How We Generated 501 Leads for a Phoenix Landscaping Company at $46.31 Each

A Phoenix, Arizona landscaping company generated 501 primary leads at an average cost of $46.31 per lead by running a dedicated Google Search campaign alongside local campaigns. Every number on this page is based on main conversion actions only, the calls and quote requests that turn into estimates. This case study walks through how the account was structured and what you can apply to your own landscaping business.

1The Results at a Glance

Here are the blended numbers across the full program, Search and local campaigns combined. These totals include only main conversion actions. Secondary actions like map direction clicks and website visits are tracked in the account but are not counted as leads here.

The company invested $23,202 in Google Ads to produce those results. For a landscaping company, a single new customer can turn into a design project, an installation and ongoing service work, so a $46.31 lead has a lot of room to pay off.

2The Client: A Phoenix Landscaping Company

The client is a landscaping company serving homeowners in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Their customers find them two ways: searching Google for a specific landscaping service, or looking for a trusted local company in the map results at the top of the page.

• Industry: Residential landscaping for Phoenix-area homeowners.
• Market: The Phoenix metro, a large and competitive market where many landscapers bid on the same searches.
• Primary lead types: Inbound phone calls and quote requests, the two actions that lead to estimates and booked work.

3The Goal: Steady Leads Through Every Season

Landscaping demand in Phoenix moves with the seasons. The company needed a steady flow of leads across those swings so crews stayed busy and the calendar stayed full.

That meant the account had to do two things. It needed to capture homeowners searching for a specific service right now, and it needed broad local visibility at a low cost so the company kept showing up across the metro.

4Two Channels, Two Jobs

The account was split into two parts, and each one had a clear job. The dedicated Search campaign captured homeowners searching for specific landscaping services. Local campaigns delivered the bulk of the volume at a much lower cost per click.

Keeping the two separate gave each channel its own budget and its own conversion data. That makes it easy to see what each one produces and where the next dollar should go.

5The Dedicated Search Campaign

The Search campaign focused on high-intent keywords, the searches homeowners type when they already know what landscaping work they want done. Landscaping Search auctions in Phoenix are competitive, and clicks averaged $17.72.

The people clicking were ready to talk. The Search campaign converted 20.20% of its clicks into primary leads, roughly 1 in every 5 clicks.

• 177 clicks: A small number of highly targeted clicks from homeowners searching for specific services.
• 36 primary leads: Calls and quote requests from homeowners actively looking to hire.
• 45 inbound phone calls: Homeowners calling straight from the Search ads to ask about scheduling.
• $3,137 in spend: About 14% of the total budget, aimed at the searches most likely to turn into work.

6Local Campaigns for Volume

The local campaigns did the heavy lifting on volume. They put the company in front of homeowners across the Phoenix metro at a fraction of the cost of a Search click.

Across these campaigns, the company earned about 465 primary leads at roughly $43 each. The average click cost $1.55, compared to $17.72 on Search.

• 12,920 clicks: A large volume of local homeowners checking out the company, calling or requesting a quote.
• 123 inbound phone calls: Calls from homeowners who found the company through local placements.
• 3.60% conversion rate: Lower than Search, which is normal for broader local placements, but at a much lower cost per click.
• About $43 per lead: The lowest cost per lead in the program on the largest share of the budget.

7Why a Higher Search Cost per Lead Is Still Worth It

The Search campaign had the highest cost per lead in the account at $87.73. That might look like a reason to cut it. It is not.

Search reaches homeowners at the exact moment they type in a specific service. Those leads tend to know what they want, which makes them easier to quote and close. The local campaigns bring the volume, and Search brings a smaller set of leads that are often further along.

• Higher intent per click: A 20.20% conversion rate means the clicks you are paying for are from people ready to reach out.
• Small share of the budget: Search used about 14% of total spend, so a higher cost per lead there barely moves the blended $46.31.
• Coverage on named services: Without Search, competitors would own the searches for the specific services you most want to sell.

8Counting Only Main Conversion Actions

One of the biggest mistakes I see in home service accounts is counting every action as a lead. Map direction clicks, website visits and button taps all show up in Google Ads as conversions if you let them. None of them are a homeowner asking for an estimate.

In this account, only main conversion actions were counted as leads and used to judge performance. Everything else was tracked as a secondary action for reference.

1. Phone calls as a main conversion. Inbound calls from the ads were tracked and counted, since most homeowners want to talk before they book.
2. Quote requests as a main conversion. Completed quote forms were counted as leads for homeowners who prefer to type.
3. Map actions and other engagement as secondary. These stayed in the account for visibility but were left out of the lead totals and the cost per lead.
4. Bidding based on main conversions. Google's Smart Bidding optimized toward real leads, not direction clicks or page views.

If you include every secondary action, your cost per lead looks lower than it really is. The $46.31 on this page is the honest number.

9The Full Channel Breakdown

Here is the complete breakdown by channel. Every lead and cost per lead figure below is based on main conversion actions only.

The two channels work very differently. Search costs about 11 times more per click but converts at more than 5 times the rate. The local campaigns win on volume and cost per lead.

10What Made the Difference

Nothing in this account is complicated. It is a clear structure, honest tracking and a budget that follows the results. Here is what you can apply to your own landscaping business.

• Give each channel its own job: Use Search for specific, high-intent service keywords and local campaigns for volume across your service area. Keep them separate so you can see what each one produces.
• Count only real leads: Set phone calls and quote requests as your main conversions. Leave map clicks and website visits as secondary so your cost per lead is accurate.
• Do not judge Search by cost per lead alone: A higher cost per lead on Search can still be worth it when those leads convert at 20% and close well.
• Put most of the budget where leads are cheapest: In this account, about 86% of spend went to the local campaigns, where leads cost about $43.
• Judge it against customer value: A $46.31 lead is a strong number when one new customer can turn into installation and ongoing work.