Solved: Google Ads Landing Page Optimization Issues

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I've had a look at your situation with the Google Ads in Derby. It's a common problem to get stuck on, where you're tweaking the landing page endlessly but not seeing the conversions go up. Happy to give you some of my initial thoughts and guidance on this.

Honestly, the problem is almost never just the landing page itself. It's usually a symptom of a deeper issue that starts way before anyone even clicks your ad. I'll walk you through how I'd approach this to actually find the real reason you're not getting conversions and what to do about it.

You probably should stop focusing on the landing page for a moment...

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but the single biggest mistake people make is obsessing over landing page elements – button colours, headline fonts, image placement – when the real issue is the people arriving there. You can have the most beautifully designed, persuasive landing page in the world, but if you're sending the wrong people to it, it will never convert. It's like trying to sell premium steaks at a vegan festival. The venue isn't the problem; the audience is.

This is where most businesses go wrong. They define their customer by sterile demographics. For a local Derby business, that might be "homeowners aged 30-55". That tells you absolutely nothing useful. It leads to generic ads with messages like "Local Derby Electrician" or "Professional Plumbing Services". It's boring, it doesn't stand out, and it speaks to no one.

Instead, you need to define your customer by their nightmare. What is the specific, urgent, expensive, or career-threatening problem that keeps them awake at night? Your customer isn't just a job title or an age bracket; they are in a state of pain. For example:

• -> The 'nightmare' isn't "needing a plumber". It's "hearing a drip-drip-drip at 2 AM and picturing the ceiling collapsing onto the new sofa".
• -> The 'nightmare' isn't "wanting an accountant". It's "staring at a letter from HMRC and feeling a cold pit of dread in your stomach".
• -> The 'nightmare' isn't "looking for a roofer". It's "seeing a damp patch spread across the bedroom wall and worrying about the thousands of pounds in damage it's causing".

When you understand the *emotion* behind the search, you change how you approach everything. Your entire goal with your Google Ads is not to find "people in Derby who need a service", it's to find "people in Derby who are currently experiencing a specific nightmare" and prove you are the fastest, most reliable way to make that nightmare go away. This is the absolute foundation. If you get this wrong, nothing else you do with your landing page will matter.

So, the first step isn't to open your landing page editor. It's to take a step back and get brutally honest about the specific pain you solve. Who feels this pain most acutely? What words do they use to describe it when they're complaining to their friends? That's the language you need to use in your ads and on your page. Forget markerting speak. Speak their language.

We'll need to look at your Google Ads account structure first...

Once you're clear on the 'nightmare', the next place to look is your Google Ads account. This is where you control the quality of traffic you buy. Getting clicks is easy. Getting the *right* clicks is the entire game. Your landing page isn't converting because the people arriving there have a different expectation than what the page is offering. This is a classic intent mismatch.

This mismatch usually comes from your keyword selection. Many businesses bid on broad, high-volume keywords because they look attractive. For an electrician, a broad keyword might be "electrician derby". This seems logical, but think about the intent behind that search. It could be someone looking for a job, a student doing research, a competitor checking prices, or someone just idly browsing. Only a fraction of those searchers are homeowners with an urgent problem.

You need to pre-qualify your audience with keywords that signal high commercial intent. These are the people actively looking to hire someone *right now*. These keywords are often longer and more specific. For instance:

• -> Instead of "plumber derby", target "emergency plumber derby cost" or "leaking pipe repair near me".
• -> Instead of "accountant", target "small business tax return help derby".
• -> Instead of "roofing company", target "how much to fix a roof leak uk".

See the difference? The second set of keywords express a specific, urgent need. The person searching for "emergency plumber derby cost" is not just browsing. They have water damage happening as they type and they need help immediately. That is a pre-qualified, high-intent visitor. They are far more likely to convert than someone who just typed "plumber". You'll get fewer clicks, but the clicks you do get will be from people who actually need you. I remember one campaign we ran for an HVAC company in a really competitive area. Their CPL was sky-high because they were bidding on broad terms. We shifted their entire budget to long-tail, emergency-focused keywords like "boiler repair [town name] now". Their lead volume dropped slightly, but their cost per *qualified* lead fell by over 60% because every call was from someone with a genuine problem.

Your account should be structured into tight, thematic ad groups. Each ad group should contain a small cluster of very similar keywords, all pointing to ads that speak directly to that specific cluster, which then lead to a landing page that perfectly matches the promise of the ad. The entire journey, from thought to click to conversion, has to be perfectly aligned. Any break in that chain is where your conversions are leaking out.

I'd say you need a message they can't ignore...

