Opening The Door To An Effective Locksmith PPC Campaign

When someone is locked out of a car or a home, they search on their phone and call the first locksmith that looks trustworthy. A well-run PPC campaign on Google and Microsoft Advertising puts your business in front of those people at the moment they need you. These tips will help you build a locksmith campaign that earns calls instead of wasted clicks.

Lead with your main services and a clear offer

Your ad should say what you do in the first few words. Instead of listing services alone, add a reason to choose you, such as a special offer, a first-time customer deal or a promise you can keep. For example: “24/7 Locksmith Services. Call Now For A Fast Quote.” Make sure every claim in your ad is one your team can honor.

Tell people exactly what to do next

Generic ads rarely work for emergency services. Searchers want a direct, specific message that fits their situation. An ad such as “Locked Out Of Your Car? We’re Open 24/7. Call Now” speaks straight to someone who needs help. A clear call to action makes it easy for a stressed customer to pick up the phone. Turn on call assets, formerly call extensions, so your phone number shows right in the ad and can be tapped to dial.

4300% Increase in leadsHome Improvement Company Drives Lead Volume by 44xSee the case study →

Build your campaign around locksmith keywords

A PPC campaign is built on keywords, the phrases people type when they need a locksmith. Think about the emergency searches (“locksmith near me,” “car lockout”) and the planned ones (“rekey locks,” “install deadbolt”). Use Google Keyword Planner and your search terms report to see what people actually search, and add negative keywords such as “jobs,” “training” and “free” to avoid clicks from people who will never become customers.

Target your service area, not the whole country

Locksmith work is local, so your ads should be too. Use location targeting to show ads only in the cities, ZIP codes or radius you actually serve, and include your area in your ad copy. A business that looks local to the searcher has a better chance of getting the call. Check your location reports to make sure you are not paying for clicks from outside your service area.

Consider Local Services Ads alongside search ads

Google also offers Local Services Ads for locksmiths in many areas. These ads appear above regular search results, show your reviews and phone number, and charge per lead rather than per click. Google verifies the businesses that use them, and it applies extra scrutiny to locksmiths because the category has a history of spam, so expect to complete background and license checks where required. Running both search ads and Local Services Ads can cover more of the searches that matter.

Send clicks to a website built to convert

Even the best ads fail if the landing page is slow, confusing or hard to use. Your page should load quickly, show your phone number at the top, list your services and service area, and make it easy to request help. If you do not have a website that does this, working with the designers and developers at SmartSites on a customized website gives your campaign a stronger foundation.

Make your website work on a phone first

Most emergency searches happen on a smartphone. A family locked out of their home will not go looking for a computer. Google also ranks sites based on their mobile version, so a responsive design is the default requirement. Put a tap-to-call button where thumbs can reach it, keep forms short and make sure key details load fast on a mobile connection.

Replace flyers and door-to-door with measurable advertising

Printed flyers, brochures and door-to-door visits still have a place, but they are hard to measure. PPC shows you which keywords, ads and locations bring calls and booked jobs. Track phone calls as conversions, and you can move your budget toward what works and away from what does not.

Why locksmiths work with SmartSites for PPC

SmartSites has managed PPC accounts for locksmiths and other home service businesses around the country, and provides personalized, customer-focused service. Our reporting tools and online PPC dashboard help you monitor every part of your campaign, so you can see the calls and leads it produces. To launch an effective locksmith PPC campaign, ask for a PPC consultation by calling 201-870-6000 or emailing contact@smartsites.com today.