Moving Companies - PPC
Paid search gets you in front of people who are moving right now, not people who might move someday. That immediacy is valuable, and it's expensive. Search CPCs for moving keywords run $15-$25, and cost per lead for search campaigns runs $66-$140. Getting a positive return means tight campaign structure, straight budget expectations, and landing pages built to convert the traffic you're paying for.
Approach
Five components, each tuned for how people actually search when they're planning a move.
Campaign types
Google Search campaigns for high-intent queries, Local Service Ads for pay-per-lead visibility with the Google Guarantee badge, and display or YouTube retargeting to stay in front of people researching their move over several weeks.
Keyword strategy
Local movers, long-distance movers, commercial movers, and specialty services (piano, storage, last-minute) each get their own ad groups and keyword sets, because searchers with different needs convert differently and shouldn't share a landing page.
Ad copy
Licensed and insured status, USDOT number, review counts, and free estimate offers lead the copy. Moving customers are wary of scams, and ad copy that addresses that directly outperforms generic "affordable movers" messaging.
Landing pages
Sending paid traffic to a generic homepage wastes spend. We build dedicated landing pages per service type and campaign, each with a quote form above the fold and messaging that matches the ad the visitor clicked.
Conversion tracking
Form fills, phone calls, and LSA leads all get tracked and reported. We connect that data back to your moving CRM where possible so you can see which campaigns produce booked jobs, not just leads.
Considerations
Four factors that make moving company PPC different from a standard local service category.
Peak moving season runs May-September, when demand and competition both spike. Budgets need to flex up heading into peak season and can pull back in slower winter months. A flat monthly budget all year leaves money on the table in summer and wastes it in January.
Long-distance movers need to think about both where customers are moving from and where they're moving to. Geo-targeting strategy has to reflect your actual service footprint, not just your physical location.
Google Local Service Ads requires a background check and license verification process that can take several weeks. We recommend starting that process well before you need the campaign live, especially heading into peak season.
National aggregators and competing local movers frequently bid on branded search terms. We monitor for this and build a defensive branded campaign to protect your own name in search results.
Budget framework
Ad spend and management fees are separate. These ranges cover total monthly ad spend by goal and market scope.
Branding / awareness
$500+
ad spend per month
Local lead generation
$2,000-$3,000
ad spend per month
Local + specialty
$3,000-$6,000
ad spend per month
Regional / multi-market
$6,000-$12,000
ad spend per month
Enterprise
$12,000+
ad spend per month
Management fees are scoped separately from ad spend and depend on the number of campaigns, service areas, and landing pages involved. We'll walk you through both numbers before you commit to anything.
Send us your project and we'll scope it straight -- no pushy sales.
Deeper reads pulled from our blog, all written with moving companies in mind.
Good to know
Ad spend for moving company campaigns typically runs from $500 per month for a new or rebranding business up to $12,000 or more per month for large regional or interstate carriers. Search CPCs run $15-$25, and cost per lead for search campaigns runs $66-$140. Management fees are quoted separately based on campaign complexity.
Most moving companies benefit from running both. LSA offers pay-per-lead pricing and the Google Guarantee badge, which builds trust with wary consumers, typically at a cost per lead of $30-$80. Standard Search campaigns give you more control over messaging and targeting but cost more per lead. We usually recommend starting with LSA and layering in Search once you have budget to expand.
Google's background check and license verification process for LSA can take several weeks. We recommend starting the application well ahead of your peak season so the campaign is live and generating leads by the time demand picks up.
Yes. Sending paid traffic to your homepage instead of a dedicated landing page reduces conversion rates significantly. We build landing pages matched to each service type and campaign, with a quote form above the fold and messaging aligned to the ad the visitor clicked.
Demand and competition both increase from May through September, and CPCs typically rise alongside them. We recommend increasing budget heading into peak season rather than running a flat budget year-round, since flat budgets underinvest during your highest-demand months and overspend during slower ones.
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.