Once your keywords are filtering for high-intent searchers, your ad copy has one job: to grab them by the collar and convince them that your link is the only one they need to click. Most ads are terrible because they are descriptive. They say *what* the business is. "Smith & Sons Plumbing". "Derby Web Design". So what? Every other ad says the same thing.

Your ad needs to be persuasive. It needs to sell the click. The best way to do this is with the 'Problem-Agitate-Solve' formula. It’s simple but incredibly effective.

1. Problem: State the nightmare you identified earlier, using their language. Hook them immediately by showing you understand their exact situation.
2. Agitate: Twist the knife a little. Remind them of the negative consequences of not solving this problem. What's the cost of inaction?
3. Solve: Present your service as the quick, easy, and reliable solution to their pain.

Let's look at some examples for a Derby-based business:

Standard, boring ad:
Headline: Emergency Electrician Derby
Description: Fast & Reliable Electrical Services. Call Us Today for a Free Quote. NAPIT Approved.

Problem-Agitate-Solve ad:
Headline: Power Out? Derby Electricians Here in 60 Mins
Description: Don't Get Left in The Dark. We Fix Faults Fast So Your Life Gets Back to Normal. Call Now.

The second ad is a world apart. It speaks directly to the problem ("Power Out?"). It agitates the frustration ("Don't Get Left in The Dark"). And it offers a clear, specific solution ("Here in 60 Mins", "Fix Faults Fast"). Which one do you think someone frantically searching on their phone in a dark house is going to click?

This same logic applies to your landing page headline. The headline must be a continuation of the ad's promise. If your ad promises "Fixed Today", the landing page headline had better reinforce that. Something like "Get Your Electrical Fault Fixed in Derby Today - Guaranteed" is far more powerful than a generic "Welcome to ABC Electrics". Remember the alignment: keyword intent -> ad promise -> landing page confirmation. It has to be a seamless experience.

You'll need to fix your offer, not just your page...

Now we get to what I suspect is the biggest reason for your low conversions. This is the most common point of failure I see in almost every ad account I audit. It’s not the button colour, it's the offer itself.

The vast majority of local business websites have the same, awful, high-friction Call to Action: "Contact Us". Sometimes it's dressed up as "Request a Quote" or "Get in Touch", but it's the same thing. It asks the prospect to do all the work. They have to fill out a form with their name, email, phone number, and a long description of their problem, then hit send and hope someone gets back to them eventually.

This is an incredibly arrogant ask. You are asking a busy, stressed person to stop what they're doing and fill out admin for you, with no immediate value in return. It’s no wonder conversion rates are low. People have no patience for this anymore.

Your offer’s only job is to provide undeniable value and make it as easy as possible for the prospect to take the next step. You must solve a small, real problem for them for free to earn the right to solve their whole problem. You have to lower the friction and increase the value.

For a local service business, here are some far better offers:

• -> "Call Now for an Instant Quote": For urgent needs, nothing beats a phone call. Your Google Ads should have a call extension enabled so people can call you directly from the search results. I've seen campaigns where 70%+ of the leads come from the call extension alone. If you can't always answer, get a callback widget for your site.
• -> A Free, Automated Diagnostic Tool: For a marketing agency, this could be a free SEO audit. For an IT company, a free 'Network Security Scan'. Can you create a simple checklist or calculator that helps them self-diagnose their problem? This positions you as an expert before you've even spoken.
• -> A "Fixed Price Diagnosis": For something complex like a car repair or boiler issue, the uncertainty of cost is a huge barrier. Offering a "We'll diagnose the problem for a fixed £50" is a much easier 'yes' for a customer than an open-ended "Request a Quote". It’s a low-risk first step.
• -> A Free 15-Minute Problem-Solving Call: Not a sales call. A genuine advice session. "Book a free 15-minute call and we'll tell you the 3 most likely causes of your roof leak". This builds immense trust.

In our experience with B2C services, making the first step easy is everything. For instance, one of our most successful campaigns was for a home cleaning company, where we achieved a cost of just £5 per lead. We've also worked with childcare services and managed to get signups for around $10 each. In both cases, a low-friction, high-value offer was crucial to getting such great results. Your offer needs to feel like a relief, not a chore.

And then, we can finally talk about the landing page...

Right, so let's assume you've done the hard work. You're targeting high-intent keywords, your ad copy makes a compelling promise, and your offer is genuinely valuable and low-friction. NOW we can talk about optimising the landing page to support all of that.

Your landing page has one goal: to get the visitor to accept your offer. That's it. It's not a brochure for your whole business. It's a focused sales pitch. Here are the non-negotiable elements it needs:

1. Message Match: As I said before, the headline must immediately confirm the promise of the ad they just clicked. If there's a disconnect, people will bounce instantly, assuming they're in the wrong place.

