Exeter Lead Generation: The Ultimate Paid Ad Guide

So you're looking for someone to run paid ads for your business in Exeter. Good. It's probably one of the fastest ways to get the phone ringing. But it's also the fastest way to set fire to a pile of cash if you don't know what you're doing, or worse, if you hire someone who doesn't.

The truth is, most businesses in Exeter that try paid ads get burned. They spend a few grand, get a handful of tyre-kicker leads, and conclude "it doesn't work for my industry". That's nonsense. It's not that the ads don't work; it's that their approach is completely backwards. They hire an "expert" who promises cheap traffic and a flurry of activity, but they never nail down the one thing that actually matters: turning a click into a paying customer, profitably.

I've seen inside dozens of ad accounts for businesses across Devon and Cornwall. The story is almost always the same. A mess of campaigns with no clear strategy, targeting that's way too broad, and ads that talk about how great the company is instead of talking about the customer's problem. It's a recipe for disaster. This guide is going to show you how to avoid that. We're not going to talk about complex jargon; we're going to talk about what actually gets leads in the door for businesses in a city like Exeter.

But first, why is getting good advice so hard?

You've probably already seen it. One agency tells you that you absolutely MUST be on TikTok. Another says it's all about Google Performance Max. A freelancer tells you to focus on building a brand on Facebook. They can't all be right, can they? The reason for all this noise is simple: most "experts" are just selling what they're comfortable with, not what you actually need. They have a hammer, so everything looks like a nail.

The reality is that a successful lead generation campaign isn't about the platform. It's about three things: a compelling offer, laser-focused targeting, and relentless testing. Get those right, and you can make almost any platform work. Get them wrong, and you'll fail everywhere. Many businesses get stuck trying to figure out the source of conflicting ad advice in Exeter, when the real problem lies in their own foundations.

This isn't about finding a magic bullet. It's about building a proper system. And the first block in that system has nothing to do with ads at all.

Your Offer is Everything (No, Really)

This is the part everyone wants to skip, and it's why most campaigns are doomed from the start. Before you even think about hiring an agency or logging into Google Ads, you have to be brutally honest about your offer. Is it clear? Is it compelling? Does it solve a real, urgent, and expensive problem for a specific group of people in Exeter?

Forget trying to appeal to everyone. Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) isn't "homeowners in Devon". It's "a family in St Leonard's with two young kids who are terrified of their old boiler packing in this winter and need a reliable, fast replacement without being ripped off". It's not "small businesses in Exeter"; it's "a director of a growing tech firm at the Exeter Science Park who's losing her best staff because their IT support is slow and unreliable".

You need to understand their nightmare. What keeps them up at night? What's the thing they'd gladly pay good money to make go away, right now? Your service isn't "IT Support"; it's "the freedom to run your business without ever worrying about a computer issue again". Your service isn't "accountancy"; it's "total peace of mind that your tax is handled perfectly so you can focus on what you're good at".

An agency can't invent this for you. We can help you refine it and articulate it, but the core value has to be there. I remember one campaign we worked on for a client selling high-ticket industrial products. Their ads were failing. We didn't change the ads at first; we changed the offer. Instead of "Request a Quote", we changed it to "Get a Free On-Site Efficiency Audit". We started selling the solution to a problem (inefficiency) instead of just selling a product. The lead quality shot up overnight. The number one reason campaigns fail is a weak offer. A good agency will challenge you on this. A bad one will just take your money and start running ads, knowing full well they're pointing at a leaky bucket.

So, what should you really pay for a lead in Exeter?

This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? Or at least the thousand-pound one. The cost per lead (CPL) can vary wildly, but I can give you some realistic ballpark figures based on our experience running campaigns for service businesses across the UK.

For a typical local service business in Exeter—think electricians, plumbers, cleaners, accountants, solicitors—you should budget for a CPL of anywhere between £10 and £60 on Google Ads. Yes, that's a big range. A simple query like "cleaner near me" might be at the lower end, while a highly competitive and high-value term like "commercial solicitor exeter" will be at the very top end, or even higher.

