Visualize this: someone is interested in developing a custom, modern home or commercial building. They google and your architectural firm is the first one they see. They reach out to you for project inquiries and become your clients. That’s the power of Google Ads.

Why Google Ads for Architects?

Google Ads allows you to precisely target your audience based on location, keywords, and demographics. In Google Ads, you can expand your client base — reach homeowners, businesses, and developers in specific neighborhoods or cities where you operate.

You can attract potential clients who are actively seeking architectural styles and services. You can also target specific age groups, income levels, and interests to ensure your ads reach the most relevant audience.

This will allow you to increase visibility and establish your firm as a leader in the industry in your area. By making use of Google Ads, you can stay ahead of your competitors and effectively reach your target audience.

This article will serve as your guide on how to run Google Ads for Architects.

Campaign Structure and Management

This image shows an effective Google Ads campaign structure, organized by tightly themed ad group. In this example, one campaign focuses on architecture design and contains three ad groups: Residential Projects, Commercial Projects, and Sustainable Architecture. Each ad group focuses on a specific project type, with keywords closely related to that theme.

This structure allows you to test different keywords and ad variations within each ad group. For example, in the “Residential Projects” ad group, you might test different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action.

Google uses its vast data on user search behavior, demographics, and other signals to predict which ads are most relevant to each user. This campaign structure lets you leverage Google’s algorithms to optimize your ads and keywords. By tracking the performance of different keywords and ads, you can see what resonates best with potential clients and refine your campaigns over time. While this structure is more organized and manageable than having a single ad group for everything, it still requires regular monitoring and optimization to be truly effective.

Google Ads for Architects Account Creation

To get started with your Google Ads for Architects, you’ll need to create an account. Visit ads.google.com to begin the signup process.

You’ll be guided through several steps, including:

1. Providing information about your business — This will include your business name, address, phone number, and website (if you have one).

2. Setting up your billing information — You’ll need to provide a payment method so you can pay for your Google Ads for Architects.

3. Creating your first campaign (often) — Google Ads will often prompt you to create a basic campaign as part of the initial setup. Don’t worry too much about perfecting it at this stage; you can always edit it later.

Follow the on-screen instructions carefully. If you get stuck, Google Ads has helpful resources and support documentation available directly within the platform

Campaign Objective

Choose your campaign objective for your Google Ads for Architects. This helps Google Ads understand what you want to achieve with this advertising. Leads is the common and important goal for architecture firms.

Campaign Type

Choose a campaign type. This determines where your Google Ads for Architects will appear.

For architecture firms, the “Search” campaign type is a strong starting point and the best option.

Campaign Name

After deciding on your campaign objective and type for your Google Ads for Architects, the next important step is to give your campaign a name and configure its basic settings.

Organizing your Google Ads account with well-structured campaigns is extremely important for effective management and analysis.

Network Settings

By default, these two network options are ticked. Unselect Google Search Partners Network and Google Display Network.

Reasons to Exclude or Untick Parts of the Google Network:

1. Irrelevant Traffic — If you find your Google Ads for Architects are showing on websites or apps that are completely unrelated to architecture or your target audience, you’re wasting your budget.
   • For example, if you’re an architect specializing in high-end residential design, and your Google Ads for Architects are showing on mobile gaming apps or forums about car repair, you’re attracting the wrong kind of traffic.
2. Low-Quality Leads — Even if the websites are somewhat related, the traffic they generate might not be converting into leads or clients. You might be getting clicks, but those clicks aren’t turning into inquiries or consultations. This could indicate that the audience on those websites isn’t genuinely interested in architectural services.
3. Brand Incompatibility — Your Google Ads for Architects might be appearing on websites with content or design that clashes with your brand image or the type of clients you want to attract.
   • For example, if you’re a firm known for sophisticated and elegant designs, you might not want your Google Ads for Architects showing on websites with a cluttered or unprofessional appearance.
4. High Cost, Low Return — If you’re spending a significant portion of your budget on Display Network campaigns but not seeing a good return on investment (ROI), it might be a sign that you need to refine your targeting or exclude certain placements.
5. Limited Budget — If you have a very limited budget, it might be more efficient to focus your resources on Search campaigns, which are generally more directly targeted toward people actively looking for architectural services. You can then explore Display campaigns later when you have more budget available.

