Should Tow Companies Manage Their Own Google Ads?

In this article, we will discuss whether towing company owners should run their own Google Ad campaign or hire a professional. And we’re going to begin with, the assumption that you are fully on board with the idea that Google Ads are a great way to generate cash calls for your towing business.

If you’re not yet convinced that an optimized Google Ad campaign is worth the money invested, you might want to take time to read up on it elsewhere on our site.

Without going too deep into the merits of Google Ads and the value it provides to tow company owners, I’ll ask you this simple question. What other form of advertising gives your business the ability to be exactly where your customers are looking at the exact moment they need your services?

With Google Ads for towing businesses, you’re not required to gen up NEED for your services. You’re not creating a desire for towing. No, when done right, your ad shows up (like magic) when the prospect needs towing.

Managing Your Tow Companies Google Ad Campaign

If you’re like other tow company owners, you probably wear many hats. You answer the phones, run some of the calls, and even change your own oil.

But do you make your own clothes? Of course, not. Because, like everybody else, you know it’s much easier to buy your clothes from someone who’s already perfected the clothes-making process.

As a business owner, you want control because it ensures things get done right. I get it. But some areas require specialization. Say, for example, accounting and insurance. While you could learn how to do the work of an accountant and insurance agent, you hired these people because you understand that doing what they do would require educating yourself and then staying on top of the changing trends in these industries.

Smart business owners understand that, as with any field, if you want optimum results, you need mastery. But attaining mastery is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Creating and managing a revenue-producing ad campaign requires mastery. And, as with all revenue-producing activities in your business, you want maximum efficiency and little waste.

The Problems with Managing Your Own Ad Campaign

While it is true that you can manage your own ad campaign, the difficulty of getting your ads to bring in more sales than it costs can cause many tow company owners to give up. And quit advertising altogether.

You first need to create an optimized campaign, which includes geographical and device placement, determining the proximity of targeting, and when the ads should run. You’ll then need to determine your budget, implement proper bidding strategies, and then interpret the incoming data and adjust your strategy as you go.

While setting up the campaign is a challenge, the problems you run into while running your ads can be quite costly as well. They can include having your ads show up in search results you didn’t intend. For example, if your campaign is optimized for towing but not set up properly, your ad might be visible when someone is looking to purchase a trailer to tow their boat. Not only is this a wasted impression, but it can also result in a wasted click, costing you money.

Another problem tow company owners have is their ads showing up in areas they don’t service. How frustrating is it to get a call one hundred miles away knowing that you can’t help the person and that call cost you money?

What Is Wrong with Most Self-Managed Ad Campaigns?

Google’s newest “consumer version” of what was once called “AdWords” is now called “Smart Campaigns.” The problem with this type of campaign is that Google only lets you access a generic framework of controls. Look at the paragraph below. This is what Google says about Smart campaigns.

“When you sign up for a Smart campaign, you’ll write an ad that describes your business. You’ll also choose which keyword themes you want to target your ad and set a budget. Your ad will automatically show to potential customers across Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and Google partner websites.”

As Google explains it, rather than allowing you to choose specific keywords, Smart campaigns only let you choose a theme related to the type of service you provide. The problem with this is what I mentioned previously. Without the ability to target specific keywords as well as negative keywords, your ads can show up in unwanted search results and cost you wasted clicks.

But it gets worse. Google goes on to explain that, with Smart campaigns, your ads will appear in various search results, including YouTube, Gmail, and Google partner websites. In other words, Smart campaigns don’t allow you to decide where your ads will appear. Google’s going to choose where they appear.

Why is this a problem?

If the goal of investing in an ad campaign for your towing business is to get motorists to call you, your ads need to appear in search results that will bring about that action. When someone is on YouTube watching videos, writing an email, or visiting a “Google partner website,” they’re not looking for someone to provide towing or roadside assistance services. There’s no way of predicting the intent of their search. So, if your ads appear anywhere other than Google Search and Google Maps, it’s inefficient and costly. If you want more information on how this works, schedule a call by going to The Tow Academy.

In short, Google’s Smart campaigns are a waste of money. While the cost per click may be less than that of a properly optimized ad campaign, Smart campaigns don’t generate nearly the same results. It’s simple math. Would you rather have 20 clicks at $2 apiece and get one cash call or three clicks at $8 apiece and get two cash calls? Proper targeting makes all the difference.

Hire an Expert to Manage Your Google Ad Account

In summary, I believe that towing company owners should hire a professional to run their Google Ads. Google’s Smart campaigns are anything but smart and cost more than their worth. Smart towing company owners understand that mastery of Google Ads is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. And that paying an expert to manage your ad campaign is an investment, not an expense.