A Simple Guide to More Leads and Clients

Running a lawn care business isn’t easy. You’re up early, managing crews, handling customer inquiries, and keeping equipment in shape. The last thing you want to worry about is whether your marketing is working. I get it. 

Over the years, I’ve helped businesses in all sorts of industries, from home services to healthcare, generate leads and revenue using Google Ads. And let me tell you… when done right, Google Ads is a game-changer for lawn care businesses.

Why? Because instead of waiting for word-of-mouth or organic search results to kick in, Google Ads gets you in front of potential customers immediately. When someone searches for “lawn care services near me” or “best lawn mowing service,” you want your business to be the first thing they see.

Here’s a straightforward, no-fluff guide to running a high-performing Google Ads campaign for your lawn care business. 

Why listen to me? Well at Little Dragon, we’ve helped lawn care companies maximize their online visibility, increase website traffic, and convert more visitors into paying customers using Google Ads. 

We have helped businesses in Calgary, Vancouver and all over Canada generate revenue with services like Google Ads and SEO.

1. Set Up a Google Ads Account

First things first. If you haven’t already, create a Google Ads account. Use a business email and link your account to Google Analytics and Google My Business for better tracking and local visibility. Having all these connected will help you see what’s working and where your leads are coming from.

Google My Business is an underrated tool that helps boost your presence in local searches. If you haven’t optimized your listing yet, make sure to fill in all details, including services offered, high-quality images, and customer reviews. A well-maintained Google My Business profile enhances your credibility and helps with ad relevancy in local searches.

I remember the first time I set up a Google Ads account for a local home service business. I was excited, thinking, “How hard could it be?” I breezed through the setup, linked it to Google Analytics, and launched my first campaign. Then… crickets. No leads. Turns out, I had completely ignored location settings, and my ads were being shown across the entire country instead of just the local service area. That mistake cost me a few hundred bucks before I figured it out. Lesson learned: always double-check your settings before hitting “publish” and make sure you’re targeting the right customers.

I see this mistake all the time with new businesses setting up Google Ads. They either skip linking their Google My Business profile or ignore proper account setup, missing out on valuable local search opportunities. Taking a few extra minutes to set up everything correctly can mean the difference between wasted ad spend and real, paying customers.

2. Define Your Goals & Budget

Are you looking for more phone calls, form submissions, or website visits? Most lawn care businesses should focus on lead generation—getting more people to call and book services. Set a realistic budget based on your location and competition. Lawn care businesses in big cities like Toronto or Calgary might need a higher budget than a business in a smaller town.

A good starting budget for small lawn care businesses is $20–$50 per day, which translates to roughly $600–$1,500 per month. If you’re in a highly competitive market, consider increasing your budget to stay ahead of competitors bidding on the same keywords.

3. Target High-Intent Keywords

Keywords make or break your campaign. You want high-intent searches—meaning people who are ready to book, not just browsing. Here are some great ones:

• Lawn care services near me
• Lawn mowing service cost
• Best lawn maintenance companies
• Weed control services
• Affordable lawn care in [your city]

Use Google’s Keyword Planner to find more relevant keywords and check their search volume.

One pro tip is to create separate ad groups based on services. For example, have one group for “Lawn Mowing” and another for “Weed Control.” This way, your ads and landing pages are hyper-relevant, increasing conversion rates.

A few years ago, I worked with a client who insisted on bidding on the keyword “cheap lawn care.” He thought it would attract a ton of leads because people were obviously looking for affordable services. Well, he wasn’t wrong about volume—his ads were getting tons of clicks. But here’s the catch: the people clicking weren’t actually looking to hire someone. They were either DIY homeowners or tire-kickers who wanted lawn care for next to nothing.

After reviewing the data, we cut out low-quality keywords like “cheap” and “DIY” and focused on high-intent searches like “lawn care services near me” and “best lawn maintenance companies.” The results? His lead quality skyrocketed. Instead of getting calls from people who wanted a $20 mow, he was getting real inquiries from homeowners willing to pay for quality service.

The lesson here? Not all keywords are equal. Avoid vague or low-intent search terms and focus on buyers, not browsers. If your ad isn’t attracting the right people, your keyword strategy might be the problem.

4. Write Compelling Ad Copy

Your ad copy should be clear, direct, and action-driven. Here’s an example:

Headline: Top-Rated Lawn Care in [Your City] – Free Quote!

Description: Need expert lawn mowing, fertilization, or weed control? Book today and get same-day service. Call now!

Make sure your ad includes a call-to-action (CTA) like “Call Now” or “Get a Free Estimate” to drive immediate action.

