There’s no shortage of companies that need cleaning services. Connect with them almost instantly through pay-per-click advertising.
So you’ve finally got the website for your cleaning business up and running. Now how do you get people to visit it? More importantly, how do you get the right people to visit it?
If search engine optimization (SEO) was the first thing that came to mind, you’re not that far off. After all, companies that need cleaning services are likely to use a search engine as their first reference tool. But SEO, if it’s done well, reaches a broad audience, too many people for an effectively targeted ad campaign. For a narrower, more measurable approach, your best bet is pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
What is PPC advertising?
Developed in the late 1990s, PPC advertising is a method where the advertiser—you—only pays for the placement of an advertisement when someone clicks on it. This is different from cost-per-impression, where you would pay every time the ad appeared on a publisher’s page. PPC is commonly associated with search engines like Google or Bing, which include targeted ads on results pages based on the user’s keyword search. However, PPC advertising is also used by many social media publishers.
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Sometimes, a publisher will set a fixed price that the advertiser will pay for the ad spot, but more commonly, they determine price through bidding on specific keyword phrases. The bidding system is automated, so all you have to do is choose the keyword phrase you’re bidding on, set your target audience, and set a maximum price you’re willing to pay for the ad spot.
In both cases, PPC advertising is fast, measurable, and effective. Here are some tips you can use to instantly reach companies that need cleaning services in your area.
How to your rock PPC ad in 4 easy steps
1. Craft your copy wisely
In most cases, your PPC ad is going to be text only or text heavy. Either way, you’ll want to have stellar copy to attract your customers, and that starts with the headline. Make sure to keep it brief, but also make it unique, something that speaks specifically to companies that need cleaning services.
If you’re running a promotion, let’s say 10% off for new customers, include that as part of your copy. In general, ads with specific numbers for prices or discounts receive more traffic than ads without.
Remember, though, that your copy will be limited, sometimes to as little as 80 characters. Try writing a few different versions and test them out to see which works best.
2. Target local businesses
There may be plenty of companies that need cleaning services, but it won’t do you much good to get your ad in front of someone a thousand miles away. Set the geographical boundaries of your advertisement so that it only reaches those within the radius in which you do business. Yes, you’ll get less overall traffic, but the traffic you do get will be much more meaningful.
3. Monitor your ads closely
There’s little point to an advertisement if it doesn’t at least drive traffic that might convert to leads. Using platforms like Google AdWords and Facebook Ads, you can watch the performance of your campaign in real-time, which allows you to make adjustments as necessary. Tracking metrics is especially useful in determining current and future budgets.
4. Work with a modest budget
One of the many benefits of PPC advertising is that it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Even a starting budget of $100 for a campaign is plenty to reach local companies that need cleaning services. If a campaign is particularly effective, or if you’re not getting the ad spots you want, by all means, spend more. But don’t think that you need to make a huge investment for a successful PPC campaign.
How to get started
If you’ve already got your website up and running, setting up a PPC ad campaign for companies that need cleaning services shouldn’t be too difficult. First, decide if you want to advertise on search engine results pages, social media, or somewhere else. Then, open an account with the relevant ad platform (Google AdWords, Bing Ads, etc.) and plug in the necessary information. It’s a good idea to have ad copy written out before this point so that you don’t get held up, but you can also create the copy fresh on the platform if you choose. Include any relevant media if the platform supports it and decide on a budget. The rest comes down to nuanced details that differ from platform to platform, but for the most part, that’s it!
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DIY or specialist-for-hire
Most of the PPC ad platforms are relatively user-friendly, which allows you to purchase ads independently. However, for larger campaigns or campaigns with a very specific target audience, you might consider hiring a company that specializes in search engine marketing (SEM). Keep in mind, however, that these companies are on the lookout for big clients. The $100 spend won’t be enough to employ their services. If you’re thinking about going with a specialized company, plan to spend in the thousands at minimum. Yes, it’s a lot, but for the right campaign, the returns will make it worth it.