There are plenty of options out there when it comes to marketing for home builders and they all come with their own pros and cons.
When considering Yelp advertising vs Google ads, you should choose the digital marketing services that will give you the most success.
If you aren’t already aware of what the best option is for you, then you need to get an idea of what each platform offers. The good news is, that’s exactly what we are about to cover.
So to learn the pros and cons of both Google Ads and Yelp Ads, plus what their key differences are, keep reading.
How to Use Yelp Advertising
If you are considering using Yelp advertising, then you should know that the process of making a Yelp advertisement is a straightforward process.
There aren’t many steps and you can have a Yelp ad up and running in a short period of time.
With Yelp, you simply follow the ad creation process. It’s all about choosing the perfect picture and adding copy to your ad.
There is also a section that helps you choose keywords. This part isn’t overly complicated but it can make a difference.
Then once you’re happy with how your ad looks, you add a few metrics that you want to measure and you’re pretty much good to go.
Yelp Advertising Pros and Cons
One of the pros of Yelp is that the market you target is focused on finding local vendors to call or visit.
This means that your ad *may* have a higher chance of success as people searching Yelp may be closer to making a purchase, vs. just researching.
Another advantage of using Yelp is that it’s a smaller website compared to Google, making it less competitive.
This means smaller companies that are less well-known have a better chance of gaining visibility.
On the other hand, a ‘con’ is using Yelp advertisements can be a long-term commitment.
In some cases, you may be signing up for a minimum of twelve months.
Getting out of this contract may be impossible depending on the terms in your agreement.
Be sure to understand what you’re signing up for before you commit.
Another ‘con’ to Yelp is that you don’t have control over reviews.
There is a system that Yelp uses to filter out reviews that they have identified as fake.
The challenge is, sometimes the filter doesn’t work exactly as it should, which can result in positive 5-star reviews being hidden.
This can be very frustrating if ‘real’ reviews are being labeled as ‘fake’.
How to Use Google Ads
Google Ads offer more variety of ads you can use.
The platform will start by asking you to provide the name of your business and put in information about your ad.
Next, it will ask you to enter keywords. Keywords on Google are crucial for building a successful campaign.
In many ways, keywords can make or break your experience on Google Ads.
There is a fine line advertisers must walk because you don’t want to target broad keywords, you want to be more siloed in your approach.
For example, the word “home remodeling” vs “licensed home remodeling company”. They seem pretty similar but will produce very different results.
Focusing on the more specific keyword helps you connect with the people who are ready to purchase your product or service. This will help you get quality clicks on your ads, and you can also control costs.
Aside from this, Google ads will ask you to enter more information about the kind of audience that you are targeting, your daily budget, and modifiers that help you hone in your target market.
You should know that if you don’t target the right keywords and/or audience with your ads then they are likely to be ineffective.
Google Ad Pros and Cons
One benefit to using Google is that you are entering one of the world’s biggest online marketplaces. This can go a long way if you want to get exposure and ad views.
Another benefit is that Google gives you accurate feedback on how well your ad is performing. This is crucial, particularly when it comes to split testing your ad.
On the other hand, Google ads have specific criteria that you have to follow. Google gives you a score on how well you’re following their suggestions and it’s called quality score.
Some businesses find abiding by the criteria frustrating, however, if you don’t, you will end up running into challenges trying to control your cost per click and budget (and depending on the infraction, you may have your ad disabled until you fix the problem).
Another challenge is the Google Ads dashboard is complex and so there is a learning curve if you’re new. And this can be time-consuming.
In fact, managing and running a Google Ad account properly requires attention daily in some cases. If you’re not prepared to “babysit” your campaigns, you may want to have a certified Google Ads specialist run them for you.
Yelp Advertising vs Google Ads
One benefit that both Yelp and Google Ads have in common is even if you’re not up for building and running the ads, there is a way to outsource. This is because they are both big platforms that have been around for decades.
One downside of using Google ads is that you have to pay for each click-through that you get and this can add up. However, in terms of cost, Yelp isn’t much better as their ad packages can be costly and their contracts binding.
An advantage that Google has is its ability to track data. While Yelp does allow you to track information, Google allows you to go more in-depth when collecting data.
This is important because without knowing how well your ad is performing, you may be shooting in the dark. With so many ways to optimize your approach with Google Ads, you can keep tweaking until you find your sweet spot that has you making more from the leads and sales than you’re spending.
On the other hand, Yelp is more known as a local or small business platform. Of course, this isn’t a guarantee but the larger market on Google means you may be competing with some big businesses with deep pockets.
Lastly, Google Ads have no contracts, and no time commitment; you can turn ads on and off anytime.
With Yelp Ads you’re more likely to be in a contract that requires you to stick with their program until the contract is complete.
Which Is Better?
The question many home builders are thinking about is which platform is best to use?
Truthfully, the answer depends on several variables.
The two main things you should consider are the size of your business and what you’re willing to spend on your ads.
If you want to take your business to a bigger market with more exposure then Google may be right for you. On the other hand, if you want to get visibility on a much smaller website, then Yelp may be a good fit.
Overall, the answer is different for every home-building business and it’s important that you make your decision carefully.
However, if you do find yourself getting stuck, then feel free to book a call with us.
Get Your Marketing Plan Now
Choosing the perfect platform for your home-building ads is no easy task.
I hope that after reading this guide you have a better idea of which platform you should choose when it comes to Yelp advertising vs Google Ads.
At Online Visibility Pros, we aim to give you the most effective marketing strategies for your business.
So if you would like to find more ways that we can help you, then why not get a marketing plan today.
Online Visibility Pros is a certified paid advertising firm specializing in helping home service contractors find the best way to market their services on the most appropriate platform(s). We act as a full-time marketing partner for contractors who are interested in growing their business by leveraging the online ad world.
Have questions – Contact our team here.
Interested in having our certified paid advertising experts build and manage your Google Ads campaigns, Yelp Ads, Nextdoor Ads? Call (888) 593-0505 today!
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