At $8.76 per click and $117.92 cost per lead, landscaping ads need to target homeowners ready to hire—not Pinterest browsers collecting design inspiration. Our audit found landscaping companies waste 32% of budget on research-phase clicks.
5 min
Audit time
6
Areas analyzed
Read-only
Account access
We've audited hundreds of landscaping company accounts. Here are the most common budget leaks we find:
Landscaping keywords attract massive 'inspiration' search volume—people browsing ideas on Pinterest and Houzz with no near-term hiring intent. 'Backyard landscaping ideas', 'garden design inspiration', and similar searches rarely convert because these people are months away from actual projects. At $8.76 per click, idea-browsers kill your ROI.
Lawn maintenance, landscape installation, and hardscape construction are very different services with different customers and profit margins. Mixing them destroys campaign efficiency. A customer searching 'patio installation cost' needs construction-focused messaging, not 'complete landscaping services' generic ads. Mismatch = low Quality Scores and wasted budget.
Landscaping has enormous DIY content: 'how to lay pavers', 'plant shrubs tutorial', 'build retaining wall'. These Home Depot shoppers are specifically avoiding hiring landscapers. Without thorough negative keywords, 15-20% of your budget goes to people who will never pay for professional service.
Real data from LocalIQ 2025. See how your metrics compare to average landscaping company advertisers.
$8.76
Average CPC
+67% vs $5.26 average
4.69%
Click-Through Rate
Clicks per impression
6.42%
Conversion Rate
Clicks to leads
$117.92
Cost Per Lead
+68% vs $70.11 average
Not all keywords are created equal. Here's which ones to target and which to avoid for landscaping company Google Ads.
'Company' signals hiring intent, not idea browsing. 'Near me' adds urgency and local qualification.
Cost research indicates serious buyer in decision phase. High-ticket service ($5,000-20,000+).
'Service' filters for hiring intent. Recurring revenue potential with weekly/biweekly maintenance.
'Build' keyword signals they want professional construction, not just design consultation.
Specific technical service that can't be DIY'd. Signals serious project with good margins.
Inspiration browsers collecting Pinterest pins, not ready to hire.
DIYers looking for Home Depot tutorials.
Early-stage browsers months away from any actual project.
Job seekers looking for employment, not homeowners needing landscaping.
People buying materials to do it themselves.
Timing matters. Here's when landscaping company demand peaks and how to allocate your budget throughout the year.
March, April, May, September, October
Increase budget 40-50% during peak demand
December, January, February, July, August
Reduce spend or focus on maintenance services
Weekend mornings (8am-12pm) when homeowners are home viewing their yards. Weekday evenings (5-8pm) for scheduling inquiries.
First warm spring days trigger massive search spikes. Fall is a second peak as homeowners prepare for winter. Hot July-August sees demand drop for installation but maintenance continues.
Budget recommendations based on real LocalIQ 2025 data and typical landscaping company ROI.
Minimum Monthly Budget
$2,000
~17 leads/month
Recommended Range
$2,500-$6,000/month (seasonal flex)
Best ROI for most landscaping company businesses
Cost Per Customer
$393
At 30% close rate
At $117.92 CPL and 30% close rate, each customer costs $393 to acquire. Lawn maintenance customers have high lifetime value ($150-250/month = $1,800-3,000/year). Hardscape projects ($8,000-25,000) easily justify acquisition cost on single jobs. Focus budget on high-value installation projects and recurring maintenance conversions.
Our AI audit checks every aspect of your Google Ads account against landscaping company-specific best practices.
We check if you're separating maintenance (lawn care, mowing) from installation (patios, landscaping) and seasonal services (snow removal, leaf cleanup).
We identify if you're paying for 'landscaping ideas' or 'how to lay pavers' searches that attract Pinterest browsers and DIYers.
We audit whether your campaigns adjust for spring rush, summer slowdown, and fall project season—or waste budget off-season.
We check if both phone calls AND quote requests are tracked. Missing either gives incomplete data on what's working.
We analyze if budget weights match profitability. Spending equally on $50 mowing vs $15,000 patio projects is leaving money on the table.
We score pages for landscaping trust signals: portfolio photos, before/after galleries, certifications, and design consultation offers.
Understanding your competition helps you find your edge. Here's what landscaping company advertisers are up against.
Competition Level
high
95,000+ monthly searches for 'landscaping company near me' in the US
Main competitors: National franchises (TruGreen, Lawn Doctor), established local landscapers, small mow-and-blow operations, and hardscape specialists
How to Win
Your Differentiator
Win with specialization (outdoor kitchens, water features), design expertise (show portfolios), maintenance packages (bundled services), or premium positioning (high-end residential estates).
"We were burning money on 'backyard ideas' browsers who never converted. The audit added negative keywords and separated our patio campaign from lawn care. Our cost per qualified estimate dropped 41% and we're booking more profitable hardscape projects."
— Landscaping Company Owner
Pay per audit. Use when you need it.
“$19.99 to find $1,400/mo in waste? Best ROI I've ever gotten.” — Elite Electric, San Diego CA
$19.99 per audit
“Paid for itself in 1 day”
— J.M., Plumber
$17.00 per audit
“Perfect for my 3 locations”
— T.K., Dentist
$15.00 per audit
“Use it monthly, always finds something”
— R.S., HVAC
$10.00 per audit
“Run it for all my clients now”
— M.L., Agency
Common questions about Google Ads for landscaping company businesses
Landscaping companies typically invest $2,000-$6,000 per month on Google Ads, with strong seasonal variation. The industry has moderate-to-high advertising costs ($117.92 average cost per lead) requiring careful budget allocation. The key to landscaping advertising is recognizing the dramatic seasonal nature of demand. Allocate 50% of your annual budget to the spring rush (March-May) when homeowners are eager to start outdoor projects. Reserve 25% for fall (September-October) which is the second project season. Winter months (December-February) in most markets should see 60-80% budget reduction unless you offer snow removal. Start with $2,000/month minimum during peak season to generate meaningful lead volume. Separate maintenance campaigns (steadier year-round demand) from installation campaigns (highly seasonal).