Handyperson - PPC
Homeowners searching for a handyperson are ready to book, and most want someone within the next day or two. PPC puts your business in front of that intent immediately, before any SEO ranking takes hold and before a competitor earns the click instead. The average CPC runs around $7.10, campaigns convert at roughly 6 to 8%, and at an average job ticket of $200 to $450, the math on a well-run program works.
The challenge isn't demand, it's campaign structure. Broad targeting and generic ad copy produce clicks from homeowners in the wrong geography, looking for services you don't offer, at price points that don't match your business. Getting that structure right is where most handyperson PPC campaigns fail or succeed.
Approach
Structure
We run Google Search Ads for the full range of task-specific and "near me" searches, paired with Local Services Ads, which add the Google Guaranteed badge that directly addresses the trust concern homeowners have about letting a stranger into their home.
Targeting
We build separate ad groups for "near me" generic terms and task-specific terms like "fence repair near me," plus an aggressive negative keyword list to eliminate clicks from homeowners searching for licensed trade work outside handyperson scope.
Messaging
Ad copy needs to confirm you do the specific task searched for and address the trust question before a homeowner sees a competitor's ad. We test multiple variations and treat ad creative as ongoing work, not a one-time setup.
Conversion
Sending traffic to a homepage kills conversion rates. We build task-specific landing pages that name the service, surface trust signals, and present a booking path connected to Jobber, Housecall Pro, or Workiz.
Measurement
We track every form submission, booking completion, and phone call initiation, and verify tracking before spending a dollar so you know exactly which campaigns generate real leads.
A handyperson operating within a 10-mile radius can't afford to pay for clicks from homeowners 40 miles away. We set tight radius targeting and adjust it based on where converting leads actually come from.
Spring and fall typically see higher demand for outdoor tasks like fence repair, deck repair, and exterior painting touch-ups. Winter slows some markets. We adjust spend and emphasis by season rather than running flat budgets year-round.
Electrical handyman terms, roof-adjacent terms, and plumbing-adjacent terms carry CPCs of $10 to $18 or higher. If you offer these, they deserve their own campaigns with tighter eligibility targeting.
Qualifying for the Google Guaranteed badge requires passing Google's background and license verification process. We guide clients through this setup because the trust badge it produces materially improves conversion rates once live.
Budget
Realistic starting points based on the handyperson campaigns we manage today. Actual spend depends on your market size and target job volume.
Branding / awareness
$500+/mo
Ad spend
Lead generation, single service area
$1,500-$3,000/mo
Ad spend
Lead generation, multi-area / full menu
$3,000-$6,000+/mo
Ad spend
Management fees are scoped separately from ad spend and scale with campaign complexity. We're transparent about both numbers from the first conversation, with no hidden fees folded into the spend estimate.
Send us your project and we'll scope it straight -- no pushy sales.
Deeper reads pulled from our blog, all written with handyperson in mind.
Good to know
PPC programs for handyperson businesses start as low as $500 per month for a branding or awareness campaign. Lead-generation programs, where the goal is a steady flow of booked jobs, typically require $1,500 to $3,000 or more in monthly ad spend depending on your service area and competitive market. Management fees sit on top of ad spend and are scoped separately based on campaign complexity.
PPC generates leads from the first day your campaigns go live. The first two to four weeks are a learning period where we gather conversion data and optimize targeting and bids. By week four to six, most campaigns are dialed in and producing consistent lead volume at a predictable cost.
Google Local Services Ads are pay-per-lead ads that appear above standard Google Ads. They display your business name, review count, and the Google Guaranteed badge, which tells homeowners that Google has verified your background check and license status. LSA leads typically run $25 to $60 each, and we recommend running LSA alongside Search Ads for most handyperson businesses.
Yes, but conversion rates will be lower if your existing site lacks task-specific landing pages. We can build standalone landing pages that work with your existing site while you consider a full redesign. A landing page designed specifically to convert a PPC visitor performs significantly better than a homepage.
Negative keywords, tight radius targeting, and ad scheduling are the primary tools. We build a negative keyword list that eliminates searches for licensed trade work outside handyperson scope, and set your ads to run during hours when you can respond to leads quickly, since response time within five minutes dramatically increases conversion rates.
Still have questions? We're happy to answer them, let's connect.
Tell us about your project and we'll take a look. No pushy sales, no wasted calls.