A Guide to Google Ads for Construction

We answer the most common questions construction companies ask about using Google Ads—and how it compares to SEO—to win more projects and grow their business.

We answer the most common questions construction companies ask about Google Ads for construction—how it compares to SEO, and how to use both to win more projects and grow sustainably.

Whether your construction company is brand new or decades old, one thing never changes: you need consistent sales to keep building.

While referrals and word of mouth are valuable, they have their limits. They’re unpredictable and rely heavily on your existing network. If that network isn’t actively sending work your way, you’re left waiting.

That’s where marketing comes in. Strategic marketing helps you proactively reach the right kind of clients—whether that’s homeowners, commercial developers, or general contractors—and makes it easier for them to find you. Digital marketing, especially Google Ads for construction and SEO, also lets you showcase your value before anyone even picks up the phone.

At Findable Digital Marketing, we help construction businesses do exactly that. We use Google—through both paid ads and SEO for construction companies—to drive qualified traffic to your website and turn it into leads and booked projects.

In this post, we’re answering the most common questions about using Google Ads for construction, so you can decide if it’s the right move for your business.

What’s the difference between SEO and Google Ads?

When you Google something like “home addition contractor Toronto” or “commercial concrete company Calgary,” the results you see aren’t random. Companies either pay to be at the top with Google Ads or earn their position with SEO.

Here’s a breakdown:

Paid Google Ads for Construction Companies

Google Ads (formerly AdWords) is Google’s advertising platform. It allows you to bid on search terms so your business appears at the top of the results page. You pay only when someone clicks on your ad.

For example, if you want to show up when someone searches “excavation contractor Vancouver,” you can bid for that keyword. Your listing will appear at the top with a small “Ad” tag, and you’ll pay for each click.

Google Ads also includes display ads, which are visual banner ads shown on websites, YouTube, or mobile apps. These can be great for brand awareness, but search ads typically drive more direct leads in the construction industry.

When keywords are highly competitive, Google Ads can be a great solution to “supercharge” results.

SEO for Construction Companies

Scroll past the ads and you’ll find the organic search results. These companies didn’t pay per click—they’ve optimized their website to rank based on Google’s algorithm. That’s SEO.

For construction companies, SEO might involve optimizing your service pages, publishing blog posts targeting high-value keywords like “basement underpinning cost Ontario” or “general contractor for tenant improvement,” and ensuring your Google Business Profile is fully optimized.

SEO takes more time but builds long-term visibility. It also tends to lower your cost-per-click when you do run ads.

It can take anywhere between 2 weeks to 6 months to see the results of your SEO efforts. This depends on the current state of your website and the competitiveness of the keywords you want to rank for.

Do people actually hire construction companies from Google?

Absolutely. When someone’s pipes burst, their retaining wall collapses, or they’re ready to renovate a commercial space, they Google it.

Think about how you research things—odds are, many of your buying decisions start with a search. The same is true for homeowners and property managers looking for construction services.

In fact, Google reports that 59% of consumers use search engines to research a purchase before committing. And in our experience, Google Ads leads have helped construction businesses win projects worth thousands—or tens of thousands—of dollars.

What if most of our work comes from RFPs or bidding?

Even if your main source of business is RFPs, tenders, or general contractor invites, your website still matters. In fact, procurement teams often Google your company as part of their vetting process.

That means:

• You still need to rank for your company name and show up as reputable
• Your website should reinforce your expertise, project scale, safety record, and industry experience
• A polished digital presence can tip the scales when buyers are deciding between two similar bids

You don’t need to run aggressive Google Ads for leads. But a small branded campaign, plus SEO for your name and key service pages (like “commercial fit-outs” or “infrastructure projects”), ensures you make a strong impression during the RFP process.

Should construction companies do SEO or Google Ads?

Both strategies work well together.

Google Ads provides fast results—you can start getting leads in days. SEO is a longer game, taking 2–6 months to gain traction, but it’s more cost-effective over time.

One benefit of SEO is that it improves your Google Ads performance. Just like a good credit score gets you better mortgage rates, a well-optimized website gets you lower CPCs and better visibility with Google Ads.