I know from one campaign we're currently running for an HVAC company in a competitive part of the UK that their leads are coming in at around $60 (£47) each. But each job is worth thousands, so it's incredibly profitable. On the other hand, we've managed campaigns for childcare services where leads were closer to $10 (£8). And our best ever consumer services campaign was for a home cleaning company which got leads for just £5 a pop. It all depends on competition, demand, and how good your website and ads are.

Anyone in Exeter promising you leads for £1 or £2 is probably using dodgy tactics on Facebook, generating low-quality leads from people who aren't actually looking for your service. You'll spend all your time chasing people who aren't interested. Quality over quantity, always. This is something we cover in depth in our complete guide to lead generation for UK local businesses.

Use the calculator below to get a rough idea of what a sensible starting budget might look like. This isn't a promise, but it's a realistic starting point for a conversation.

Google Ads vs Meta Ads: What's Right for Your Exeter Business?

This is a big point of confusion. The simple answer for 90% of local service businesses in Exeter is this: start with Google Ads. No question.

Why? It's all about intent. On Google, people are actively typing in phrases like "emergency plumber exeter", "family law solicitor near me", or "best extensions builder devon". They have a problem, and they are looking for the solution *right now*. Your ad appears at the exact moment they need you. It's the digital equivalent of having your shop on the busiest high street in the world, right next to a person asking for directions to a shop just like yours. For a more detailed look into this, our guide on using Google Ads for local services is a great resource.

Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) are different. Nobody goes on Facebook to find an accountant. They go on there to see pictures of their grandkids or argue about politics. On Meta, you are interrupting them. Your job is to create demand, not capture it. This can be powerful, but it's a different game. It works well for businesses that are more visual or impulse-driven – think restaurants showing off a new menu, a gym advertising a new class, or a local boutique showcasing new arrivals. For most B2B or high-consideration services, it's a much harder, and often more expensive, way to get qualified leads.

If you're a B2B business in Exeter targeting other businesses, say on Marsh Barton or Sowton, then LinkedIn Ads might come into play. It's expensive, but the targeting is unparalleled. You can target people by their exact job title, company size, and industry. We've run campaigns where we've reduced the cost per lead by 84% for clients just by getting this right. For many local businesses, though, it's overkill. You can often reach the same decision-makers on Google when they're actively searching for a business solution. To get a better grasp of the B2B landscape, you might find our ultimate guide to B2B lead generation in the UK helpful.

How to Find a Good Exeter Agency and Avoid the Cowboys

Okay, you're convinced. You know you need a solid offer, and you're ready to invest in a platform like Google Ads. Now, how do you find the right person or team to manage it for you in Exeter? There are a lot of options, from solo freelancers to larger agencies, and it can be a bit of a minefield.

Here's what you should be looking for, and the red flags to watch out for.

1. Look at Their Case Studies. This is non-negotiable. Don't just look for flashy logos; look for case studies that are relevant to your business. Are they a B2C eCommerce agency trying to do lead gen for a B2B service? That's a potential mismatch. Look for proof that they have generated leads for businesses like yours. Ask for specifics. What was the CPL? What was the conversion rate? What was the client's return on investment? If they can't answer these questions clearly, they either don't know or the results weren't good. For instance, if you're looking for help with Meta Ads specifically, you need to find someone who can show you the ropes, which is why knowing how to find the right Meta Ads expert in Exeter is so important.

2. Book a Consultation Call (and listen carefully). This is your chance to interview them. A good agency will spend most of the call asking you questions. They'll want to know about your business, your customers, your margins, your sales process. They're trying to figure out if they can actually help you. A bad agency will spend the whole call talking about themselves, using jargon, and trying to rush you into a contract. Tbh if they start promising you a specific number of leads or a number 1 ranking on Google, hang up. No one can promise that. It's impossible to predict exact performance.

3. Ask About Their Process. This is the killer question. Ask them: "Can you walk me through your process for onboarding a new client and how you approach testing and optimisation?" A pro will have a clear, structured answer. They'll talk about conversion tracking setup, keyword research, competitor analysis, ad copy split testing, landing page recommendations, and regular reporting. An amateur will give you a vague answer like "Oh, we use our special sauce" or "we just get it running and then optimise it". That's a massive red flag.