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Keyword Selection and Targeting

Keyword Planner

To begin keyword planning, Google Ads Keyword Planner offers two primary methods. You can explore fresh keyword ideas using the ‘Discover new keywords‘ option. You can analyze the search volume and potential performance of keywords you already have by selecting ‘Get search volume and forecasts.’

After you’ve used keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify relevant keywords, you’ll need to add them to your Google Ads campaigns. Within the platform where you’re building or editing your Google Ads for Architects campaigns, you will select the keywords you want to use. This might involve checking boxes next to the keywords in a keyword research tool and importing them, or directly adding them within your Google Ads campaign interface.

Match Type

Critically, you must then assign a match type to each keyword. Match types control how closely a user’s search query needs to match your keyword for your Google Ads for Architects to show.

Match Type Examples for Google Ads for Architects

Choosing the right match type is essential for controlling your ad spend and targeting the right audience.

For example, if you’re an architect specializing in sustainable home design, using broad match might show your ad for searches like “house,” “building,” or “construction,” which are far too broad and will attract irrelevant traffic. These searches are not specific enough; someone searching for “house” might be looking to buy one, not to hire an architect.

A phrase match like “sustainable home design” would be much better. Your Google Ads for Architects might show for searches like “best sustainable home design architects” or “sustainable home design ideas,” which are more relevant to your services. The phrase is kept intact, but other words can appear before or after.

An exact match like [sustainable home design] (note the brackets) would be the most restrictive. Your Google Ads for Architects would only show for searches that are very close to “sustainable home design,” perhaps including slight misspellings or variations like “sustainable house design.” This gives you maximum control, but it might also limit your reach. It’s best for highly specific terms where you know the searcher is very likely looking for your exact service.

Another example: if you offer commercial building design, broad match could show your Google Ads for Architects for “building,” “office,” or “construction,” again, too broad. Phrase match “commercial building design” could show your Google Ads for Architects for “modern commercial building design” or “cost-effective commercial building design.” Exact match [commercial building design] would only trigger your Google Ads for Architects for searches very close to that specific phrase.

Consider another example: if you specialize in historic preservation, broad match could show your Google Ads for Architects for “old building,” “renovation,” or “restoration”—again, too broad. Phrase match “historic preservation” might show your Google Ads for Architects for “historic preservation architects near me” or “historic preservation guidelines.” Exact match [historic preservation] would be the most precise, triggering your Google Ads for Architects for searches very close to that term.

Website Keyword Finding

One useful way to find keyword ideas is to analyze your competitors’ websites. This can give you insights into what terms they’re focusing on. In Google’s Keyword Planner, use the “Start with a website” tab and enter a competitor’s web page link. This will generate a list of keywords that are relevant to their content. Then, tap on Get results.

However, keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re actively using these keywords in their Google Ads campaigns. It’s just a starting point.

Don’t automatically target only low or medium competition keywords. While these can be good options, you should also consider:

• Search volume — How many people are searching for these terms?
• Relevance — How closely do these keywords match your services and target audience?
• Your budget — High competition keywords might require a larger budget.

Use the Keyword Planner to research search volume, competition, and related keywords. Analyze the keywords yourself to determine which ones are most likely to bring you qualified leads and fit within your budget.

Location Settings

When setting your location targeting in Google Ads, start by defining the geographic areas where you offer your services. This might involve searching for specific cities, regions, or even individual addresses. You can also define your service area by drawing a shape on a map.

Once you’ve specified your main service area, you can use radius targeting to expand your reach. For example, if your office is in Los Angeles, CA, you might set a radius of 25 miles around Los Angeles, CA to target potential clients in the surrounding suburbs. Radius targeting allows you to reach people within a certain distance of your business, even if they haven’t specifically mentioned your city in their search.

However, there might be areas within or outside your radius that you don’t serve. Perhaps there are logistical challenges, or you’ve already saturated the market in those locations. This is where the “Advanced Search” and exclusion options come in handy. You can use these to exclude specific areas from your targeting.

For example, if you serve the greater Los Angeles, CA area but don’t travel to certain places within the region, you can exclude those areas. Or, if you have a competitor who dominates a particular neighborhood, you might choose to exclude that neighborhood to focus your budget elsewhere.

