A local contractor was burning $1,300/mo for only 3 leads ($433 CPL) and ready to quit Google Ads.
Cash was bleeding, and trust in paid traffic was completely broken.
Obstacles:
🚨 High-friction 10-field landing page forms.
🚨 Location settings leaking budget outside the service area ("Presence or Interest").
🚨 Targeting triggering on non-buyer queries ("how to fix", "plumber salary").
'Aha' Moment: When an emergency hits, buyers don't fill out long forms—they call immediately. The problem wasn't Google Ads; it was conversion friction.
Steps Taken (S.T.A.B. Framework):
Structure & Ads: Replaced long forms with Call-Only Search Ads and Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) for direct phone connects.
Targeting: Locked locations to "Presence Only" and applied universal negative lists (DIY, jobs, wholesale).
Bidding: Used Manual CPC to prune low-intent queries before moving to Maximize
💡 Would you like to build a quick audit checklist based on this framework to spot friction points in your own campaigns?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedsimanta03/
https://www.behance.net/syedsimanta10
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