4. Ignore Vanity Metrics. Be wary of anyone who focuses on clicks, impressions, or click-through rate (CTR). These are vanity metrics. They look nice on a report but they don't pay the bills. The only metrics that matter are Cost Per Lead (CPL), number of Qualified Leads, Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). If they're not focused on the metrics that make you money, they're not the right fit.

Finding the right partner is a serious decision, and it's worth taking your time. We've put together a comprehensive guide on how founders should vet and hire paid ad agencies which goes into even more detail on this topic.

What Does a Real Exeter Lead Gen Campaign Actually Look Like?

Let's make this practical. Imagine you're an electrician based in Exeter, covering areas like Topsham, Pinhoe, and Alphington. Here's a simplified look at what a solid Google Ads campaign would involve.

Campaign Structure: We wouldn't just have one campaign. We'd split it out. One campaign would be for "Emergency" services, another for "Installations" (like EV chargers), and another for "General Repairs". Why? Because someone searching for an "emergency electrician now" is a totally different customer to someone researching "ev charger installation cost". They need different ad copy and to be sent to different pages on your website.

Keywords: For the emergency campaign, we'd target keywords with high commercial intent. Things like "[emergency electrician exeter]", "[24 hour electrician near me]", "[no power fix exeter]". We'd use "phrase" and "exact" match types to avoid wasting money on broad, irrelevant searches like "how to be an electrician". For the installations campaign, we'd target "[ev charger installer exeter]", "[consumer unit replacement cost]", etc.

Ad Copy: The ads would speak directly to the searcher's pain point. For the emergency ad, the headline would be something like "Emergency Electrician in Exeter - Call Now For a Fast Response". The description would mention 24/7 availability, being local, and being fully qualified. For the installation ad, it would focus on getting a free quote, expertise in that specific service, and maybe a mention of a guarantee.

Landing Page: This is where so many campaigns fall down. We wouldn't just send traffic to your homepage. Each ad group would go to a dedicated page on your site that is 100% relevant to what they searched for. The emergency page would have a huge phone number at the top. The installation page would have a simple "Get a Free Quote" form, pictures of previous work, and customer testimonials. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for the visitor to take the action you want them to take.

Tracking: None of this matters if you can't track it. We would ensure conversion tracking is set up perfectly. That means tracking every phone call from the ads and every form submission. This is how you know which keywords and ads are actually making the phone ring, and which ones are just wasting your money. Without this data, you're flying blind.

The Final Question That Separates the Pros from the Amateurs

When you're on that call with a potential agency, after you've discussed case studies and their process, ask them this: "If the campaign isn't performing as expected after the first month, what's your plan?"

A bad agency will get defensive or give a fluffy answer. They'll blame Google, the market, or even you.

A good agency will see this as an opportunity. Their answer will sound something like this:

"That's a great question. First, we'd dive into the data to diagnose the problem. Are we getting low clicks? Then we need to test the ad copy and keywords. Are we getting clicks but no leads? Then the issue is likely on the landing page or with the offer itself, and we'd want to work with you to test new headlines, calls to action, or even the offer. We'd look at the Search Terms Report to see if we're wasting spend on irrelevant queries. We'd analyse auction insights to see what competitors are doing. We'd have a clear, data-driven plan with specific actions to improve performance. It's an iterative process."

That's the answer you want. It shows they're not just ad-starters; they're problem-solvers. They understand that paid advertising isn't a "set it and forget it" activity. It's a continuous cycle of testing, learning, and optimising. That is what you are paying for: not just the setup, but the ongoing expertise to make your investment profitable.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Getting paid advertising right for lead generation in Exeter isn't black magic. It's a process. It requires a strategic approach that starts long before you ever write an ad. It demands that you understand your customer deeply, craft an irresistible offer, and then partner with an expert who knows how to use the ad platforms as a tool to connect that offer with the right people.

If you're tired of wasting money and want to build a predictable system for generating high-quality leads for your business, you might benefit from some expert help. We offer a completely free, no-obligation strategy session where we'll look at your business, your offer, and what your competitors are doing. We'll give you a straightforward, honest assessment of the opportunity and a clear plan of action. Feel free to get in touch to schedule yours.

Hope that helps!