, don’t ignore Amazon Ads—they print money for sellers who get their targeting right.
Google would love for you to just use broad match keywords and let their algorithm “figure things out.” Spoiler alert: this is a terrible idea. Broad match means your ad could show up for searches so unrelated to your business that it’s practically performance art.
Instead, focus on high-intent keywords—the ones that indicate users are actually ready to buy. Long-tail keywords often convert better because they signal more specific intent. The goal is not just to drive traffic, but to attract users who already have their wallets half-open.
Want to know what works? Look at your competitors. Tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, and Google’s Auction Insights let you see what keywords they’re bidding on, which ones they’re ranking for, and—most importantly—where they’re burning money so you don’t have to.
If a competitor is bidding on specific high-intent keywords, that’s your signal to investigate. Either they’re seeing a positive ROI, or they’re making an expensive mistake that you can learn from. Either way, it’s free intelligence.
Great PPC ads aren’t just about catchy headlines—they’re about aligning with search intent, making a compelling offer, and convincing users that clicking your ad is the smartest decision they’ll make today. A well-optimized ad uses clear, persuasive language with a direct CTA, because vague CTAs like “Learn More” are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.
A/B testing is non-negotiable. Your gut instinct is probably wrong, so test different headlines, CTAs, and descriptions to see what actually drives conversions. If you’re not actively testing, you’re just guessing.
You have about three seconds to convince visitors that they made the right choice clicking your ad. If your landing page loads slowly, looks like it was designed in 2008, or makes users hunt for the CTA, they’re gone.
Your landing page should have a singular focus: conversion. That means no distractions, no unnecessary links, and definitely no autoplay videos that scare people away. A strong landing page aligns perfectly with the ad copy, ensuring a seamless experience from click to conversion.
Nothing kills conversion rates faster than misleading ad-to-landing page alignment. If your ad promises “50% off running shoes” and your landing page is a generic homepage with no mention of that discount, expect a bounce rate that makes your campaign ROI cry. Every landing page should reinforce the ad message, use clear headlines, and make it painfully easy for users to complete the desired action. If a user has to think, they’re already gone.
If you’re still using manual CPC bidding across all campaigns, congratulations—you’re officially working harder, not smarter. Google’s automated bidding strategies have their place, but blindly trusting the algorithm is like handing your credit card to a stranger and hoping for the best.
Smart bidding, when done correctly, can optimize conversions and lower CPA, but it requires constant monitoring. Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and Maximize Conversions can be effective, but only if you have historical data to feed the algorithm. If you’re running a new campaign, manual bidding still gives you more control.
Running PPC without proper tracking is like driving blindfolded and hoping you’ll reach your destination. You need to track not just clicks, but actual conversions, customer lifetime value (CLV), and return on ad spend (ROAS). Google Ads’ built-in tracking is decent, but combining it with Google Analytics, heatmaps, and call tracking will give you a full picture of what’s working.
Scaling PPC isn’t as simple as increasing your budget and watching conversions skyrocket. If you scale too fast, you’ll tank your ROI. The right approach is incremental scaling—gradually increasing spend while monitoring CPA and conversion rates. If your CPA starts climbing faster than your revenue, it’s time to reassess. And if your PPC manager insists that “everything is going great” while your ROAS tells a different story? It might be time for a new PPC manager.
