In today's fast-paced digital landscape, having a strong online presence isn't just a luxury but a necessity. For flooring businesses, this means not only having a robust website but also mastering the art of paid media strategies to generate quick results and predictable revenue growth.


Introduction to Paid Media for Flooring Businesses

With the flooring industry becoming increasingly competitive, there's a pressing need for businesses to effectively harness the power of paid media. Unlike shared leads from platforms like Thumbtack or Angi, a well-executed paid media strategy can generate exclusive leads and significantly grow your flooring business’ sales pipeline with qualified and consistent leads. The best part about a paid ads strategy is that once it is in place and optimized, you should be able to use it as a lead-flow faucet that you can turn on or off, generating a consistent, reliable and predictable return on your investment.


Diving into the Paid Ad Platforms

Google Ads for Flooring:

Google is more than just a search engine; it's a multifaceted platform offering a range of advertising options for businesses. In fact a huge percentage of Google’s profit comes from its ads platform so it has every incentive to improve their product offering and the value that it provides businesses like yours so that they continue to invest with them.

Search Ads: 

As the cornerstone of Google's offerings, search ads ensure that you appear prominently when potential clients look for flooring solutions. There are different types of search ads from traditional search ads for desktops; click to call ads for mobile devices only; and responsive search ads (RSAs) and dynamic search ads (DSAs) which use AI to generate the right ad copy to show for the particular user who is searching for your products or services. Pretty cool stuff, right?

Search ads tend to have a higher cost per click or CPC (and it is only going up as more advertisers join the platform). Currently the average CPC that we are seeing for our flooring clients is around $10-$15 depending on the market that they are in and the types of words that they are targeting (phrase match which goes for exact keyword phrases are going to be more expensive compared to broad match which target any searches that are relevant to the keywords you give Google).

◎ PRO TIP: If you have a physical location, make sure to add your location extension which connects to your Google maps listing and allows your listing to show up in the maps as a sponsored result.

Display Ads: 

These are visual ads that appear on websites and apps within Google's vast Display Network. For flooring businesses, this can mean showcasing a stunning floor installation of yours on a popular home decor site with the attempt to try to drive more clicks back to your site or landing page and ultimately generate more leads to your business. These ads have a much lower average cost per click (under $1 usually) due to the fact that these ads are not being shown to people who are specifically searching for flooring products or services but rather to people who are perceived by Google to be the right audience (ie. they are not asking for these ads).   

◎ PRO TIP: Make sure to include a strong call to action button on your images that lets people know what you want them to do. We are a big fans of using “Get Your Dream Floors Today” or “Get Your Flooring Quote”  instead of a generic “Learn More” or “Click Here”.

Retargeting: 

Also known as remarketing, this strategy involves showing ads to individuals who've previously interacted with your website or app. It's a potent tool for bringing back potential customers who didn't convert on their first visit. These ads are often in the form of display image or video ads and have a higher conversion rate than display ads to a cold audience since they are only seen by those who have previously interacted with your brand’s online assets in the past. This is where you can be a bit more assertive in your marketing efforts and use phrases like “Are You Still Interested in Your New Flooring Transformation? We Are Ready.” or something similar.

◎ PRO TIP: You can create unique ads for each type of flooring product or service you offer and show them to people who have visited specific pages on your site so you know that you are showing them something that they are interested in. For example, you can show an ad that promotes refinishing services to those who have recently visited that page but did not convert into a lead.

YouTube Ads: 

Given that YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google, video ads can be immensely impactful. Flooring businesses can create engaging videos showcasing previous installations, testimonials, product highlights or offering educational advice like choosing the best floors for specific climates, households etc. With YouTube ads, you can select which channels and videos you want your ads to show up on. These are great when used as retargeting ads too, since they will only be seen by people who you know have previously visited your flooring website.

◎ PRO TIP: Make sure your first five seconds are very clear. Since people can skip ads after five seconds, make sure you let people know what the ad is about in the first three to five seconds.

Performance Max: 

This is Google's newest campaign type, which uses all Google's ad inventory sources, automating ad placements across various platforms, making it easier for businesses to reach their audiences wherever they are. These are great for businesses who don’t want to run multiple different types of campaigns and have a smaller budget to begin with. You will need to prepare optimized headlines and ad copy, images and videos to run as your ad assets.

◎ PRO TIP: Use headlines that already appear on your website for better performing ads.

Local Service Ads: 

These “Google Guaranteed” ads which launched a few years ago are different than traditional Google search ads because they operate on a pay per lead basis compared to pay per click and are also connected to your Google Business Profile listing. In order to get set up with these, you will be required to go through a somewhat complicated registration process that includes submitting your business license, proof of ownership as well as background checks. These ads are great for flooring businesses specializing in installation.

◎ PRO TIP: The more reviews you have the better your ads will do. So make sure you have a solid review generation system in place.  

