6 Effective Local PPC Tips for Trenchless Contractors

As a trenchless contractor, you likely have a restrictive advertising budget. However, you probably also have a narrow target market. This means you can forego the expense of a national or international marketing campaign in favor of focusing on the local marketplace.

When it comes to PPC (pay per click) advertising, you’ll have to utilize specific strategies in order to take advantage of your local market and get the most bang for your buck. Here are several tips to ensure the most effective local PPC campaigns for your trenchless business.

1. Create a Workable Budget

This is objective number one. The cost of PPC advertising can quickly get out of hand if you don’t have a clear budget in mind.  Spending just a little more here and a little more there could leave you unable to manage payroll for the month.

Okay, you probably won’t go that far, but you may quickly realize that you can’t sustain a high rate of spending for your campaign of choice. When you have a set budget you can find ways to work within it while still making the most of your PPC efforts. It may require some additional legwork and strategy on your part to see significant ROI, but you’ll protect your financial interests in the process.

2. Utilize Adjacent Keyword Suggestions

Finding appropriate keywords that meet your budget and attract your target audience is no easy feat. Luckily, both Google and Facebook (among other online advertising options) provide you with keyword suggestions that are close to what you’re seeking, have less competition, and may ultimately cost you less to use.

Naturally, you’ll have to run some tests to determine which keywords are going to work best for your business. Perhaps competing for top keywords delivers a payoff that is worth the expense.  However, if you can spend less and get the same results, you’ll be glad you took advantage of the suggestions your advertising platforms suggest.

3. Don’t Ignore Negative Keywords

The last thing you want to do is pay for a click-through when consumers are looking for something you don’t actually offer. Cultivating a list of negative keywords that relates to the most common incorrect queries can help you to curb this unnecessary expense.

For example, as a trenchless business you might field erroneous requests for standard pipe replacement or sewer repair. You may be able to turn this to your advantage in some cases, but what you really want is to target clients seeking your specific services. Negative keywords can help you to avoid paying for clicks made by clients looking for something you don’t provide.

4. Maximize Ad Extensions

If you have yet to utilize ad extensions, it’s time to get on board with the concept. These elements are essentially a way to include additional information in your ads without increasing cost.

Online marketers most commonly use ad extensions to provide contact information about a business, including a phone number, address, and/or a link to a specific landing page on your website. At the very least, you should always provide a zip code, area code, or URL for the purposes of localization.

However, you can add further information, as well, as a means of attracting the attention of your local audience. For example, you can add call outs to your neighborhood or adjacent areas that may want to take advantage of your services.

Many clients will prefer to partner with a business that is not only local, but that is familiar with the local area. When you maximize your ad extensions, you can help to make prospective clients aware of your native status and local experience.

5. Add “Click to Call” Buttons

With more and more consumers using mobile devices for browsing and shopping, you may want to take advantage of Google’s call button.  This tool places a phone icon directly in your ad for viewers to click if they want to contact you immediately for information or scheduling.

6. A/B or Multi-Ad Testing

One of the best aspects of PPC advertising from a marketing perspective is the ease with which you can swap out ads. By posting variants on ads, you can see which keywords, displays, and other elements are showing the strongest response. This allows you to optimize performance and get the most from your local marketing campaigns.