How To Run Ads For Concrete Contractors: It’s Easier Than You Think!

Let’s be real—you’re a master at pouring concrete, not at figuring out confusing computer stuff. The good news? You don’t need a fancy degree to get more customers calling you.

Running online ads is way easier than you think. It’s like having a salesperson who works all day and all night, showing off your best work to people who are looking for a new driveway or patio right now.

This guide is your simple playbook. I’ll show you exactly how to start your ads, find the right customers, and make your phone ring with real jobs—all in plain English. No confusing talk. No complicated tech stuff. You can do this!

The whole point is to get you more work, plain and simple. This picture shows the three main steps to get your ads running and getting you calls.

As you can see, it’s a straight line from starting your ads to getting paid. Each step helps the next, creating a money-making machine for your business.

Why Online Ads Are a Game-Changer For Concrete Work

Forget about old-school flyers that end up in the trash or expensive billboards you can’t even tell are working. Online ads put you right in front of people who need your help today. This isn’t about hoping someone sees your truck; it’s about being the first person they see when they search online for help.

Here’s why this is so great:

• You Reach People Ready to Buy: When someone searches Google for “concrete patio cost” or “driveway repair near me,” they aren’t just looking for fun. They have a problem and want to hire someone to fix it.
• Your Money Goes Further: You control every single dollar. You can start with as little as $15 a day and only pay when someone who is actually interested clicks on your ad. No more wasting money on people who live too far away.
• You Can Show Off Your Work: A picture of a beautiful stamped concrete patio sells itself. Ads on places like Facebook let you use photos and videos to prove you do amazing work.

The secret to winning isn’t a giant budget. It’s about being smart and consistent. A small ad that runs every day is way better than one big, expensive ad that runs once.

Getting a Piece of a Huge Pie

Lots of people need your services, and that’s not changing anytime soon. The amount of money spent on concrete work is huge—around $345.1 billion—and it’s getting bigger.

Contractors I’ve worked with who use online ads often get up to 30% more calls during their busy seasons. Why? Because they’re putting themselves right in front of all those people who need work, instead of just waiting for the phone to ring.

This isn’t about changing your whole business. It’s about adding a powerful tool that brings in a steady flow of jobs. You can get started with a simple website and a small ad budget, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. It’s simple, and you can do it.

If you’re looking for more ways to get jobs, you might like our guide on how to get unlimited leads for contractors.

Your Simple Ad Plan in a Nutshell

Here’s a quick look at the key steps to get your ads up and running. This is the roadmap we’ll follow.

Following this simple plan takes all the guesswork out of it. It’s a proven system to make your phone ring with good customers, so you can focus on what you do best—pouring concrete.

Find Your Best Customers on Google Search

Imagine a homeowner in your town sees a big, ugly crack in their driveway and pulls out their phone. They type “concrete driveway repair near me” into Google. They have a real problem, right now, and they need a pro to fix it.

You need to be the first name they see. That’s the whole point of Google Ads.

It’s like putting up a sign on the exact road your best customers are driving on every single day. No more guessing. This is about showing up at the perfect time—right when a homeowner is asking for help.

And honestly, it’s a lot easier than you might think. You don’t need to be a computer genius. It’s really just about thinking like your customer and making sure your ad is the easy answer to their problem. You’ve got this!

Think Like Your Customer

First things first, you need to pick the right keywords. These are just the words people type into Google when they need help. Don’t make it complicated. Just put yourself in their shoes. If your patio was cracked, what would you search for?

You’d probably type in stuff like:

• “Concrete driveway repair”
• “Patio contractors near me”
• “Cost to replace a sidewalk”
• “Fix my sinking porch step”

These words are like gold. When you tell Google to show your ads for these searches, you’re reaching people who are ready to hire someone. The trick is to use a mix of general words and more specific ones that show a customer knows exactly what they want.

