Google Ads is a great advertising platform, but it can be difficult to manage all of the different campaigns that you have running.
One strategy that will help simplify your workload is setting up shared campaign budgets. This article will show you how to set up and use this budget type in Google Ads so that you spend less time managing your campaigns.
This feature may also be beneficial if you’re running multiple Google Ads campaigns and need help automating the management process.
Let’s get started!
The Shared Campaign Budget feature allows multiple campaigns to contribute towards one shared budget. Google will allocate a proportional amount of your total campaign spend across all linked campaigns based on each campaign’s performance in the previous period.
The feature makes it easier to manage several campaigns at once, usually during A/B testing sessions when you want to find the most profitable campaign from the rest of the bunch.
It’s a great way to optimize your campaigns and save time.
For example, if you have three Google Ads campaigns that are all performing well across the board, then using this feature can be an excellent way to allocate your marketing spend in order to maximize profits.
Using this feature offers the following benefits:
If you’re running multiple campaigns in Google Ads, then the shared campaign budget is an excellent feature that will allow you to simplify your workload.
This article will show you how to create a Shared Campaign Budget in Google Ads and what are some of its benefits.
One of the most common uses is when companies are conducting A/B testing sessions because it offers one simple way of managing multiple tests at once without needing additional work from you other than inputting a few numbers into the system.
The ability to use automatic allocation means less time spent micromanaging budgets which free up more time for optimization and other important tasks.
You should avoid this feature when you’re running campaigns with vastly different budgets.
For example, if one campaign is generating $100 and the other will generate $1000 in a period of time, then it would be better to let Google Ads allocate the budget for both campaigns instead of using shared campaign budgeting.
If your campaign is similar to what we just described, it’s best to manually adjust the budget of your campaign. If you still lack the time, it’s best to hire a PPC agency for the job.
Fortunately, using this feature is quite simple in Google Ads. Just follow these steps to get the job done:
And, just like that, you’re all finished. While this process is simple to carry out, hiring a PPC agency to make this change may be in your best interest. Continue reading below to find out.
The answer to this question depends on your budget and company size. If you’re working with a small business or don’t have the time, then hiring an agency is worth it for these reasons:
If you need help running a Google Ads campaign but lack the experience, skillset, or equipment necessary to do so effectively, outsourcing may be a better move than using the shared campaign budgeting feature.
So, you’ve decided to hire a PPC agency to enact the shared campaign budget feature or just run your Google Ads campaign? If so, you should familiarize yourself first with the benefits of making this hire.
These benefits include:
The PPC experts you hire will have the skills and experience necessary to get your campaign up and running.
In addition to handling things like keyword research, report analysis, and account management, professional agencies also know how much money should go where in order for a campaign to be profitable.
There are many features that might not seem intuitive or easy at first glance in Google Ads such as location targeting options which is why an agency has familiarity with them all when it comes time to decide what’s best for your business’ needs.
An agency will know how to set up conversion tracking, integrate Google Ads with other marketing channels and platforms such as social media or email marketing, and make the most of remarketing strategies.
A PPC expert from an agency is assigned exclusively for your account so you’ll never be alone in managing it which means that they’re more likely to stay on top of things like keyword research and competitive analysis than if they were just working with one client at a time.
PPC agencies often have access to 24/hour customer service lines where their experts are available to answer questions before, during, or after hours when other companies might not be able to provide this level of support.
A PPC agency can help with keyword research which is often the most difficult and time-consuming part of any campaign.
PPC agencies have access to tools like SEMrush, Google Ads Editor, keyword tool suggestions from Google Search Console, or Bing Webmaster Tools that you might not be able to get on your own.
They also know how best to analyze reports in order for them to provide useful information about what’s going well and where improvements are needed in a timely manner without ever being too late.
We take pride in being one of the most well-known PPC agencies in the United States. If you desperately need to turn your ad budget into more revenue for your business, then we can help.
We have more than a decade of PPC management experience. When you choose to hire us, we’ll put a dedicated account manager and a team of professionals to manage your campaign and ad spend.
We realize there are dozens of PPC agencies in your area to choose from. Many of them will claim to offer the best PPC management services for your company. At PPC, we prioritize providing exceptional benefits to our clients, which include:
We’re always on top of the latest PPC trends so that we can take full advantage of them for your business.
Reports are a critical part of any successful campaign and they should be detailed enough to provide information about what’s going well with your account, as well as where improvements may need to happen in order for you to achieve your goals.
It’s important to have an expert review everything before moving forward which is why our free consultation service allows you to get advice from one of our experienced professionals without having to spend too much money just yet.
You’ll get a return on your investment every time you work with us. We make it our priority to give clients the best possible ROI for their advertising dollars which means getting them as many conversions and leads at the lowest cost-per-acquisition that we can manage.
We have a team of professionals who are experts at keyword research, so they’ll be able to help you select the right keywords for your campaign.
The budget is something that often gets overlooked when it comes to PPC advertising which is why our agency will work with yours in order to create campaigns and ad groups within your set restraints without ever wasting money on anything superfluous.
PPC agencies are experts in ad copywriting which is often the most important part of any successful campaign. We strive to provide amazing copywriting services to ensure that your ads are engaging to your target audience.
We have more than a decade of PPC management experience. We’ll take the time to get to know you and your business so that we can provide our expertise in an area where it’s needed most, without ever being too late.
More importantly:
We have a team of specialists who are willing to work with you in order to help save time.
It’s important for any business owner or manager to try and find ways of saving as much time as possible, which is why we offer PPC management services that will get your account back up and running quickly so you won’t be wasting money on ads that aren’t performing well.
You’ll want to know how your campaign is performing so that you can make adjustments accordingly.
We offer a variety of tracking services that will help you in making decisions about the future of your account, and it all starts with one simple consultation from our team today.
We are committed to providing our clients with money-saving PPC techniques that will get them the most ROI for their advertising budget which is why we run campaigns vigorously with a watchful eye, so you’ll never waste time or money.
As your business grows, you’ll want to scale up so that it can keep up with the demand of an increased number of customers.
We offer a variety of options for scaling our campaigns which means we’re able to work within any budget and grow at any pace that is necessary without ever missing a beat or wasting money on anything superfluous.
It’s not always possible for businesses to hire an in-house team of PPC experts, which is why it can be a money saver to work with our agency.
When you partner with us, we’ll take care of all your current campaigns plus provide consultation on future projects so that you don’t have to worry about anything other than what comes most naturally: running your business and making decisions based on the data from one campaign.
We offer impeccable ad creation services which will ensure that every aspect of your ads is focused directly on your target demographic while also engaging them enough so they click through onto the landing page where conversion rates will be higher because their interest has already been piqued.
Wading through the murky waters of PPC can be a time-consuming and confusing process, but not with us.
Our team has more than ten years of experience in the industry which means you won’t have to waste any valuable hours learning how to do it yourself when we’re happy to help.
Do you need help turning on the shared campaign budget feature in Google Ads? If so, contact us today to speak to a member of our team to see how we can help.
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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.
