The two parts of the cost
- Paid to the ad platform
- Set by you, with no minimum
- Scales with clicks you buy
- Varies by trade and city
- Paid to an agency or freelancer
- Flat fee or a share of spend
- Covers setup, testing and reports
- Optional if you run it yourself
What drives your ad spend
- Your trade. Legal, roofing and HVAC clicks cost more than many retail clicks.
- Your area. Big metro markets have more bidders than small towns.
- Your goal. More leads each month need more clicks.
- Your conversion rate. A better page needs fewer clicks per lead.
Keyword Planner shows estimated click prices for your searches and area. Use it before you set a budget.
A sensible way to start
Set a budget for a two to three month test, big enough to get real data. Track every call and form. At the end, compare cost per customer with what a customer is worth. Then grow, hold or cut.
Good example. A cleaning company tests $1,200 a month for three months, tracks bookings by source and finds a cost per customer it can afford. It doubles the budget on its best service.
Bad example. A company spends a little for two weeks, sees few calls and quits before any data comes in.
Ways to spend less
Target fewer, better keywords and tighten your area to where you work. Run ads during staffed hours and send traffic to a page built for each service. Each of these cuts waste before you add budget.
Read Google Ads starting budget. Our PPC management is a flat fee with no long contract, and you keep your ad accounts.