Included Locations

When you choose where your Google Ads for Architects will show, Google Ads asks how to find people in those places. The exact words might be different, but the ideas are usually like this:

• Presence —This option targets people who are physically located in your targeted area. This is generally a good choice if you only want to serve clients who live or work within your service area.
• Presence or Interest — This option targets people who are physically located in your targeted area OR people who have shown interest in your targeted area. “Interest” can be determined by their search queries, websites they’ve visited, or other online behavior.

The key is understanding the implications of Presence or Interest. While it can include people outside your area, it can also be very useful. For example:

• Tourists — If you’re targeting a tourist destination, “Presence or Interest” will allow you to reach people who are planning a trip to that location, even if they don’t live there. This could be very valuable for hotels, restaurants, or tourist attractions.
• People planning a move — Someone searching for “architects in [city name]” might live in a different city but is planning to relocate. “Presence or Interest” would capture their search.
• Regional targeting — If you serve a large region, someone searching for “architects near me” might be located just outside your precisely defined area, but still within a reasonable driving distance. “Presence or Interest” would help you reach them.

Therefore, simply choosing “Presence only” might cause you to miss out on potential clients who are interested in your services but haven’t yet physically arrived in your area.

A better strategy is to carefully consider your target audience and the nature of your business. If you only serve clients who are physically present in your area, then “Presence only” is the right choice. However, if you’re willing to work with clients who are planning to move to your area, or if you serve a wider region, then “Presence or Interest” might be a more effective option. You can further refine your targeting using radius settings and exclusions, as discussed previously.

By precisely defining your service area, setting an appropriate radius, and excluding areas you don’t serve, you can ensure that your Google Ads are shown to the most relevant audience and that your budget is used efficiently.

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Campaign Duration

For most architecture firms, especially when starting out, the best approach is to run ongoing campaigns without fixed start and end dates. This allows for consistent visibility and the opportunity to continuously optimize based on performance data.

Use start and end dates strategically for specific promotions or seasonal campaigns, carefully aligning them with your event or season.

Note: Ensure your staff is available to assist potential clients by aligning your ad schedule with their working hours.

Bidding

When you’re new to Google Ads or launching a new campaign, start your bidding with “Clicks“.

Budget

Setting a custom budget in Google Ads is essential for controlling your ad spend and ensuring you’re not overspending.

Important Considerations:

• Overall Budget — Before setting individual campaign budgets, determine your total advertising budget. How much are you willing to spend on Google Ads each month? This will help you decide how to allocate funds across different campaigns.
• Campaign Goals — Consider the goals of each campaign. If one campaign is focused on generating high-value leads, you might allocate a larger budget to it than a campaign focused on brand awareness.
• Keyword Competition — Keyword competition can significantly impact your costs. If you’re targeting highly competitive keywords, you might need a larger budget to get good visibility.
• Testing and Optimization — It’s often a good idea to start with a moderate budget and then increase it as you gather data and optimize your Google Ads for Architects campaigns. Don’t be afraid to adjust your budgets based on performance.
• Monitoring — Regularly monitor your campaign spending to make sure you’re staying within your budget and getting a good return on your investment. Google Ads provides tools and reports to help you track your spending.
• Billing Cycle — Understand your Google Ads billing cycle. While you set a daily budget, you’ll typically be billed monthly.

Ad Creation and Landing Page

Ad Groups

Creating ad groups is a vital step in organizing your Google Ads for Architects campaigns and ensuring your Google Ads for Architects are relevant to the keywords you’re targeting.

Here’s a breakdown of how to create ad groups and why they’re so important:

How to Create Ad Groups:

1. Within a Campaign — Ad groups are created within a campaign. So, you’ll first need to select the campaign where you want to add the new ad group.
2. Naming — Give your ad group a descriptive name that reflects the theme of the keywords and ads it will contain.
   • For example, if your Google Ads for Architects campaign is about “Residential Architecture,” you might have ad groups like “Modern Home Design,” “Sustainable Architecture,” or “Home Renovations.”
3. Adding Keywords — This is the core purpose of an ad group. You’ll add keywords that are closely related to the specific theme of the ad group.
   • For example, in the “Modern Home Design” ad group, you might include keywords like “modern house architects,” “contemporary home designers,” “modern residential architecture,” etc. The keywords in an ad group should be very tightly related to each other.
4. Creating Ads — You’ll create ads within each ad group. The ads you create should be highly relevant to the keywords in that ad group. This ensures that when someone searches for one of your keywords, they see an ad that is directly related to their search.

