How Contractors Can Stay Busy This Winter with Smart Google Ads and LSA Strategies

By Dipa Gandhi

 

 

Read it to me! Click the video below.

 

When Business Slows, Strategy Shouldn’t

For many contractors, winter brings more than cold weather — it brings slow phones and empty calendars. Landscaping projects are put on hold, exterior painting drops off, and even cleaning and remodeling services can see a dip in calls.

But here’s the truth: homeowners don’t stop needing help — their needs just shift. Heating systems break, pipes freeze, gutters clog, and snow piles up. The challenge isn’t the lack of demand — it’s the lack of visibility.

That’s where strategic use of Google Ads and Local Services Ads (LSAs) comes in. By adjusting what you promote and how you advertise, you can keep leads flowing even during your off-season.

The Hidden Cost of Staying Quiet

When business slows down, many contractors cut ad spend to “save money.” But that’s often a costly mistake.

Why? Because online visibility doesn’t pause when you do. Competitors who stay active during the winter grab market share, and when spring hits, they’re already miles ahead.

One of 99 Calls’ HVAC clients learned this the hard way. They paused ads in December to cut costs. Meanwhile, a competitor ran a limited campaign promoting “emergency furnace repair.” That competitor picked up over 40 calls in two months, many from repeat customers who stayed loyal through summer.

In contrast, the first contractor spent March trying to “catch up” — paying higher cost-per-clicks as competition surged again. The lesson? The best time to build your brand is when others aren’t.

Smart Winter Strategies for Every Trade

Each trade has off-season opportunities hiding in plain sight. Here’s how you can uncover them:

• Roofers: Promote emergency repairs, snow and ice removal, and attic insulation checks. Storms often create instant demand.

• Landscapers: Push winter cleanups, snow plowing, or holiday lighting installations. Bundle services to stay top of mind.

• Painters: Focus on interior painting, cabinet refinishing, or basement makeovers — services homeowners delay until they’re stuck indoors.

• Plumbers: Highlight frozen pipe repair, drain cleaning, or water heater replacement — urgent, high-conversion services.

• Cleaners: Target post-holiday deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, or commercial contracts for the new year.

• Electricians: Promote generator installation, lighting upgrades, and home safety inspections.

When you tailor your Google Ads or LSA campaigns to these specific services, you tap into real, ongoing homeowner needs.

Why Winter Ads Can Actually Cost Less

There’s a silver lining most contractors overlook — lower competition often means lower ad costs.

When fewer businesses are bidding, your cost per click (CPC) and cost per lead (CPL) can drop significantly. This means you can capture top ad spots for less, improving your ROI.

For example, 99 Calls’ data from multiple markets showed that HVAC and plumbing clients running Google Ads in January saw up to 20% lower CPCs compared to their peak-season rates.

So instead of going silent, winter can be a prime opportunity to maximize visibility while spending less.

Real Results from Contractors Who Stayed Active

A landscaping company in Michigan once dreaded winter downtime. After working with 99 Calls to pivot their ad strategy toward snow removal and gutter cleaning, their “slow months” turned into a steady stream of revenue.

Within two weeks, they filled their schedule — not just with plowing jobs, but with customers asking about spring cleanups. Staying active kept their business visible and built trust ahead of their busy season.

Turn Winter Into Your Growth Season

The most successful contractors don’t see winter as downtime — they see it as a reset. A chance to outsmart the competition, test new campaigns, and stay top of mind with homeowners.

By running targeted Google Ads or LSAs for seasonal services, you’ll:

• Maintain consistent lead flow

• Keep your brand visible year-round

• Save money when competition (and CPCs) drop

• Build loyalty with new customers before the rush

Winter is coming — and that’s your signal to get strategic, not silent.

If you’re ready to make your off-season your most profitable yet, talk to 99 Calls about building a winter ad strategy that works.