A Practical Guide for Service-Based Businesses
When you’re responsible for Google Ads performance, few things feel more frustrating than watching clicks roll in with no meaningful conversions to show for it.
Service-based organizations often face this challenge because their audiences are varied, budgets are limited, and campaign goals aren’t always straightforward. Still, most conversion issues come down to a few key factors — and the good news is, they’re usually solvable.
At Big Storm, we regularly audit underperforming accounts and help teams untangle what’s blocking conversion activity. This guide walks through the most common issues we see, along with practical steps you can take to improve results.
1. Your Keyword Intent Doesn’t Match What You Want Users to Do
Many Google Ads managers select keywords that seem relevant, but don’t reflect what the searcher actually needs. This mismatch is one of the most consistent conversion roadblocks that businesses encounter.
Signs your keyword intent is off:
- Lots of clicks but very few form submissions, calls, or signups
- Users bounce quickly or visit only one page
- Search terms that look informational rather than action-oriented
- Strong traffic… but none of it seems ready to convert
Google can’t read your mind. It simply matches your ads to people based on what they’re searching for right now. If someone is researching a topic instead of looking for your help, they won’t convert, no matter how good your website is.
What to do:
- Prioritize high-intent keywords
Look for action-heavy queries such as “near me,” “services,” “help,” “treatment,” “consultation,” or your primary service names.
Example: A home services company bidding on “how to fix a broken furnace” may attract researchers who want DIY answers, not customers looking to hire someone. Bidding on “furnace repair service near me” brings in people who are ready to schedule an appointment. - Use match types intentionally
Broad match: Use cautiously and with strong negatives
Phrase match: Great for consistency and lead quality
Exact match: Best for high-intent, high-value services - Clean your search terms report weekly
Add negative keywords for anything unrelated to your services, mission, or ideal client.
Intent alignment is the foundation of conversion performance. Without it, everything else struggles to gain traction.
2. Your Ad Copy Doesn’t Match the Searcher’s Mindset
Even with great keywords, conversions can stall if your ads don’t speak to what the searcher needs. Service-based organizations often default to general messaging, but general ads rarely convert.
Common issues:
- Your ad doesn’t reflect the specific problem someone searched
- Your value isn’t clear or easy to understand
- Your CTA asks for too much too soon
- Different services or audiences share the same generic ad copy
What strong ad copy looks like:
- Mirrors the user’s intent (e.g., “Need help fast?” for urgent services)
- Speaks to a real problem
- Highlights what makes your organization different
- Sets expectations about what will happen next
- Uses a clear, friendly call-to-action
What to Do:
- Create ad groups tightly aligned with keyword themes
“Counseling for teens” and “grief counseling” may both be relevant, but they need different ads. - Call out your differentiators
Whether it’s 24/7 support, local expertise, flexible scheduling, or a trauma-informed approach — include it. - Match your landing page message
If your ad promises a free consult, your landing page should greet people with that same offer.
Example: A plumbing company shouldn’t use the same ad copy for “emergency leak repair” and “water heater installation cost.” These searchers have different needs and urgency levels, and each requires a message tailored to their situation.
3. Your Bidding Strategy Doesn’t Support Your Conversion Goals
Choosing the wrong bidding strategy is another reason strong campaigns underperform. Bidding strategies influence who sees your ads, when they show, and how competitive you are in the auction.
Common bidding strategy problems:
- Using “Maximize Clicks” when what you really want are conversions
- Switching to “Maximize Conversions” without enough conversion data
- Relying on manual CPC without regular adjustments
- Setting too-low budgets that restrict Google’s ability to optimize
What to Do:
If you don’t have much conversion data yet:
- Start with Maximize Clicks only long enough to build data
- Make sure conversion tracking is fully accurate before switching to any automated strategy
If your account has at least 15–30 conversions per month:
- Test Maximize Conversions or Target CPA
- Avoid setting your CPA too low. Give the algorithm room to learn
If you have strong historical performance:
- Target ROAS can work for donation-based organizations or high-value service leads
- Make sure you’re feeding Google accurate value data
Tip: Avoid changing bidding strategies too frequently. Each shift resets Google’s learning period, delaying optimization.
4. Your Landing Pages Aren’t Helping You Convert
You can have perfect keywords, great ads, and a smart bidding strategy, and still miss conversions if your landing page doesn’t make taking action easy.
Common landing page issues:
- Forms are too long
- Calls to action are unclear or buried
- Content doesn’t match what the ad promised
- Slow load time, especially on mobile
- No clear next step for people who are unsure
What to Do:
- Place your CTA high on the page
- Repeat your value proposition clearly
- Use simple, concise language
- Ensure mobile usability, since many service searches happen on phones
- Reduce form fields to only what you absolutely need
- Make sure imagery and layout support trust and clarity
A landing page should reduce friction, not create it.
5. Your Campaign Structure Is Too Mixed or Too Complex
Many organizations have campaigns that were built over time by multiple people, leading to structures that don’t align with current goals.
Problems this can create:
- Overlapping keywords competing against each other
- Budgets spread too thin across too many ad groups
- Difficulty understanding what’s actually working
- Google favoring some services unintentionally
What to do:
- Audit your campaigns once per quarter
- Simplify where possible — fewer, stronger ad groups are better than many weak ones
- Keep each campaign focused on one clear goal
- Align campaigns to real-world offerings (e.g., “Consultations,” “Crisis Services,” “Primary Services”)
Clean structure = clearer data and stronger optimization.
Fix Low-Converting Google Ads
Low conversion performance rarely means Google Ads “doesn’t work” for your organization. More often, it’s a sign that a few pieces need realignment: intent, messaging, bidding strategy, structure, or landing page clarity.
When those elements work together, service-based businesses often see significant improvements with more qualified leads, smoother campaigns, and a clearer sense of which marketing dollars are driving real outcomes.
If you’re looking at your own Google Ads account and thinking, “I don’t know what to fix first,” you don’t have to sort it out alone.
Big Storm can help.
Our ads experts love digging into Google accounts, finding what’s blocking conversions, and helping teams build sustainable, data-backed improvements.
If you’re ready for clearer insights and stronger results, reach out to Big Storm. Let’s start a conversation about your paid media goals and how we can support your success.