Why Ad Groups Are So Important:

• Relevance — Ad groups allow you to create highly targeted ads that are directly relevant to the keywords people are searching for. This improves your ad quality score, which can lead to lower costs and better ad positions.
• Organization — Ad groups help you organize your Google Ads for Architects campaigns into smaller, more manageable units. This makes it easier to track performance, optimize your Google Ads for Architects, and manage your bids.
• Targeting — Ad groups allow you to refine your targeting at a more granular level. You can tailor your ad copy and landing pages to the specific interests of the people searching for the keywords in each ad group.
• Performance Tracking — By grouping related keywords and ads together, you can easily track the performance of each ad group and identify areas for improvement.

This is an example of Google Ads for Architects Ad Copy Desktop View:

Landing Page

The landing page is the next key step after someone clicks on your ad. It’s incredibly important for converting those clicks into leads or clients.

Even the most compelling ad won’t be effective if the landing page doesn’t deliver.

Here’s a breakdown of why landing pages are so important and what makes a good one:

Why Landing Pages Matter:

1. First Impressions — Your landing page is often the first interaction a potential client has with your business online. It needs to make a strong positive impression to encourage them to stay and learn more.
2. Conversion Focus — Unlike a general website page, a landing page has a single, specific goal. It’s designed to persuade visitors to take a desired action, such as filling out a contact form, requesting a consultation, or downloading a brochure.
3. Relevance — The landing page must be highly relevant to the ad that the user clicked on. If the ad promises “modern home design,” the landing page should showcase modern home designs, not other architectural styles.
4. Trust and Credibility — A well-designed landing page builds trust and credibility by showcasing your expertise, providing testimonials, and making it easy for visitors to contact you.

Here is an example of an Architectural Business Landing Page:

Key Elements of a High-Converting Landing Page for Architects:

• Clear Value Proposition — Immediately communicate what you offer and why potential clients should choose you. Highlight your unique selling points.
• Compelling Visuals — Showcase high-quality images and videos of your best projects. Visuals are essential for architects, as they allow you to demonstrate your design style and capabilities.
• Concise and Persuasive Copy — Use clear and concise language to describe your services and the benefits of working with you. Avoid jargon and focus on what matters to potential clients.
• Strong Call to Action (CTA) — Tell visitors what you want them to do. Use a clear and compelling CTA, such as “Request a Consultation,” “Get a Free Quote,” or “View Our Portfolio.”
• Easy Navigation — Make it easy for visitors to find the information they need. A clean and intuitive layout is essential.
• Mobile-Friendly Design — Ensure your landing page is fully responsive and looks great on all devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones).
• Fast Loading Speed —A slow-loading landing page can frustrate visitors and lead them to leave before they even see your content. Optimize your images and code to ensure fast loading times.
• Social Proof: Include client testimonials, awards, or affiliations to build trust and credibility.
• Contact Information —Make it easy for visitors to contact you. Provide a phone number, email address, and contact form.

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Final Thoughts

To improve your architecture business with Google Ads, you need to focus on the exact words and reach the right people. Your online portfolio or website must be convincing to convert leads to choose your services.

Using Google Ads can be time-consuming and overwhelming for first-timers. We specialize in crafting and managing high-performing Google Ads campaigns specifically for architecture firms. We can help you.

We offer a free meeting to discuss your specific needs, look at your current marketing, and give you advice to help you reach your business goals.

Why Choose Us?

We have a proven success. We have a strong history of helping businesses achieve great results with Google Ads. See the mentioned results here: YoYoFuMedia Case Studies Page. We follow a data-driven approach. We use data and information to make your Google Ads for Architects campaigns as effective as possible. And, we personalize solutions. That is, we create plans that are specifically designed for your unique business needs and goals.

So, what are you waiting for?

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