Paid Advertising
Google & Microsoft Ads Management for Small Businesses
SEO builds your presence over time; ads put you in front of customers right now. When someone searches “handyman near me” or “dentist open today,” they’re not browsing. They’re ready to hire someone. We make sure your business is the one they find, with targeted campaigns on Google and Microsoft focused on the searches that actually convert.
WHY Ads?
Why Paid Search Advertising Works for Local Service Businesses
Local SEO builds momentum over time, but most businesses need customers before then. A well-built Google or Microsoft ad campaign can put you at the top of search results the same week it goes live, reaching people who are actively looking for exactly what you offer.
Most small business owners who’ve tried ads and given up did so because the campaigns weren’t set up right. Broad targeting, generic copy, no filters on irrelevant searches, clicks going to pages that don’t convert. The problem was never the ads. It was how they were run.
Where Your Ads Run
Google and Microsoft: The Platforms That Matter Most for Local Businesses
Google Search Ads
When your customer types “mechanic Santa Clarita” or “best accountant near me,” they’re almost certainly doing it on Google. Search ads put your business at the top of those results before they scroll past to anything else. High intent, ready to hire, right now.
Microsoft Ads (Bing)
Most agencies ignore Bing entirely. We don’t. Its users tend to be older with higher household incomes, and because fewer advertisers compete there, cost per click is typically lower than Google for the same keywords. Running both means more coverage for less money per click.
What About Facebook, Yelp, and Other Platforms?
Facebook and Instagram work well for businesses with a strong visual component like remodeling or landscaping, and we offer them as an add-on when it makes sense. Yelp ads tend to deliver poor value for most service businesses, so we don’t include them by default. If we don’t think a platform is worth your money, we’ll tell you.
How We Do It
How We Build and Manage Google & Microsoft Ad Campaigns
Keyword Research
Not every search is worth bidding on. We build your campaigns around the specific high-intent searches your customers make when they’re ready to hire now.
Filtering Out Wasted Spend
A poorly built campaign will show your ad to people who were never going to call you. We set up filters from day one so your budget only goes toward searches that can actually turn into customers.
Ad Copy Written to Convert
Your ad is competing against several others on the same page. We write copy that speaks directly to what your customer needs right now instead of generic filler.
Landing Page Alignment
Clicking an ad and landing on a page that doesn’t match what was promised is a fast way to lose a customer. We make sure every ad points to a page that’s ready to convert.
Ongoing Optimization
Ad campaigns degrade without active management. We monitor performance, adjust targeting, test variations, and keep your campaigns improving every month.
Transparent Reporting
You always know how your ads are performing. We track the numbers that actually matter: calls, form submissions, and cost per customer.
Ad Spend Included
Google & Microsoft Ad Spend Included in Every Monthly Plan
Most agencies charge a management fee and tell you to fund your own ad account separately. Every plan we offer includes real ad spend that goes directly to Google and Microsoft on your behalf. It never passes through us. You see exactly where every dollar goes.
Open For Business Plan — $650/month
includes $150 toward ad spend
Get Found Plan — $950/month
includes $200 toward ad spend
Stay Ahead Plan — $1,250/month
includes $300 toward ad spend
Corner The Market — $2,000/month
includes $500 toward ad spend
Want to put more behind your ads? We can manage a larger budget at no additional management fee. Just ask.
Ads & SEO Together
The Businesses That Win Locally Use Both Ads + SEO. Here’s Why:
Ads and SEO work better together than either does alone.
Ads give you immediate visibility while your organic rankings build. In the early months your ads are generating calls while your SEO compounds in the background. Over time your organic rankings kick in too, and your cost per lead drops because traffic is coming from two sources instead of one.
That’s why we include both in every plan. You shouldn’t have to choose between results now and results that last.
3.5 billion
Google searches happen every single day
65%
of high-intent searches result in an ad click.
$2
average return for every $1 spent on Google Ads.
33%
lower cost per click on Microsoft vs Google on average
Ready to Start Showing Up for the Right Searches?
