Google Analytics and Google Ads are two of the most popular digital marketing tools available.
They offer a wide range of features and capabilities that can help marketers successfully promote their products or services in their target market.
For businesses trying to maximize their return on investment from their online advertising efforts, linking Google Ads with Google Analytics can have a huge impact on the success of the campaigns.
The process for Google Ads links is fairly straightforward, but it does require some technical knowledge before you can get started.
In this article, we will walk through the steps required to connect Google Ads with your Google Analytics property in order to take advantage of all available data insights.
First, we’ll cover how to set up accounts or log into your existing ones. Then we will discuss the steps necessary for linking Ads to Google Analytics so that they are talking to one another.
From there, we’ll explain how to specify what kind of Google Ads data links are needed with each other, as well as how to create custom reports and tags in both platforms. By following along with these instructions, you should be able to build upon both platforms and refine your campaigns based on invaluable data insights from Google Ads links and Analytics.
Additionally, leveraging personalized advertising can further enhance your ability to reach the right audience by using detailed insights gathered from Google Ads data and analytics tracking.
The first thing that you need to do before linking your Google Analytics account with your Google Ads campaign is to create a Google account.
If you do not already have one, you can sign up for free at accounts.google.com.
Once this account is created, you will need to log in using the same user name and password that you used for signing up for your AdWords campaigns. It is important that both accounts are associated with the same email address as well so that they will be linked together correctly later on in the process.
If both of these accounts already exist and are associated with the same email, then there is no need to create a new one; simply log into each platform by going to their respective login pages (Google Analytics and AdWords).
Once inside, it may require additional steps such as registration completion, setting up payment methods, etc…but all of these should take only a few minutes at most if everything else has been set up correctly beforehand.
There may also be an extra layer of activity authorizations required by enterprise customers so make sure that those requirements have been met prior in beginning this step.
Once the above steps have been taken, you’re ready to start the process for connecting your accounts together.
From within your Google Analytics property page, navigate over to “Admin” and select “AdWords Linking” which will be found under the Property column.
Completing this step will generate two separate pieces of information (Client@ID and Website@ID) that need to be copied into your AdWords account in order for them to link properly together.
Once these IDs are added, it is important to ensure that both accounts verify each other before proceeding with any activity linking; if the Client @ID generated by GA does not match up then the linking process could fail altogether, resulting in a mismatch of data between platforms.
To review your assigned report suites click on “Website Data” then go down to “Linked Reporting Services” in order to check as necessary. This will allow users to make sure all relevant ad accounts have access so that said changes can take full effect.
Once the linking process is successful between Google Ads and Analytics, it’s time to select what data you would like to track when they are shared with each other.
This can be done in a few easy steps from within the Google Ads interface.
First, click on “Tools & Settings” in the upper right-hand corner, which will then open up the Tools drop down menu. Click on “Data Sources” followed by selecting “Google Analytics” found within that menu.
On this page, you will see a list of AdWords accounts associated with your login as well as some detailed linking information such as account views and report suites associated with them; select which ones you’d like to link with Analytics so that all relevant activity can be tracked across platforms.
Once this has been completed, save changes and proceed onto customizing tags and creating goals for both tools if desired.
After selecting the data that you want to track across both tools, it is important to think about all additional resources available in order to maximize the campaigns return on investment.
This includes customizing tags, events and goals within each tool as well as setting up multiple campaign variables with Adwords so that controlling specific activity served can be done more efficiently.
Tags are identifiers used by click tracking technology so of course, they need to be created properly in order for this information to be tracked accurately; most analytics tools will require users having to set up custom tags, while others will allow them create automated ones depending on need.
Additionally, useful elements like Goals should also be set up beforehand since these ideas give decisive feedback when evaluating performance based on user activities and customer interactions.
Segments can also play a huge role in better understanding your customers, which Analytics render the use of immensely helpful for marketers when creating highly targeted campaigns across multiple devices.
Once all the necessary steps have been taken, now it’s time to track results.
Currently, this can be done by going into an overview in your Google Ads account or Analytics property page which will give a high-level picture of activities generated by campaigns as well as sites events associated with them.
To get a more detailed view, it might be necessary to generate custom reports containing the past and present activity is broken down across different dimensions like channels, AdWords campaigns, and other specific elements; these extended analytics can provide valuable insight on how customers interact with separate platforms so taking the time to go through different reports available is recommended.
As always, tracking raw data should be done regularly so that users can more accurately interpret their performance overall and make educated decisions based off accurate information going forward.
This can include campaign optimization plans involving expanding offering or tweaking specific aspects for an improved customer experience when engaging with promoted content.
It’s also important to note that there are additional variables, such as audience segmentation and using specialty tools ( ex. Search Console )that need setting up, but those operations require more than just linking both services discussed today; nonetheless, integrating Google Ads with Analytics continues being one of the best strategies available for improving digital marketing efforts dramatically.
In this article, we’ve discussed how to link Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts so that users can take full advantage of their capabilities when creating digital marketing campaigns.
