I've talked to contractors who tried Google Ads, spent $1,500 in 30 days, got two calls, and decided it doesn't work. I've also talked to contractors running $2,000 a month in Google Ads and booking 15-20 jobs from it. Same platform, completely different results. The difference is almost always campaign structure.
Search Ads vs. Display Ads
Start with Search only. Search ads appear when someone types a specific query into Google. Display ads appear as banner ads on websites across the Google network. Display ads can build brand awareness but they convert terribly for home services. Someone browsing a recipe website is not in buying mode for HVAC service. Stick to Search until you're getting real ROI, then consider Display only for retargeting.
Keywords: Be Specific
Broad keywords like "HVAC" or "air conditioning" are expensive and attract terrible traffic. You'll pay for clicks from people researching HVAC as a career, looking for DIY guides, or in cities you don't serve. Use specific, intent-heavy keywords: "AC repair [city name]," "HVAC replacement near me," "emergency AC service [city]." The more specific the keyword, the higher the intent, and the better your click-to-call conversion rate.
Use phrase match or exact match, not broad match. Broad match on a contractor's budget is a money fire. Phrase match and exact match show your ad for specific searches and variations, not for anything remotely related.
Negative Keywords Are as Important as Keywords
Negative keywords tell Google when NOT to show your ad. Add: "DIY," "how to," "manual," "parts," "YouTube," "training," "school," "careers," "jobs." Someone searching "how to fix my own AC" is not your customer. Without negative keywords, you'll pay for those clicks anyway.
The Landing Page Again
Your ad and your landing page need to match. If your ad says "Same-Day AC Repair in Dallas," the page it lands on should say exactly that in the headline. Mismatched ads and landing pages lower your Quality Score, which raises your cost per click and drops your ad position. It's the worst of both worlds.
Budget and Bidding
In competitive markets, AC repair keywords can cost $15-$40 per click. At 10% conversion rate on clicks to calls, you're paying $150-$400 per lead. If your average AC job is $500-$800, that math can work. Know your numbers before you set a budget. Start at $600-$800 per month for a meaningful test. Less than that and you won't get enough data to optimize.
Check in weekly for the first month. Look at search terms (not just keywords) to see what your ad actually showed for. Add negatives. Pause underperforming ad variations. Give it 60 days of consistent management before drawing conclusions.
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Written by
Dina Good
Founder, WerkOps
Dina grew up in the trades. Her father was a contractor, then a building inspector, and the job site was her classroom long before any formal one was. She went on to own her own contracting company, which is where she first felt the pain of running a skilled trade business on bad software and worse spreadsheets. A love of data pulled her into programming, and the two worlds eventually collided into WerkOps - software built by someone who has actually been on the truck.