Google Ads for Cleaning Businesses: The Complete Guide

Most cleaning businesses spend $500 to $2,000 per month on Google Ads. Clicks cost $5 to $15 each and convert at 5% to 10%. This guide covers costs, keywords, ad copy, and tracking for pay-per-click advertising.

What Is Pay-Per-Click Advertising and How Does It Work?

Pay-per-click advertising lets you place ads at the top of Google search results. You only pay when someone clicks your ad. This means you pay for real visitors, not just views.

When someone searches for "house cleaning near me," your ad can appear first. You set a budget for how much to spend each day. Google shows your ad until your daily budget runs out.

How the Bidding System Works

Google Ads uses an auction for each search. You pick keywords and set a maximum bid. Your bid is the most you will pay for one click.

But the highest bid does not always win. Google also looks at your ad quality. A better ad with a lower bid can win. Quality matters more than money.

Search Ads Versus Display Ads

There are two main types of Google Ads. Here is how they compare.

Search ads work best for cleaning businesses. They reach people who are looking for help right now.

How Much Do Google Ads Cost for Cleaning Businesses?

Costs depend on your city, keywords, and competition. Here is what most cleaning businesses pay.

Average Cost Per Click

Most cleaning keywords cost $5 to $15 per click. Big cities cost more. Small towns cost less.

Monthly Budget Breakdown

Here is how a typical $1,000 monthly budget breaks down.

Say each client is worth $200 per month. You earn back your ad spend in month one. Every month after that is profit.

How Do You Set Up Your First Cleaning Business Ad Campaign?

Setting up your first campaign takes about an hour. Follow these steps to get started the right way.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create a Google Ads account — go to ads.google.com and sign up with your Google account
2. Pick your campaign goal — choose "leads" as your goal since you want phone calls and form fills
3. Select "Search" as your campaign type — this puts your ad in Google search results
4. Set your daily budget — start with $20 to $30 per day to test your ads
5. Choose your target area — set a radius around your service area, usually 15 to 25 miles
6. Add your keywords — start with 10 to 15 keywords related to your services
7. Write your ad copy — create at least 3 ads to test which one works best
8. Set up conversion tracking — track phone calls and form fills so you know what works

Choose the Right Campaign Settings

Use these settings for your first campaign:

• Networks — uncheck "Display Network" and "Search Partners" to keep costs low
• Location — target only the cities and zip codes you serve
• Schedule — run ads during business hours when you can answer the phone
• Bid strategy — start with "Maximize Clicks" then switch to "Maximize Conversions" after 30 days

What Keywords Should Cleaning Businesses Bid On?

The right keywords connect you with people who want to hire a cleaner. The wrong keywords waste your money on clicks that never turn into clients.

High-Value Keywords to Target

These keywords bring in people who are ready to book a cleaning.

• Service plus location — "house cleaning in [your city]"
• Near me searches — "cleaning service near me"
• Specific services — "deep cleaning service," "move-out cleaning"
• Urgent needs — "same day cleaning service"
• Commercial searches — "office cleaning company [your city]"

Keywords to Avoid

Some keywords attract the wrong people. They waste your budget.

• "How to clean" searches — these people want to clean themselves, not hire you
• "Cleaning jobs" searches — these people want a job, not a service
• "Cheap cleaning" searches — these clicks rarely turn into paying clients
• "Free cleaning" searches — these people do not want to pay at all

Use Negative Keywords

Negative keywords stop your ads from showing for bad searches. Add these to every campaign:

• Jobs, hiring, careers, salary — blocks job seekers
• Free, cheap, discount — blocks bargain hunters
• How to, tutorial, tips — blocks people looking for advice, not a service
• Products, supplies, equipment — blocks people shopping for cleaning supplies

Match Types Explained

Start with phrase match for most keywords. Switch winning keywords to exact match to lower costs.

How Do You Write Ad Copy That Gets Clicks?

Your ad copy is what people see in search results. Good copy gets more clicks and lowers your cost per click.