Stop Wasting Money on Far-Away Clicks

Here’s where you save a ton of money and stop getting calls from people who live an hour away. It’s called location targeting, and it’s your new best friend. You can literally draw a circle on a map around the area you want to work in.

You can tell Google, “Hey, only show my ads to people within 20 miles of my house.” Or, you can pick specific towns or even zip codes where you know the best jobs are.

This is the most important setting for any local business, period. By targeting only your service area, you make sure every dollar you spend is on people you can actually drive to and help. No more wasted clicks. Just real, local people who need you.

Setting this up is as easy as typing in your city’s name. This one simple step turns your ad from a wild guess into a tool that brings in nearby homeowners. For more help on this, our guide to Google Ads for local businesses breaks it all down.

Putting It All Together to Get More Leads

When you use the right keywords and the right location, something great happens. Your ads finally start working for you.

Let’s look at a real example. A homeowner in Columbus, Ohio, searches for “stamped concrete patio installers.” Because you’ve told Google you want that keyword and you work in Columbus, your ad pops up right at the top. The ad headline says something simple and clear, like, “Local Stamped Concrete Experts | Free Estimates.”

The homeowner instantly sees you’re local, you do what they need, and you offer a free quote. They click, they call, and boom—you just got a great lead without even leaving your truck.

This process is simple and it really works. You can start this today, and if you ever feel stuck, that’s what we’re here for. We can help you pick the right keywords and locations to make your phone start ringing with good jobs.

Create Simple Ads People Actually Click On

Your ad is like your sign on the side of the road. Think about it—if you put up a sign on the busiest road in town, you wouldn’t fill it with tiny words that are hard to read, would you?

Of course not. You’d make it big, bold, and so simple that someone driving by could get the message in a second.

That’s exactly how you need to think about your online ads. They have to grab attention fast and make a homeowner think, “Hey, I need to call that person!” The good news is you don’t have to be a great writer to make an ad that works. It’s all about keeping it simple and focusing on what your customer really wants.

This is where you’ll build your ads. As you can see, it’s pretty simple and easy to use.

Writing Headlines That Get the Job

Your ad’s headline is the most important part. No doubt about it. It’s the first thing people read, and it has one job: get them to keep reading. Don’t try to be clever or funny. Just be direct and tell them how you can help.

Here are a few simple, fill-in-the-blank ideas that work great for concrete contractors:

• [Your City] Concrete Driveway Experts | Free Estimates
• Fast & Affordable Patio Repair | Call For a Quote
• Over 20 Years of Local Concrete Experience
• Licensed & Insured | Stamped Concrete Patios

See a pattern? They’re all short, clear, and say something that builds trust or makes it super easy for the customer to call you. Saying things like “Free On-Site Estimates” or being “Licensed & Insured” immediately tells a homeowner you’re a real pro and they have nothing to lose by calling.

The best ads aren’t the ones with the fanciest words. They’re the ones that quickly answer the customer’s question: “Can this person fix my problem?” Keep your headlines focused on how you can help.

To make sure your great headlines are seen by the right people, it’s good to know how to use different keyword match types. This is an important part of making your ads show up for the right searches and not wasting money.

Your Secret Weapon: Photos and Videos

Words are good, but for a concrete guy, a picture is worth a thousand words—and a lot of money. The best way to prove you do amazing work is to show it. Stop telling people you pour beautiful patios and start showing them!

A great picture of that awesome stamped patio you just finished is your best salesperson. It does all the talking for you. When a homeowner is looking at ads, a great photo of a finished job will stop them in their tracks way better than words ever could.

Here are a few tips for using pictures that work:

• Before-and-After Shots: These are pure gold. Show the cracked, ugly driveway before you touched it, then the smooth, perfect one after. It tells a powerful story in two pictures.
• Action Shots: A photo of your crew working builds a ton of trust. It shows you’re a real, busy business that gets things done.
• Video Walkthroughs: A quick 15-second video showing off a finished job can be a big hit, especially on Facebook.

