Handyman PPC that pays for full visits, not single small fixes
Small jobs make paid clicks expensive. Google Ads for handyman companies only works when targeting stays close to home, campaigns focus on work that bundles well, and the ads themselves set expectations about minimums.
The handyman Google Ads problem
A handyman click can cost roughly as much as a click in larger-ticket trades, but the average job is often much smaller. That gap is why many handyman businesses try Google Ads, get busy with small jobs and stop because the numbers do not work.
The fix is not to stop advertising. It is to advertise for the right work. Targeting stays tight so drive time does not eat small jobs. Campaigns focus on tasks that tend to arrive as part of a longer list. And the ads mention your minimum or invite customers to bundle tasks, so the clicks you pay for are more likely to become worthwhile visits.
How we build a handyman Google Ads account
Built to protect small-job margins.
Tight geography
A radius drawn around where small jobs still make sense, often much smaller than in other trades. Wider reach only for higher-value work.
Task-specific campaigns
Drywall and wall repair, doors and trim, mounting and installation, exterior repairs and safety modifications, each with its own budget so spend follows the work you want.
Minimum-charge and bundling messaging
Ads that mention a minimum visit or invite customers to send their full list. Fewer clicks from single tiny jobs, more from fuller visits.
Landlord and pre-sale campaigns
Rental turnover and inspection repair searches separated out, because those customers often bring larger and repeat work.
Negative keywords from day one
Handyman jobs and hiring searches, DIY how-to queries, tool and parts searches, and app or marketplace searches excluded before launch.
Landing pages built for intake
Every campaign lands on a page that makes it easy to list several tasks and attach photos. See handyman website design.
Local Services Ads for handyman businesses
Where Local Services Ads are available for handyman services in your market, they can be a useful source of enquiries because you pay per lead rather than per click. As with any LSA profile, they work best with accurate hours, quick responses, a steady flow of reviews and disputes on leads that are not genuine work.
We run LSA and search together where both are available, shifting budget toward whichever produces more completed jobs worth taking.
What we track
For handyman work, the value of a lead depends on what ends up on the list.
Calls and task-list requests
Tracked by campaign, including how many tasks each request contains.
Distance from base
Whether new jobs fall inside the area where they make money.
Completed visits
Leads tied to jobs actually completed wherever possible.
Cost per worthwhile visit
The number we report against, rather than cost per click or per enquiry.
Handyman PPC pricing
A one-time $499 setup, then monthly management based on ad spend under management. Ad spend is paid directly to Google.
Starter — $650/mo
For ad spend around $500 to $2,500 a month. Campaign management, keyword research, ad copy and testing, conversion tracking, negative keyword and budget optimisation.
Growth — $950/mo
For $2,500 to $7,500 a month. Adds multiple campaigns, landing page recommendations, advanced conversion optimisation and advanced reporting.
Scale — $1,500/mo
For $7,500 to $15,000 or more. Adds competitor and market analysis and priority optimisation.
We will review your search terms, targeting and job mix, and show you where budget is leaking.
Google Ads for handyman companies: questions
Straight answers. Anything not covered here, ask on the phone.
01Do Google Ads work for handyman businesses?
They can, but the margins are tighter than in larger-ticket trades. They work best with tight targeting, a focus on work that fills a visit, and ads that set expectations about minimums.
02How much should a handyman spend on Google Ads?
Enough for the campaigns you run to gather useful data, but no more than your capacity and margins support. Starting with one or two focused campaigns usually works better than spreading a small budget thin.
03Should I mention my minimum charge in ads?
Often, yes. It discourages clicks from people with a single very small task and encourages customers to bundle their list.
04Which handyman services should I advertise?
Those that tend to come with other tasks or take long enough to be worthwhile — drywall repair, doors and trim, mounting and installation, rental turnover and pre-sale repairs are common choices.
05Why do my ads bring in jobs too small to take?
Usually a wide radius, broad keywords and no minimum in the messaging. Tighter targeting and clearer ads usually fix much of it.
06How is this different from your general Google Ads service?
The method is the same; the application is handyman-specific. Our general Google Ads page explains how we manage paid search across trades.