Parts of a Google Search Ad

Each search ad has three main parts:

• Headlines — you get up to 15 headlines with 30 characters each
• Descriptions — you get up to 4 descriptions with 90 characters each
• Extensions — extra details like your phone number, address, and links

Write Headlines That Stand Out

Good headlines include your service and location. Here are examples that work:

• "House Cleaning in [City]" — simple and clear
• "Book a Cleaning Today" — creates urgency
• "Trusted by 500+ Families" — builds trust
• "Free Cleaning Estimate" — removes risk
• "Licensed and Insured Cleaners" — shows you are professional

Write Descriptions That Convert

Your descriptions should tell people why to choose you. Include these elements:

• A clear call to action — "Call now for a free quote"
• A benefit — "We bring all supplies"
• Social proof — "Rated 5 stars on Google"
• An offer — "$50 off your first cleaning"

Use Ad Extensions

Extensions make your ad bigger and more useful. Use all of these:

• Call extension — adds your phone number so people can call with one tap
• Location extension — shows your service area
• Sitelink extensions — links to your pricing, services, and reviews pages
• Callout extensions — short phrases like "Same Day Service" or "100% Satisfaction Guarantee"

What Is a Landing Page and Why Does It Matter?

A landing page is the web page people see after they click your ad. A good landing page turns visitors into leads. A bad one wastes every click you pay for.

What Makes a Good Landing Page

Your landing page should match your ad. If your ad says "house cleaning in Dallas," the page should match. Keep the message the same on both.

• Clear headline — matches the promise in your ad
• Phone number at the top — makes it easy to call you
• Simple contact form — ask for name, phone, and zip code only
• Customer reviews — real reviews build trust fast
• List of services — show what you offer
• Before and after photos — prove you do great work

Landing Page Mistakes to Avoid

These mistakes kill your conversion rate:

• Sending people to your homepage — homepages are too general for paid ads
• Slow page load time — if your page takes more than 3 seconds, people leave
• No phone number visible — many people want to call, not fill out a form
• Too many form fields — each extra field lowers conversions

How Do You Track Results and Measure Return on Investment?

Tracking tells you if your ads make money or waste it. Without tracking, you are guessing.

Set Up Conversion Tracking

A conversion happens when someone takes action. For cleaning businesses, conversions include:

• Phone calls — track calls that last 60 seconds or more
• Form submissions — track when someone fills out your contact form
• Online bookings — track when someone books a cleaning on your site

Key Numbers to Watch

Calculate Your Return on Investment

Here is a simple way to check if your ads are profitable.

1. Add up your ad spend — total amount spent on Google Ads this month
2. Count your new clients from ads — how many clients came from your ads
3. Multiply clients by their value — average revenue per client over their lifetime
4. Subtract your ad spend — the result is your profit from ads

If you spend $1,000 and get 5 clients worth $2,000 each, your return is $9,000. That is a strong result.

What Are the Most Common Pay-Per-Click Mistakes?

Most cleaning businesses make the same mistakes with their ads. Avoid these to save money and get better results.

Mistake 1: No Negative Keywords

Without negative keywords, your ads show for bad searches. You pay for clicks from people who will never hire you. Add negative keywords on day one.

Mistake 2: Targeting Too Wide an Area

Do not target an entire state or large metro area. Target only the zip codes and cities you actually serve. This keeps your budget focused.

Mistake 3: Sending All Traffic to Your Homepage

Your homepage is not built to convert ad clicks. Create a landing page for each ad group. Match the page content to the ad.

Mistake 4: Setting It and Forgetting It

Google Ads need weekly attention. Check your search terms report. Pause keywords that waste money.

Add new negative keywords each week. Small changes add up to big savings over time.

Mistake 5: Not Tracking Conversions

Without tracking phone calls and form fills, you cannot tell which ads work. Set up conversion tracking before you spend a single dollar.

Mistake 6: Bidding on Too Many Keywords

Start with 10 to 15 keywords that match your services. Too many keywords spread your budget thin. Focus on the ones that bring in real leads.

Mistake 7: Ignoring Mobile Users

Most people search for cleaning services on their phone. Your ads and landing pages must work well on mobile. Test everything on a phone before you launch.