As a home improvement contractor, finding quality leads is the lifeblood of your business. While referrals are valuable, digital marketing has become essential for consistent growth. Google recently rolled out major updates to their Demand Generation Campaigns that are particularly valuable for remodelers, builders, and specialty contractors looking to fill their project pipeline.
What Are Google Demand Generation Campaigns?
Unlike traditional Google Ads that target people actively searching for your services (like “bathroom remodeler near me”), Demand Generation Campaigns help you reach potential customers before they start searching. Think of it as planting seeds with homeowners who might need your services in the coming months.
For example, instead of competing for expensive keywords like “kitchen renovation,” you can now target homeowners who:
- Recently purchased homes in your service area
- Are browsing home design websites
- Have shown interest in home improvement financing
- Have visited home improvement stores multiple times in the past month
New Targeting Features Perfect for Contractors
Google’s latest update offers several improvements specifically beneficial for home improvement businesses:
1. Neighborhood-Level Targeting
You can now target specific neighborhoods within your service area. This means:
- Focus your budget on affluent areas where larger remodeling projects are common
- Target neighborhoods with older homes that frequently need updates
- Exclude areas that historically haven’t converted well for your business
For example, if you specialize in high-end kitchen renovations, you can specifically target the most affluent zip codes in your service area rather than broadcasting to everyone.
2. Home Ownership Status & Timeline
The update allows contractors to target based on:
- Recent home purchases (perfect for reaching new homeowners planning renovations)
- Length of home ownership (target homeowners who’ve owned their homes 7+ years, prime timing for kitchen/bath updates)
- Home value (target properties valued within your typical client range)
This precision eliminates wasted ad spend on renters or homeowners unlikely to invest in significant improvements.
3. Visual Showcase Ads
The new visual ad formats are perfect for contractors, allowing you to:
- Display before/after project photos directly in the ad
- Show video walkthroughs of completed renovations
- Create interactive ads where homeowners can “explore” different project options
Since contracting is such a visual business, these new formats allow you to showcase your craftsmanship before a potential client even clicks on your ad.
Optimization Tools Built for Contractors
Google’s update includes enhanced testing capabilities that solve common problems for contractors:
A/B Testing Your Service Messaging
Easily test different approaches to see what resonates with homeowners:
- Price-focused messaging vs. quality-focused messaging
- Specific timelines (“Kitchen remodel in just 3 weeks”) vs. feature highlights
- Financing options vs. value-adding benefits
One contractor we work with discovered that “No mess left behind” messaging outperformed “Free estimates” by 47% in click-through rates.
Seasonal Campaign Adjustments
The new tools make it easier to adjust campaigns based on seasonal patterns:
- Ramping up deck and outdoor living promotions in early spring
- Focusing on interior renovations during winter months
- Adjusting messaging for “before the holidays” kitchen updates in late summer
Real Results from Contractors Using the New Features
Several contractors have already seen impressive results with these updates:
- A bathroom renovation specialist in Atlanta saw a 34% reduction in cost-per-lead after implementing neighborhood targeting
- A kitchen remodeler in Denver used the new visual ads to showcase their work, resulting in a 28% increase in qualified leads
- A roofing contractor using the recent home purchase filter found that 41% of their new leads converted to sales (compared to 22% from regular search ads)
Getting Started with Google Demand Generation for Your Contracting Business
To leverage these powerful new tools:
- Define your ideal customer profile – Which neighborhoods, home values, and ownership timelines match your best clients?
- Gather your best visual assets – High-quality before/after photos and project videos will be crucial for the new ad formats
- Prepare multiple messaging approaches – Draft different value propositions to test (speed, quality, financing, warranties, etc.)
- Set realistic conversion goals – Remember, demand generation focuses on future needs rather than immediate projects
Unlike traditional search campaigns where results can be immediate, expect demand generation to build your brand and pipeline over 2-3 months before seeing significant conversion improvements.
The Bottom Line for Contractors
Google’s demand generation update gives home improvement contractors powerful new tools to reach potential customers before they start actively searching for services. By targeting based on neighborhood, home ownership, and using visual-focused ads, you can build awareness with exactly the type of homeowners most likely to use your services in the future.
While these campaigns won’t replace your immediate lead generation efforts, they create a valuable pipeline of future projects and help establish your contracting business as the go-to option when homeowners are ready to renovate.
Looking for help implementing these new Google features for your contracting business? Contact FatCat Strategies for a free consultation on how to optimize your digital marketing for maximum ROI.