Another trick? Use dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) in your ad copy to automatically insert the search term a user typed in. This makes your ad highly relevant and can improve your click-through rate (CTR).

5. Use Geo-Targeting

There’s no point in paying for clicks from people outside your service area. Set your ads to show only in your local area. Exclude cities and regions where you don’t operate to save money and improve lead quality.

Additionally, you can refine your targeting by using radius targeting instead of just selecting cities. If you typically serve customers within a 15-mile radius, set that limit in Google Ads so you’re not wasting money on leads too far away.

6. Leverage Call Extensions & Click-to-Call Ads

Many lawn care customers prefer to call rather than fill out a form. Use call extensions to display your phone number in ads, and try call-only ads for immediate inquiries.

Consider using Google’s Call Tracking to see which ads drive the most calls. This way, you can double down on what’s working and tweak underperforming ads.

7. Create High-Converting Landing Pages

Never send traffic to your homepage. Instead, create dedicated landing pages that are optimized for conversions. A well-designed website plays a crucial role in this process, ensuring seamless navigation, fast loading speeds, and a professional appearance that builds trust with visitors. If your business lacks an effective website, investing in custom web development or professional website design can significantly improve user experience and conversion rates

A high-converting landing page should include:

1. A strong, clear headline (e.g., “Top-Rated Lawn Care in [Your City]”)
2. A simple contact form
3. Customer testimonials
4. A special offer (e.g., “First Mowing Free!”)
   
   With the right web development and strategic design elements, your landing pages can double your conversion rate compared to a generic homepage.

8. Optimize for Mobile Users

Most people searching for lawn care are using their phones. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, loads fast, and has a big call-to-action button that’s easy to tap. If your website loads slow, it’s time to call for a website maintenance services because a slow website can drive visitors away, negatively impact SEO rankings, and reduce conversions. Regular maintenance ensures optimal performance, faster load times, and a seamless user experience, helping to retain customers and improve your online presence.

One common mistake lawn care businesses make is having too much text on their landing pages. Keep it short and to the point—your visitors are there to book a service, not read an essay.

9. Use Google’s Local Services Ads (LSA)

Google’s Local Services Ads show at the very top of search results and include a Google Guaranteed badge. This builds trust and credibility, leading to more leads at a lower cost.

10. Schedule Ads for Peak Booking Times

You don’t need your ads running 24/7. Look at past data to see when people search for your services. Most lawn care businesses get the best results in the mornings and evenings. Schedule your ads accordingly.

A few years ago, I worked with a lawn care business owner who was burning through his budget way too fast. He was convinced that running ads 24/7 meant he’d never miss a potential customer. But when I looked at his campaign data, I saw something shocking—half of his budget was being spent between midnight and 6 AM!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of someone waking up at 3 AM thinking, “I need to book a lawn mowing service right now.” What was happening? His ads were running non-stop, and a good chunk of his clicks were coming from bored late-night internet surfers who had no real intent to book a service. Some were just clicking on ads without any interest, and others were accidental clicks from mobile users half-asleep in bed.

To fix this, we pulled the campaign data and saw that the best-performing times were between 7 AM and 9 AM (when homeowners were checking their to-do lists in the morning) and between 5 PM and 8 PM (when they were back from work and had time to make a call). We paused ads during the dead hours and reallocated his budget to peak hours. Immediately, his cost per lead dropped by 35%, and he started getting better-quality inquiries.

The takeaway? Not all hours are created equal. Just because Google lets you run ads 24/7 doesn’t mean you should. Check your data, see when your customers are most likely to book, and schedule your ads accordingly. Otherwise, you’re just paying for clicks from night owls who have no intention of booking lawn care.

Lawn Care Google Ads FAQ

How much should I spend on Google Ads for my lawn care business?

Budgets vary by location, but most lawn care businesses start with $500–$2,000 per month for good results.

Should I run Google Ads year-round?

Lawn care demand changes with the seasons. Increase your budget in peak months (spring & summer) and lower it during slow months.

How do I target the right customers?

Use geo-targeting, high-intent keywords, and audience segmentation (e.g., homeowners vs. renters) to reach quality leads.

What’s better: Google Ads or Facebook Ads for lawn care?

Google Ads targets high-intent searches (people actively looking for services). Facebook Ads are better for brand awareness. If you want immediate leads, Google Ads wins.

Final Thoughts

Google Ads can be a powerful tool to grow your lawn care business. By using the right keywords, writing compelling ads, and optimizing your landing pages, you can generate consistent, high-quality leads and grow your revenue.Need help setting up or optimizing your Google Ads campaign? Contact our team today for a free consultation!