Expanding Horizons with Social Media:

Facebook & Instagram Ads: 

Facebook and Instagram offer a dynamic duo of advertising platforms. While Facebook is excellent for detailed targeting and broader reach, Instagram, with its visual-centric platform, is perfect for flooring businesses to showcase their work. Both platforms have powerful tools like Lookalike Audiences to target users similar to your current customers and dynamic ads to automatically show the right products to people who've expressed interest. These platforms are great for highlighting specific promos/offers, showcasing your previous work, sharing testimonials and reviews from happy customers, and retargeting website visitors. Just remember, people are not actively searching for your services when they scroll through their social media feeds, so do not expect the same amount of leads coming from them.

◎ PRO TIP: Film videos of you and the team in action and make sure to show off who you are as a company. People expect to connect to the brands they work with these days and want to get to know you as a person, as well as the services that you offer.

TikTok Ads: 

The rising star of social media, TikTok, is becoming a force in the advertising world. Its short, engaging video format is perfect for showcasing quick flooring transformations or behind-the-scenes looks at projects, making it a potent platform for reaching a younger audience. These video ads can be great at showing off your installation chops to get in front of a younger homeowner audience.

◎ PRO TIP: Don’t get distracted with trends like silly dances and songs. Stay true to who you are as a brand. Create content consistently that is relevant to what you do and how you do it.

Targeting Commercial Flooring Customers with LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B marketing. For flooring businesses targeting commercial customers, LinkedIn can be invaluable. By creating sponsored content tailored to professionals involved in large-scale construction or renovation projects or by leveraging LinkedIn's precise job title and company targeting, flooring businesses can effectively reach decision-makers in the commercial sector and create more established brand recognition.

◎ PRO TIP: Share educational and valuable content and leverage LinkedIn’s premium Sales Navigator to get in front of the right audience.


Paid Placements on Niche Directories:

Platforms like Angie's List, Thumbtack, Yelp, Houzz, Home Advisor, Yellow Pages and Best in City sites provide another avenue for flooring businesses to gain visibility. While organic listings are crucial, paid placements on these platforms ensure top-of-the-page visibility and often come with badges or indicators signaling a premium or trusted provider, lending an added layer of credibility.

◎ PRO TIP: Do not waste money advertising on any page that isn’t ranking on page 1 for the relevant search term. There is zero value spending money on a premium listing on a page that does not show up and generate organic traffic.


Effective Paid Media Tactics for Flooring Retailers & Installers

Visual Emphasis in Ads: 

In an industry where aesthetics is paramount, it's essential to have visually compelling ads. Showcase your best flooring installations and let the work speak for itself. Time lapse videos are great to use and super easy to make with almost any smart phone today!

Geo-Targeting for Local Impact: 

Just as a beautiful floor is about the details, so is an effective ad strategy. Ensure your ads are seen by the right people in your market by using specific geo-targeting and adding only the zip codes you care about servicing.

Retargeting for Engaging Potential Clients: 

Retargeting keeps your brand top-of-mind for those who might have visited your site but didn't convert. By gently reminding them of what they're missing out on, you can significantly increase your conversion rates.

Creating a Compelling Ad Narrative

For flooring businesses, it's not just about showcasing products but also telling a story. Ads that resonate on a personal level can create a lasting impact. This could involve sharing customer testimonials, before-and-after photos, or even tales of challenges overcome during installations and how you have grown as a company or individual installer. Be authentic!

Maximizing ROI with Data and Analytics

In the world of paid media, data is king. By constantly analyzing and refining your strategies based on real-time data, flooring businesses can ensure they get the most bang for their buck. Once your ads have run for 3 months you should have a pretty good idea about what your average cost per click, cost per lead, and conversion rate is for each type of flooring product/service. This means you now have a mathematical equation for understanding how much you need to spend on a daily and monthly basis to hit your lead generation and sales goals.


PAID ADS FOR FLOORING BUSINESSES FAQs

How frequently should I review and refine my ad strategy?

Regularly. Digital landscapes change rapidly, and an effective strategy today might not be as effective tomorrow. Ads should not be a set it and forget it strategy. We have a team that checks on our ads on a daily basis. This is especially important if you want to maximize your results and return on investment.

What's the most important element of a successful ad? 

A clear message that resonates with the target audience. Whether you are writing search ad copy or creating targeted social media ads, make sure you let your audience know what problems you solve for them, how you do that, and why they should trust you. Stay true to your brand and be authentic!

How do I measure the success of my paid media strategy? 

By monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, click-through rates, cost per lead and ROI. You need to make sure that you have a solid lead and conversion tracking mechanism in place to do this so that you understand which leads came from which ads to make more informed decisions.

How much should I be budgeting to spend on paid ads?

We suggest that our flooring clients spend no less than $80/day on ad spend across Google & FB/IG in order to effectively maximize their ad exposure and test various campaigns and ad types. If you are small and just starting out, I recommend spending $15/day into a Performance Max campaign (see above) which will give you a variation of multiple ad types on Google.


Conclusion

Paid media strategies, when executed correctly, can be a game-changer for flooring retailers and installers. In a world where the digital realm often dictates success, it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and continually adapt to the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.