How Contractors Can Lower CPCs in Late Summer

By Dipa Gandhi

 

 

Read it to me! Click the video below.

 

As summer stretches into its final weeks, many home service contractors notice a worrying trend—costs per click (CPCs) creep higher just as lead volume begins to cool off. You've worked hard all summer, pouring time and money into ads that fueled your business growth. But now you’re facing an odd dip: more ad spend, fewer results.

This seasonal slowdown can drain budgets if not handled strategically. And for solo contractors or small teams, wasted ad spend isn't just frustrating—it's make-or-break for monthly revenue.

The Quiet Dip Before the Fall Storm

Late July through August brings a unique challenge in consumer behavior:

• Families shift focus to vacations or back-to-school.
• Discretionary home service spending dips as fall priorities kick in.
• Contractors who overspent in spring and early summer cut back ad budgets, altering auction dynamics.

The result? Less competition in some verticals—but also fewer high-intent searchers. If your ads are set to "coast" through this period, you may end up paying too much per click without adjusting to the new reality.

Let’s look at how one contractor avoided this trap.

A Painter in Atlanta Saves His August

Last August, an interior painter in Atlanta noticed his usual $3.80 CPC on Google Ads jumped to $5.50—without any increase in leads. He called us in a panic.

Here’s what we did:

• Paused campaigns for underperforming keywords like "budget painter near me."
• Doubled down on high-intent terms like "interior painting quote today."
• Shifted ads from general geotargeting to zip codes with high booking history.
• Set ad scheduling to exclude weekday mornings when call-answer rates were lower.

Within two weeks, his CPC dropped to $3.40 and call volume was up 30%. His spend didn’t increase—but his ROI did.

What You Can Do Now to Lower CPCs

To make the most of your ad spend heading into August, consider these adjustments:

🔍 Narrow Your Keyword Targeting

• Ditch broad terms like "cleaning services" and replace them with "weekly house cleaning [city]."
• Use negative keywords to filter out low-buying intent searches.
• Add seasonal keywords, like “back-to-school carpet cleaning” or “pre-fall gutter inspection.”

📍 Focus on High-Conversion Zip Codes

• Analyze your past 90 days of lead data: where are most calls and conversions coming from?
• Tighten your radius or zip code targeting around those top-performing areas.
• Pause ads in zones that generate lots of clicks but few calls.

⏰ Adjust Ad Scheduling

• Review your Google Ads call report. Are leads converting better on certain days or times?
• Turn off ads during low-converting windows (e.g. Friday evenings, early Sunday mornings).
• Concentrate budget during your best-performing hours.

🧪 A/B Test Ad Copy for Urgency

• Try swapping generic headlines like “Trusted Plumber in Boise” with action-driven ones like:
  • “Leaky Faucet? We Fix It Same Day!”
  • “Gutter Clogged? Free Inspection This Week Only!”

Even minor tweaks to copy can increase click-through rate (CTR), which Google rewards with lower CPCs.

🔁 Use Retargeting to Maximize Efficiency

• Serve reminder ads to visitors who didn’t convert the first time.
• Retargeting clicks often cost less than cold traffic.
• Pair with special offers to win back lukewarm leads.

Don't Let August Burn Your Budget

CPCs are not set in stone—they’re influenced by your targeting, bidding strategy, ad quality, and competition. Late summer is your chance to shift gears before fall demand spikes again.

By reviewing your ad account now and making strategic cuts and optimizations, you can lower your CPCs and position yourself for a profitable back half of the year.

Whether you're a one-person show or running three crews, smarter summer spending means more leads with less waste.