So should you invest in both? It depends on your market:

• In smaller markets, you may start with just SEO—or a small, focused Google Ads campaign—and still get solid results.

• In highly competitive areas (e.g. Toronto, Vancouver, NYC), we recommend combining SEO, Google Ads, and even PR to stand out.

The more competitive the market, the more marketing you’ll have to do to stand out.

What if we just want to rank for our own company name?

Not every construction company is chasing new leads. Some just want to look legit when someone Googles them—for example, after a referral or an RFP submission.

In that case, your goal is to own your branded search results, meaning:

• Your website appears first when someone searches your name
• Your Google Business Profile is complete and shows up with reviews, location, and services
• Your branded content outranks third-party directories like Houzz, Yelp, or local listings

To do this, we recommend a combination of:

• Branded SEO: Optimizing your homepage and metadata for “[Your Company Name] + construction”
• Google Business Profile optimization
• Branded Google Ads: Running low-cost campaigns on your brand name to ensure you own that top spot

Owning your brand keyword ensures potential clients, partners, or RFP reviewers find the right content when they look you up.

How much should we spend on Google Ads?

Your budget should depend on your sales goals, the cost-per-click and how much traffic you’ll need to reach your sales goals. Start with identifying your goals and work backwards to determining how mucStart by identifying your sales goals and work backward.

Ask yourself:

• How much new revenue do we want from Google Ads?
• How many projects does that equal per month?
• How many qualified leads do we need to close those jobs?
• How much website traffic do we need to get that number of leads?
• What’s the cost-per-click (CPC) for our keywords?

Let’s say you want 3 new projects per month. If you convert 1 in 5 leads, you’ll need 15 inquiries. If your website converts 1 in 20 visitors, you’ll need about 300 clicks. If your CPC is $2.50, that’s about $750/month in ad spend to test.

New to digital marketing? Start small. Spend $300–$500/month to test a specific service or region (e.g. “kitchen renovations Oakville” or “asphalt paving Sudbury”). Use this to validate demand before scaling up.

How long should we do Google Ads?

Run ads as long as you’re getting a solid return. If your average project brings in $15,000 and your ads cost you $1,000/month to generate one of those, that’s a great investment.

Campaigns typically take 3–6 months to “mature.” That’s how long Google’s algorithm needs to learn who your best audience is, what keywords perform, and how to optimize delivery.

During those early months, results may fluctuate—so patience and good data tracking are essential. A professional can help you get there faster and avoid costly mistakes.

Should we manage Google Ads ourselves or hire a professional?

Ask yourself this: do I have more time or money?

If you have the time,  watch a tutorial on Youtube and learn how to run a Google Ads campaign on your own. You’ll make mistakes along the way but with time, you’ll figure it out.

If you have the money, save yourself the headache and outsource it to someone that will get it right and done well from the get-go.

Admittedly, there’s an advantage to doing Google Ads on your own before outsourcing to a professional – that’s proof of concept.

Personally, I’m more eager to take on clients that have experimented with Google Ads or SEO and have got some traction from it. If you, a non-professional,  can get some inquiries doing it on your own, imagine how much more success we, marketing professionals, can get for you with a strategy in place. With such data, I’m also more comfortable with negotiating a fee based on performance with clients.

What’s more, is that you’ll go into the partnership with confidence. You’ll have the terminology to understand what is going on and to ask good questions along the way.

Doing Google Ads yourself first can make you a better client later on.

Should we do ads on Bing, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook?

It depends on where your audience is.

• Bing: Worth testing if your audience skews older or uses Microsoft products heavily (common in industrial or B2B construction sectors).
• LinkedIn: Great for commercial construction companies targeting property developers, architects, or project managers.
• Instagram/Facebook: Useful for residential remodelers, custom home builders, and landscape construction firms. Visual platforms help showcase your work.

Start with Google—it has the highest intent. Then expand based on your ideal clients and where they spend time online.

Work With a Construction Marketing Agency That Gets It

If you’re curious about running ads—or you’ve tried it and aren’t seeing results—we’re here to help. Our agency speaks construction, and we know how to turn clicks into real, qualified projects.

No pressure, no jargon. Just a conversation to see what’s possible.