You have a camera in your pocket right now that’s good enough for this. You don’t need a fancy photographer. Just take a few clear pictures in good daylight before you leave every job. Those photos are the fuel for your ads and will help you get more work than you can imagine.

Build a Website Page That Turns Clicks Into Calls

Getting someone to click your ad is a big win! But it’s only half the job.

Think of it like a potential customer walking up to your truck—now you have to show them you’re the right person for the job. Where you send them after they click your ad is maybe the most important part. Your website needs to be ready to turn that click into a phone call.

You paid good money for that click, so you can’t just send them to a confusing website with a bunch of buttons and pages. That’s like inviting a customer over and then making them guess which door to knock on. They’ll just get confused and leave.

Instead, we need to build a special, super-simple page just for your ads. This is called a landing page, and its only job is to do one thing: get that visitor to call you or fill out your form.

Keep It Simple and Focused

Imagine your perfect customer just clicked your ad for “stamped concrete patios.” The website page they go to should be 100% about stamped concrete patios. Nothing else.

No mention of your driveway work, no links to your blog, no other buttons to distract them.

This focus is key. Having too many choices on a page can scare people away. Stick to one clear goal and one clear service per page.

Your landing page needs just a few simple things:

• A big, bold headline that matches your ad (like, “Beautiful Stamped Concrete Patios in [Your City]”).
• A phone number they can’t miss. Make it big and put it at the top of the page.
• A super simple “Get a Free Quote” form. Only ask for their name and phone number. Anything more will make them leave.
• Great pictures of your best patio work. Show them what you can do!

This is all about making it super easy for a homeowner to call you. If they have to look for your phone number, you’ve already lost them. You can easily build a website page like this, and we can help you get it just right.

Build Trust in a Hurry

A person who clicks your ad is probably meeting you for the first time. You have about 15 seconds to show them you’re a pro who does great work. How do you do that? With proof.

Add some “trust builders” to your page. These are the little things that make a homeowner feel good about hiring you.

The goal isn’t to sell them with fancy words. It’s to make them feel safe and smart for choosing you. Your website page should shout, “This guy is a local expert I can trust!”

Showing quotes from happy customers is a great way to do this. A simple quote like, “John’s crew did an amazing job on our patio!” next to a picture of the job is pure gold. Also, be sure to mention if you’re “Licensed & Insured” or have “20+ Years of Experience.” These things really matter.

To keep it simple, here’s a quick list of what every good contractor landing page needs.

What Your Website Page Must Have

Get these things right, and you’ll be way ahead of your competition.

Make Getting a Quote Super Easy

The last piece of the puzzle is telling them what to do. Don’t be shy! Use big, bright buttons that stand out.

To make this even easier, let customers book a time with you right on your website. This can really increase how many people call you. You can explore online booking systems like bookedin.ai to see how they let a customer pick a time for their estimate without even calling.

The simpler you make it for them to contact you, the more leads you will get. It’s that easy. You can build a page like this, and if you need a hand, we’re here to help you get it perfect.

Use Facebook to Show Off Your Best Concrete Work

Google Ads are great for catching people who are looking for a concrete contractor right now.

But Facebook is your secret weapon. It’s how you find the people who don’t even know they need you… yet.

Think of it like this: you drive your cleanest work truck through a nice neighborhood you want to get jobs in. People see your logo and remember your name. Facebook Ads let you do the same thing online, and for way less money than a tank of gas. It’s so simple!

The goal is simple: get pictures of your best work in front of the right local homeowners. So when their patio finally cracks, your company is the first one they think of. This is how you get your name out there and fill up your schedule.

Finding Customers Who Aren’t Even Looking

Unlike Google, where you’re looking for keywords, Facebook lets you find people. This is where things get really powerful (and kind of fun).

Want to show your ads only to homeowners in a certain zip code who have lived in their house for a while? You can do that. Why? Because that’s when driveways and patios start to need fixing!