We covered steps from setting up or logging into your Google accounts all the way to customizing tags, events and generating objectives for both platforms.
It should be noted that the above method is for linking an AdWords account with one specific Property in GA, but there are many more possibilities outside of those limitations.
Understanding each platform’s potential and carefully employing certain tactics can lead to major improvements over time, something that any marketer trying to maximize returns on investments heavily relies on.
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Roofing is competitive, and if you want to scale your business, you need high visibility. Word-of-mouth will only get you so far – to get big results, you need to actively market your services.
The majority of your potential customers aren’t just casually browsing around – they need your services now. While some people will be looking for a new roof before there’s an emergency, those people aren’t feeling any sense of urgency and are less likely to buy. Your ideal, most profitable customers are dealing with urgent problems like shingles ripped off in a storm, water leaks or stains on the ceiling, and damage from trees. To capture these customers, your roofing business needs to show up in a Google search, and that’s where pay-per-click ads (PPC) come into play.
When you use PPC ads, you’ll show up at the very top of the page above organic search results. That means your customers don’t have to scroll to find you. All you need is a compelling ad that leads to a landing page that converts clicks into cash.
PPC advertising is the easiest way to get visibility in Google search results, but only if you do it right. Done wrong, PPC ads are a money pit. Done correctly, PPC ads can become a lead-generating machine.
This guide will walk you through a proven, high-performance PPC strategy tailored for roofing contractors ready to scale.
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PPC ads are a roofing contractor’s best online advertising method. While search engine optimization (SEO) is powerful – especially with local SEO – it takes time to see results. PPC gets you results (clicks, paying customers) now, putting your roofing business in front of hot leads the moment they search for your services.
Just like local SEO, you can use local-intent keywords with your PPC ad campaigns to create a higher conversion rate. Since roofing services are local, you’ll want to target specific zip codes or service areas to make sure your ads reach the right people in the areas you serve.
Search intent consists of two things: keywords and urgency. Let’s break these down:
· Commercial v. informational intent. The keywords people use will tell you everything you need to know about their intent. While some people are only looking for information, others are searching for services. For example, phrases like “roof leak repair near me” is gold. “How to fix a leaky roof” is not. Focus your ad budget on high-converting, purchase-intent queries. Another good phrase to bid on is “[your company] reviews.”
· How to use match types. When running paid ads, you can choose broad match or phrase and exact match. Broad match will waste your budget because it will include a ton of unrelated queries. Stick to phrase match and exact match to zero in on qualified traffic, and then refine your campaign through negative keywords.
If you aren’t sure what phrases are considered high-intent, here’s a simple list you can use as a starting point:
· Emergency roof repair near me
· Roof repair [city or zip code]
· Roofing companies in [city or zip code]
· Licensed roofers near me
· Storm damage roof repair
· Roof leak repair services
· Hail damage roofing contractor
· Roof replacement [city or zip code]
There are also a handful of service-specific keywords you can target, including:
· Metal roofing installation
· Shingle roof repair
· Flat roof replacement
· Tile roofing contractor
· Commercial roofing company
· Residential roofing services
Don’t forget the comparison/estimate phrases:
· Roof repair cost [city]
· How much does a new roof cost
· Roof replacement cost calculator
· Compare roofing contractors [city]
Suggested negative keywords:
· DIY
· How to
· Free
· Tutorial
· Home Dept
· Jobs
· Careers
· Courses
· Trainings
· Rent
· Rentals
By adding these to your negative keywords list, you’ll avoid having your ads show up for people who are looking for DIY solutions who are not likely to hire a professional roofer.
You should also bid on your own company name since there’s a possibility people will be searching for your company specifically, either to research or compare prices. Google allows you to bid on your competitors’ brands, but make sure you don’t violate Google’s trademark rules. You can bid on a competitor’s brand name even if it’s trademarked, but you can’t use it in the ad text unless you are the trademark owner, an official reseller, or providing informational content about the trademark.
If you’re running paid ads and not getting good results, it’s possibly because you’re targeting queries that indicate curiosity rather than urgency and need (purchase intent).
When you run an ad, clicking will take users to the web page of your choice. Many people send traffic to their home page by default, but that’s a bad idea. Home pages don’t convert well because there is no targeted message.
You want to give people every reason possible to call you immediately and request a consultation, inspection, or buy your services. To do this, you need a dedicated sales page with copy that speaks directly to your leads and matches your ad. For example, if you’re running an ad that uses the phrase “fix a leaky roof,” your sales page should be written to get people with a leaky roof to call you for an emergency tarp, free inspection, or whatever you offer.
It will take time to test and adjust your sales pages to get them to convert optimally, but you can start by clearly stating what you offer (e.g., “24-hour emergency roof repair”), using trust signals, like Google reviews, Home Advisor ratings and reviews, badges, partnerships with financing companies, and warranties offered. Once you have a solid, basic sales page, you can start running ads and then use split-testing to fine-tune the elements one-by-one to increase conversions.
