Google Ads for service businesses
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A good website is step one. But someone with a blocked drain or a leaking boiler is not going to wait six months for your site to climb the Google rankings. They call whoever shows up right now. I set up a local Google Ads campaign for your service and your area, so people searching today for "drain cleaning Rotterdam" or "emergency plumber Amsterdam" end up with you instead of a competitor. Setup is a one-off €499, management €299 per month, and your ad budget goes straight to Google.
Want to know whether Google Ads is worth it for your service and region? Request a free quote
What you get
A complete campaign built to bring in enquiries from your own service area from day one. No half measures and no "let's see what happens": everything is set up properly before a single euro goes to Google.
- Keyword research for your service and region, including emergency terms and place names
- One campaign structure per service, so budget does not leak into searches that never turn into a job
- Local targeting by postcode and town, so you only pay for clicks from the area you actually drive to
- Conversion tracking on phone clicks, forms and WhatsApp, so you see what each enquiry costs
- Ad copy that speaks to the customer with an urgent problem and lets everyone else scroll past
- A negative keyword list (free, DIY, jobs) that keeps your click costs down
- A check of your landing page: phone number at the top, service area clear, short form
What it costs
Three cost items, no surprises. Setup is a one-off fee, management is monthly, and your ad budget goes straight to Google. That is your money and I take no margin on it. All prices exclude VAT.
- Google Ads setup: €499 one-off. Keyword research, campaign structure, local targeting, conversion tracking and the first ads.
- Monthly management: €299 per month. Optimisation, A/B tests of your ads and a monthly report. Three-month minimum, because before that there is not enough data to make good decisions.
- Ad budget: paid by you, directly to Google. For a local service business, €300-€600 per month is a realistic amount to start with.
- No website or landing page yet? I build a landing page from €499, matched to the campaign.
Not sure this works for your business? Send me your service and area and I will tell you honestly whether there is enough search demand to start.
How it works
You deal with me, not with an account manager. This is what the process looks like, from the first conversation to the monthly report.
- Step 1: intake. We go through your service, your area and what an average job is worth to you, so we know how much you can afford to pay per enquiry.
- Step 2: setup. I build the campaign in your own Google Ads account and wire the tracking into your site. Everything is usually live within a week.
- Step 3: first month. The campaign runs and I keep a close eye on which searches bring clicks, and I exclude the ones that cost money without an enquiry.
- Step 4: fine-tuning. Every month you get a short overview: what was spent, how many enquiries came in, what each one cost and what I changed.
Google Ads or SEO?
Both get you found in Google, but on a different timescale and with different costs. For emergency trades, Google Ads is usually the fastest route to enquiries. SEO is the long-term foundation a good website gives you, and I build that in as standard.
| Aspect | Google Ads | SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Visible in Google | As soon as the campaign is live | After months, depending on competition |
| Cost | Per click, plus management | Built into a good website and good copy |
| Control | On or off per day, budget adjustable | No direct control |
| Strong at | Urgent jobs and "call now" | Lasting visibility for your service |
| Stops when | Your budget stops | Your site goes stale |
Which service businesses is this for?
This works best for businesses where the customer has an urgent problem and wants to call straight away. For 247 Ontstopper, for example, I built a business website set up entirely around direct calls and requests, exactly the kind of site a Google Ads campaign plugs into.
- Drain cleaning and sewer services
- Plumbers and boiler engineers
- Locksmiths with an emergency service
- Roofers and leak specialists
- Leak detection and damp treatment
- Electricians with a call-out service
- Glaziers, damage clean-up and other emergency trades
Frequently asked questions
How fast will my campaign be live?
Usually within a week of the intake. I need access to your Google Ads account (or I create one in your name) and a landing page the tracking can go on. If you do not have one yet, I build a landing page first and both go live together.
What is a realistic monthly ad budget?
For a local service business, €300-€600 per month is a good starting point. That gives enough data to see what an enquiry costs. If that number makes sense against what a job earns you, we scale up. If it does not, we first find out why instead of pouring more budget into the same campaign.
What if I do not get any enquiries?
In the first weeks I make changes based on real data: which keywords bring enquiries and which only bring clicks. If enquiries still do not come after three months, you get an honest analysis from me. Often the cause sits outside the ads: too little search volume in your region, pricing that is out of step with the market, or a landing page that does not make people call. If so, I say so, and we do not keep management running for its own sake.
Who owns the Google Ads account?
You do. I build the campaign in an account in your name and work in it as a manager. All data, all settings and the billing relationship with Google stay yours. If we stop working together, I remove myself from the account and the campaign keeps running, or you switch it off yourself.
Can I manage the campaign myself later?
Yes. After the first three months you can take over management. You get a short walkthrough of the campaign structure, the reporting I use and a checklist of what to review each month. If you would rather keep it outsourced, we agree month by month whether to continue.
Do I need a website for Google Ads?
You need at least one good landing page: a page with your service, your area, a phone number at the top and a short form. If you do not have one yet, I build one from €499. The page and the campaign are then set up together, so conversion tracking and service area match on both.
Does Google Ads work outside the big cities?
Yes, as long as people in your area search for your service. In a smaller region the search volume is lower, but so is the competition and often the cost per click. During the intake I check the search volume for your service and towns, so you know before you start whether it is worth it.
Want more urgent jobs from your own area? I check the search volume for your service and area and you hear back from me within 24 hours.