You can easily find customers based on things like:

• Location: Show your ads only in the exact towns or neighborhoods you want to work in.
• Homeownership: Why waste money showing your beautiful patio work to people who rent? Tell Facebook to only show ads to people who own their homes.
• Interests: You can even look for people who are interested in things like “home improvement” to find people who are already thinking about fixing up their house.

Don’t let this scare you. The Facebook Ads website walks you through it, and with just a few clicks, you can find the perfect people to show your ads to. It’s way better than buying a billboard and just hoping the right people drive by.

The real magic of Facebook is showing, not telling. A quick video of your crew pouring a perfect patio is a thousand times better than just saying you do good work. It’s proof, right on their phone.

Your Best Salesperson Is in Your Pocket

Here’s where you have a huge advantage. You create amazing-looking projects every day. That ugly, cracked driveway you just replaced with a perfect, new one? That’s a great ad just waiting to happen.

Your best ad is probably sitting in your phone’s photo gallery right now.

People on Facebook love seeing before-and-after pictures and quick videos. A simple video showing a job from start to finish can get a ton of attention. In fact, video ads are a game-changer; people are much more likely to watch a video than look at a simple picture.

Here’s a dead-simple plan you can start today:

1. Take Before-and-Afters: At every job, take a “before” picture of the problem and a great “after” shot of your beautiful, finished work.
2. Shoot a Quick Video: Use your phone. Take a short, 15-second video showing off the completed job. You don’t even have to talk. Let the work speak for itself.
3. Turn It Into an Ad: Put the photos or video on your Facebook page. Write a simple caption like, “Another beautiful patio done in [Your City]! Tired of your old, cracked concrete? Give us a call for a free estimate!”

It really is that simple. You’re already doing the hard work; now you just have to show it off. We’ve seen contractors get tons of jobs just by sharing pictures of their work. You can do this! And if you ever need a hand, we’re here to help you turn those project photos into paying customers.

Got a few questions? Good. That means you’re thinking about how to grow your business. Here are the answers to the questions we hear all the time.

How Much Should I Spend on Ads?

You don’t need a huge budget to get started. In fact, most contractors start with just $15-$25 per day.

The trick isn’t to throw a pile of money at it and hope for the best. It’s about being smart. Focus that small daily budget on one or two of your best services—like “driveway repair” or “stamped concrete patios.” See what kind of calls you get. As you book jobs, you can slowly spend a little more.

The goal isn’t to have the biggest ad budget. It’s about having the smartest one, spending every dollar on the exact people who will turn into paying customers.

Do I Need a Fancy Website to Run Ads?

Nope. Not at all. A complicated website can actually hurt your chances of getting leads.

All you really need is one clean, simple page—what we call a “landing page.” This page has one job: get you phone calls.

Here’s what it needs:

• Your phone number, big and bold, right at the top. No one should have to look for it.
• A simple “Get a Free Quote” form that only asks for their name and number.
• Great photos of your real work. This builds trust right away.

A simple, direct page will always get you more leads than a confusing website where people can get lost. You can build a page like this yourself, and we can help you make it perfect.

What’s the Biggest Mistake Contractors Make with Ads?

This one is easy. The biggest mistake is sending people who click on an ad to their website’s homepage. It’s a lead-killer.

Your homepage is like a business card. It has links to your “About Us” page, all your different services, and other distracting stuff.

Think about it: if someone clicks your ad for “patio installation,” they need to land on a page that is 100% about your patio services. Anything else is a distraction that makes them less likely to call you.

Another common mistake is using fake stock photos. Your work is your best salesperson. Don’t show a picture of a random driveway—show off the beautiful job you just finished last week. That’s what makes the phone ring.

Ready to stop guessing and start getting real leads? The Cherubini Company builds simple, powerful websites and ad campaigns that make your phone ring. We make it easy. Let’s make your marketing as solid as your concrete. Learn more at https://cherubinicompany.com.