Paid ads lead to customers right away. Let’s look at your market, your competition, and what a well-built campaign could do for your business.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How does paid search advertising work?
Paid search ads appear at the top of Google and Microsoft search results when someone searches for a keyword you’re bidding on. You pay when someone clicks your ad. We build the campaigns, write the ads, manage the targeting, and optimize performance on an ongoing basis. The actual ad spend goes directly from you to the platform, not through us.
How much does it cost to run ads?
Ad spend is included in every monthly plan, ranging from $150/month at our entry level to $500/month at our top tier. If you want to invest more, we can manage a larger budget as part of your existing plan. Ad management is handled by us as part of your monthly fee, so you’re not paying a separate management fee on top of your ad spend.
Why Google and Microsoft instead of Facebook or Instagram?
For most local service businesses, Google and Microsoft Search ads outperform social ads because they reach people who are actively searching for your service at that moment. Social ads reach people who may or may not need what you offer, which makes conversion harder and more expensive. We offer social ad management as an add-on when it makes sense for a specific client’s situation.
I tried Google Ads before and it didn't work. Why is your service different?
Most failed ad experiences come down to the same handful of problems: campaigns set up too broadly, ad copy that’s too generic, no negative keywords filtering out irrelevant searches, and traffic sent to pages that don’t convert customers. We address all of these from the start. If your previous campaigns weren’t set up and actively managed correctly, that’s likely why they didn’t deliver.
Can't I just use Google's AI to create my ads?
You can, and Google will happily let you. But it’s worth understanding whose interests those automated tools are optimized for. Google’s AI is designed to maximize your spend and your reach. That’s not the same thing as maximizing your results.
Automated campaigns tend to cast a wide net, broad targeting, broad keywords, broad audiences. That works great for Google’s revenue. For a local service business with a limited budget, it usually means paying for clicks from people who were never going to hire you.
What we do is the opposite. Tight targeting, high-intent keywords, negative keyword lists that filter out irrelevant searches, and ad copy written specifically for your customer. Every dollar goes further because we’re not trying to spend your budget, we’re trying to get you customers.
How long before I see results from ads?
Ads can generate calls and leads within the first days of going live. That’s the main advantage over SEO. In month one we build your foundation and campaigns. In month two your ads go live and you start seeing activity. Results improve steadily as we optimize based on real performance data.
Do I own my ad accounts?
Yes. Your Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising accounts are yours. We manage them on your behalf, but the accounts, the campaign history, and the data all belong to you. If you ever leave, you take everything with you.
What's the difference between search ads and display ads?
Search ads appear when someone actively searches for a keyword. Display ads appear as banners or images on websites across the internet. For local service businesses, search ads consistently outperform display ads because of the intent difference. We focus on search ads and avoid display advertising for most clients because the conversion rates don’t justify the spend. Plus, most people have “ad blindness” to display ads nowadays.
Can you run ads if I don't have a website yet?
We build your website as part of every monthly plan, so this isn’t usually a concern. Ads go live in month two after your home page is built in month one. If you have an existing site on another platform that needs to stay live while we rebuild, we can discuss the right sequencing during your initial consultation.
What metrics do you track and report on?
We focus on the metrics that matter for a local service business: calls generated, form submissions, cost per conversion, which keywords are driving results, and how your ad spend is performing overall. We keep reporting clear and jargon-free so you always understand what your budget is producing.
Do you offer social media advertising?
Yes, as an add-on. Facebook and Instagram ads make sense for certain types of businesses and certain goals. If social advertising is a good fit for your situation, we’ll tell you and scope it out. We charge $150 to $250 per month per additional platform for management, with ad spend funded directly by you to Meta.
Do you manage Google Ads for small businesses?
Yes. Google Ads management is included in every monthly plan we offer, along with Microsoft Advertising. We handle everything: campaign setup, keyword research, ad copy, targeting, ongoing optimization, and reporting. Ad spend goes directly from you to Google and Microsoft, never through us, so you always see exactly where your money is going. Plans start at $650 per month.