Targeting local areas is the key to running a successful PPC ad campaign. Target your audience by zip code or a specific radius around your service area. Combine this with custom ad copy (“Serving the Greater Houston area!”) to boost your click-through rate (CTR).
When running PPC ads, it’s crucial to avoid overreach. Unless you are a statewide business with multiple teams and a huge budget, don’t waste your money on markets you can’t effectively service. Keep your ads confined to the service areas you can support while staying profitable.
Your best leads want to talk to you – they don’t want to send emails back and forth. When you can generate calls from your ads, those leads will convert better than clicks. The good news is that Google Ads offers the ability to run ads that will generate calls instead of clicks. It’s called call extensions, and this feature uses tracking numbers to monitor and optimize conversations with leads.
Once you run and track these ads for a while, you’ll see a pattern emerge regarding which ads are driving the most calls. Take that data and invest more of your ad budget into what is working best and cut what is not.
Google is the king of search, but your customers are on other platforms, too. Don’t just stick with Google. If all your leads come from a single source, you’re one algorithm update away from a slow season. Winter is already tough for the roofing industry, so you can’t afford to risk slowing down in peak season. Having a high-performing PPC campaign means running ads on multiple platforms.
Facebook is a powerhouse for roofing companies to generate leads. You can advertise your services to locals, post in local community groups, and have people share your sponsored ads. You might be surprised at how much positive activity reputable local roofers get on their Facebook ads. That activity feeds the algorithm and gets your ads shown to more people. With Facebook Ads, you can target by zip code, homeowner status, and even income level.
Getting a PPC audit is one of the best ways to get better results. If you’re winging it, experimenting, or you aren’t sure why you’re not getting good results, a simple audit from a professional PPC marketing agency can help you pinpoint exactly what isn’t working and offer a more effective strategy.
Depending on what platform you advertise on, you might be required to invest a minimum amount of money to get in the game. In any case, you’ll need to set a daily budget. Most roofers start with at least $50-$100 per day. If you go any lower, you risk not getting enough impressions to get results. Businesses willing to spend more money will get the most ad placements. A higher daily limit makes it possible for the system to bid higher to get your ads seen more often.
When you first run a campaign, start with manual cost per click (CPC) to see what works. Once you have enough information, test Google’s Smart Bidding feature to scale. For instance, test the Target CPA or Maximize Conversions features.
Never let a hot lead go cold. Even though leads might need your services immediately, not everyone converts on the first visit. Some people take their time to research competitors, price compare, and think about their needs. When you use retargeting, your ads will display for people who have already visited your website, reminding them that you exist and nudging them to act.
Since retargeting ads can be run independently from your main campaign, you can tailor the ad copy to speak directly to people who have clicked on your ads previously. For example, you can run a headline that reads, “Still need a roof repair?” or “Storm damage? Book before the next rain!” These types of headlines work really well with remarketing.
Since 90% of local roofing searches happen on phones, it’s crucial that you optimize your ads for mobile. Don’t lose leads because of a clunky, difficult website. One of the most important things to do is use click-to-call buttons. This is a must for roofing contractors. It’s a simple HTML button that will bring up your phone number in a user’s dial pad when they click.
If you aren’t tracking your ROI, you’re flying blind. To know your ROI, you’ll need to know your cost per leads (CPL). To get this, track your cost per call, per form fill, and per booked job. It also helps to use a customer relationship management application (CRM) to track sales attributions. For instance, when you sync your PPC data with your CRM, you can see the entire customer journey for every lead that turns into a contract.
While it’s possible to run your own pay-per-click ads, there are many reasons not to go down that path. The learning curve is extremely steep, and the consequences of making a mistake are costly.
If you don’t have the time to learn from scratch, or the money to waste experimenting, hire a pro. But make sure they have real world experience running ads for roofing contractors. You’ll want a company that knows your market, how and where to reach them, and what keywords and phrases get them to convert.
When you find a marketing agency that does PPC, ask about their experience with roofing contractors or other home service businesses. If they have the right experience, ask for their fees and minimum ad budget recommendations or requirements to make sure it’s within your budget.
High-performance PPC for roofing isn’t about throwing money at google and hoping for the best. It’s about targeting your ideal customers with the right message that gets them interested in your services. Done right, PPC can bring you a predictable, steady flow of leads, jobs, and revenue. Done wrong, it’s a fast way to burn through your marketing budget.
At PPC.co, we specialize in creating high-performance PPC campaigns for roofing contractors who are serious about scaling their business. We build razor-sharp strategies that bring in high-intent leads, cut wasteful ad spend, and turn Google Ads into a lead generating engine. Our team of PPC specialists understand the roofing industry and we know how to target leads ready to book with you now.
Stop gambling with your marketing budget. Let’s work together to build a system that delivers high-value leads. Contact us today to request a proposal or to learn more about the advertising services we offer. You don’t need more clicks – you need more conversions. Let’s make it happen.
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.