2. Focus on Benefits, Not Features: Nobody cares that your company was "established in 1998" or that you use "state-of-the-art equipment". They care about what's in it for them. Don't say "We have 20 years of experience". Say "With 20 years of experience, we've seen every problem imaginable - so we can fix yours faster". Always translate a feature into a direct benefit for the customer.

3. Build Trust Like Your Business Depends On It (Because It Does): People are naturally sceptical of advertising. Your landing page must quickly overcome this distrust, especially for a local business where reputation is everything. This is where you need overwhelming social proof:

• -> Real Reviews: Not just star ratings. Show full testimonials from real people in Derby. Include their name and maybe a picture if possible. Google Reviews, Trustpilot, Checkatrade – use them.
• -> Case Studies: A simple 'before and after' story can be incredibly powerful. "Here's the faulty wiring we found at a home in Allestree... and here's the safe, certified installation we left them with."
• -> Trust Badges: Are you NAPIT approved? Gas Safe registered? A member of the Federation of Master Builders? Put those logos front and centre. They are shortcuts to credibility.
• -> A Local Address & Phone Number: Prove you are a real, local business, not some national call centre. A Derby address and an 01332 number builds instant local trust.

4. A Clear, Unmistakable Call to Action: Your valuable, low-friction offer should be the most prominent thing on the page. Use a contrasting colour for the button. Use action-oriented text like "Get My Instant Quote Now" or "Book My Free Consultation" instead of a passive "Submit". And remove all other distractions. Get rid of links to your 'About Us' page, your blog, your social media. On a landing page, there should only be one path forward: converting.

Looking at a site, one of the first things I notice is how trustworthy it feels. A cluttered design, poor quality images, and a lack of clear contact information or reviews instantly make me feel uncomfortable. You wouldn't buy from a shop with a dirty window and a broken sign, and the same applies online. Your website is your digital storefront, and it needs to inspire confidence.

I'd say you should understand your numbers to scale...

Finally, let's talk about the numbers. The only way to know if your advertising is truly working is to understand how much a customer is worth to you. Many small business owners get scared when they see a £40 or £50 cost per lead. But is that expensive? It's impossible to know without understanding the lifetime value (LTV) of a customer.

The question isn't "How low can my Cost Per Lead go?" The real question is "How high a Cost Per Lead can I *afford* to acquire a great customer?" The answer is in the LTV.

For a service business, the calculation is a bit different than for a software company, but the principle is the same. You need three numbers:

1. Average Revenue Per Customer (ARPC): What is the average value of a single job? But don't stop there. How many customers become repeat customers? If one in four customers calls you again within a year for another job, you need to factor that in.
2. Gross Margin %: What is your profit margin on that revenue after materials and direct labour?
3. Customer Lifetime: How long does a customer typically stay with you? For many trades, this might be several years.

Let's run a simple example for a local electrician:

• Average Job Value: £300
• Repeat Jobs Per Year: 0.25 (meaning 1 in 4 customers call back for another job within a year)
• Gross Margin: 50%
• Average Customer Relationship: 3 years

LTV = (Avg Job Value * (1 + Repeat Jobs Per Year)) * Gross Margin * Customer Lifetime
LTV = (£300 * 1.25) * 0.50 * 3
LTV = £375 * 0.50 * 3
LTV = £562.50

So, in this example, each new customer you acquire is worth over £560 in gross margin to your business over three years. Now, let's say you close one in every five qualified leads your ads generate (a 20% close rate). That means you can afford to pay up to £112.50 per lead (£562.50 / 5) and still break even on that customer immediately. A healthy business model would aim to acquire a customer for a third of their LTV, which means you could happily pay around £37 per lead (£112.50 / 3). Suddenly, that £40 or £50 cost per lead doesn't seem so bad, does it? It looks like a profitable investment.

This is the maths that allows you to scale confidently. When you know your numbers, you stop making decisions based on fear ("my ad costs are too high!") and start making them based on data ("I can invest up to £X to acquire a customer and generate Y in profit").

So, what's the plan?

To wrap this all up, your landing page isn't an island. It's the final step in a chain that begins with a person's problem in Derby. If you want more conversions, you have to fix the entire chain, not just polish the last link.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

As you can see, getting this right involves more than just a few tweaks. It requires a strategic approach that aligns every part of your customer acquisition process. It can be a lot to handle when you're also busy running your business, which is where getting some expert help can make a huge difference.

We do this all day, every day. We could quickly analyse your accounts, identify the real bottlenecks, and implement a proven strategy to start generating high-quality leads for you in Derby. If you'd like, we can offer you a completely free, no-obligation strategy session where we can go through your campaigns together and give you a clear plan of action.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh