Frequently Asked Contractor Marketing Questions | Footbridge Media

General Questions

Do I own the website?

Of course. Footbridge Media has no interest in leasing you a website or keeping it to ourselves. We offer a 90 Day money back guarantee if you are not happy with our service. If anytime down the road you would like to cancel, we simply provide all of your site files to you.

Do you have any contracts?

No. We do not require any contracts to our programs or services. You can cancel at anytime. We believe that any marketing company that requires a contract does not believe in their services.

What industries do you service?

Footbridge Media focuses primarily on home services and construction industries. For more information, please visit our Who We Help page.

Do you work with existing websites?

The main objective of our core contractor marketing program is to develop the site and get it to the point where it will generate leads through organic optimization. Even if you like the look of your website, we will have to build the site from the ground up. The cost of the website is part of the core contractor marketing program.

Do I need to write content for my new website?

We have a full-time content development team, which will take care of all the writing for the website, but welcome any client-provided content as well.

How long does it take to build my new website?

Once your layout design is approved, the site should go live within 3-5 weeks, depending on the number of projects we are currently working on. We take care of all the site's content. On launch, most of our sites start with about 20-30 pages.

Will my new website be mobile-friendly?

We build websites that look good and function on all screen sizes. The number of users viewing the web on their mobile phones is growing daily, and all of our websites are designed with this in mind. Our websites are built on a flexible framework that flows with the wide variety of devices used in today's ever-changing marketplace.

What is included in the "Contractor Marketing Program"?

Our Contractor Marketing Program is core of what makes our sites perform. We focus on increasing your organic SEO through a variety of services to help your site thrive over time. To see all of the services that we provide with the program, visit our Contractor Marketing Program page.

I don't have a lot of my own pictures. Is that okay?

Though we prefer to use your own project photos, we will use stock photography where necessary. Over time, as you complete more projects and have more of your own photos, we can replace the stock imagery.

Do you have any samples of websites you've done before that I can see?

You can view detailed reporting on some of our success stories on our Case Studies page. To view all of our current client sites, feel free to check out our Contractor Directory.

What do I need to have to start the Contractor Marketing program?

In order to get started all you really need is your company's name, address, phone number, a list of the towns you service, and a list of services you provide.

What's the next step after I sign up for the Contractor Marketing Program?

When you sign up for our core contractor marketing program you will receive an information packet that will ask you a bunch of questions about your business, which will be used to help us figure out the proper approaches to ensure your success. One of our onboarding managers will contact you and walk you through this part of the process.

Google Ads Questions

What budget do I need to have to start Google Ads?

The current minimum monthly budget Footbridge Media works with is $775/month. However, this does not necessarily mean it is optimal for your needs. The efficiency of your budget is determined by the amount of competition, the consumer need for services in the location your Google Ads campaign will target, and the schedule your ads will run on. For example, a minimum budget in Atlanta, GA for roofing services will not be sufficient and your Google Ads campaign may not run at its optimal capacity. The best course of action would be to discuss the budget outlook with your Google Ads PPC manager or marketing consultant.

How does Google bill me?

Google's billing thresholds are solely within Google's control. When you set your budget, it is not charged outright. A balance is accrued per click and when that total balance hits a certain threshold, Google will make the attempt to charge the card on file. This threshold is never exact and usually comes in the following amounts: $50, $350, or $500. If no threshold is hit in each month, they will attempt to collect what has been accrued at the end of each month.

I see a different phone number in my ads. What is this phone number?

This is standard practice in Google Ads PPC management. This is a tracking number that forward calls directly to your business line. There is no in between interception to the call. The call will bounce from this tracking number right to your business. This is necessary for our systems to determine which calls are coming from your Google Ads and not from your organic leads or other sources. This information helps your Google Ads manager determine what keywords and methods are working for you which will help optimize the performance of your campaign over time.

Why can't I see my Google Ads when I search for them?

This is normal. Google themselves have also addressed this. Your ads will not show for every single search because of multiple factors. Two primary factors are: Google is optimizing your showing times for what their algorithm determines will be the most efficient times to show your ads to get the best outcome (a lead). Additionally, Google's auction has many competitors and there are only so many spots an ad can show in for a search. The available budget for each competitor will be a factor in how often Google will show your ad for a given search at a given time of day. Typically, a campaign running with more budget has more opportunities to have their ad shown for more keyword searches.

Why are clicks more expensive now than they were years ago?

Digital marketing is an ever-evolving marketing strategy. Due to this, every year there are more competitors. When more competitors are brought into the market then this increases the cost competition. Existing competitors will up their bids on keywords to get more clicks and more conversions, and new competition will have to compete with these prices. This competition creates a higher "baseline" cost than previous years when there was less competition and thus the price per click was cheaper.

How long does it take to get my first lead?

Because Google Ads is a pay-per-click program and requires no pre-run time, it is possible you can get your first lead on the same day your Google Ads manager informs you the ads are up and running. The likelihood of getting leads increases the longer and more mature your campaign becomes.

Will my competition click my ads and eat my budget?

This is a common concern that Google handles very well. The short answer is: it rarely happens. Most competing business are too focused on their own marketing to worry about sitting around and clicking ads. Even so, the most damage they can do is only one click. Google protects its advertisers very well (which is also why they are so successful) and will not charge if someone is continuously clicking ads. Their algorithm will flag this as fraudulent activity and in cases of this the Google billing summary will reflect this as a refresh for "invalid clicks". We do not recommend paying a "click protection" company as the cost almost never balances out to be worth the money.

Why should I not run my ads 24/7?

Footbridge Media aims to utilize the available budget as efficiently as possible. The truth of the matter is that not many consumers are looking for the average contractor's services at 2:00AM. Additionally, due to Google's algorithm they will show your ads less often than they could throughout the day to stretch the budget in a manner that allows your ads to run for the entire 24/7 timeframe that has been chosen. This could take away from valuable run time at, say, 1:00PM.

What keywords do you use?

Footbridge Media has been running and managing Google Ads campaigns for many years for many contractor industries. This tenure has given us troves of historical data unmatched by other agencies. When you sign up for Google Ads with Footbridge Media, your campaign will be started with thousands of useful negative keywords and the most accurate standard keywords for your campaign. We continue to monitor and pull additional, long-tail keywords as your campaigns runs for multiple sources including your website's organic search results. There is no exact, exhaustive list of keywords we use – it is constantly evolving and tailored to your campaign.

What types of ads do you run?

Currently, Footbridge Media runs primarily Search campaigns, but we also run Display campaigns (especially in cases of remarketing). A display campaign is not the same as a YouTube campaign. We do not run video campaigns.

What landing pages do you use?

As Google's algorithms for PPC shifts towards reliance on website content rather than webpage content (for Google's page experience algorithm), we are not focusing on using your entire website to send users to the most relevant web page. This not only increases the potential information the consumer is subject to, but also increases the Google Ads landing page experience equality score component which drives a lower cost-per-click.

Do I pay for each phone call/lead?

You do not pay per lead. The Google Ads platform is a pay-per-click program (PPC). You will pay for each click on your ad. In many instances, this is cheaper than a pay-per-lead program depending on the level competition.

Can you target cities, zip codes, counties, etc.?

Yes. The online info packet you fill out upon signing up for the program will ask you which locations you would like to target. You can be as granular as zip codes or as wide as counties. We recommend you target locations that match your budget, but also have a decent enough population to be shown ads. For example, targeting a large city such as New York City with a minimum budget most likely will not provide much return due to the high cost and amount of consumers. However, targeting small locations within New York City with a decent budget (such as zip codes with a higher-than-minimum budget) will produce better results.

Will I be #1 on Google Ads?

The short answer is: sometimes. The #1 spot in the Google Ads auction is, by majority, very expensive and competitive. We have the tools necessary to target the number one spot in the Google Ads auction for you, but the budget it requires in many locations is increasingly high. With standard budgets, you can expect to hit the top 3 spots very often, and the #1 spot a percentage of that time. Footbridge Media only bids for the first page of Google – we do not make attempts to run ads on pages such as page two, three, or further down.

When does my ad show?

When you sign up for the program, the online info packet will ask for timeframes and days of the week you'd like your ads to target; however, it does not mean they will be in the Google Ads auction for every single relevant search at every moment of that timeframe. Google will use its algorithms to determine when they should show your ad for the best performance in the timeframe chosen to best utilize the available budget.

Where will my ad show?

For Search ads (the standard ads run by Footbridge Media), your ad will show on Google search results next above or below (depending on the ad's position in auction) organic results. For display campaigns, they can show on any one of Google's millions of partner websites that are relevant to your consumers.

Can I use a prepaid credit card for my Google Ads budget?

No. Google Ads does not accept prepaid cards. Only valid credit cards and ACH payments are accepted by Google. We recommend using a credit card for the fastest and most efficient payment processing with Google.

Can I use a prepaid credit card for my Google Ads budget?

New campaigns are reviewed more frequently than a mature, long-running running campaign to ensure the best running start. All campaigns are reviewed, at minimum, bi-weekly. This is to ensure your Google Ads manager has enough data to make accurate marginal forecasts and adjustments to your campaign to increase its performance. If data is viewed too frequently, say daily, then this has a negative side effect of making short-sighted judgement calls and would affect your campaign's performance negatively.

Do you work with existing Google Ads accounts?

We do not work with existing Google Ads accounts. However, we are more than happy to review any existing Google Ads account if you have access to one. We will correlate the data in the existing ads account with your new Footbridge Media Google Ads account.

Facebook Ads Questions

How many leads will I get?

There is no way to know for sure how many leads you will get from a Facebook ad. Performance varies by location, target audience, budget, and more.

How much do I need to spend?

In general, a $500 ad budget is a good place to start. Some areas may be more competitive than others.

How involved do I need to be?

You can be as involved as you want to in the ad creation process and throughout its running. However, upon signing up, your involvement will be more extensive due to the need to get your marketing consultant access to all the needed accounts.

What do I need to get started?

You will need a business Facebook page, a Business Manager account, and an Ads Manager account. Once they are all created, your marketing consultant will need access to each.

Where will Facebook ads display?

Your Facebook ads will display throughout Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. Placements include feeds, stories, in-stream videos, search, messages, and more.

Social Media Marketing Questions

How many posts do I get?

Your marketing consultant will post to your business Facebook page 3 times a week.

How involved do I need to be?

You can be as involved as you would like. Sending original content such as photos to your marketing consultant to use in their posts is highly recommended.

Do you reply to Facebook messages?

We do not reply to comments or messages. We leave that responsibility to the business, as they're better equipt to deal with individual messages such as service questions, complaints, etc.

Where do you get your content?

Content for Facebook posts will be pulled from your website, stock photos, blogs and articles, and content that you send in. It is highly recommended to send in as much original content as possible to keep the page authentic.

Email Marketing Questions

Do I need to have my own email list?

Yes - we do not provide email address lists, nor do we accept purchased email lists. The best recipients of your email marketing efforts are customers that you have already worked with in the past or prospective clients that have already started to reach out to you. You are required to have marketing consent for your email list.

What type of content is added to the newsletters?

Our email newsletters include content that any average home or property owner should find interesting. The content will also include something that is more about a topic that is specific to your target industry. While sales and promotional content is important, your newsletter is not at 100% sales pitch. More engaging and entertaining content will keep your email open rate higher.

Why should I have an email newsletter for my customers?

Our email newsletters include content that any average home or property owner should find interesting. The content will also include something that is more about a topic that is specific to your target industry. While sales and promotional content is important, your newsletter is not at 100% sales pitch. More engaging and entertaining content will keep your email open rate higher.

Why should I use a service like this instead of doing it myself?

Other vendors, like Constant Contact or MailChimp, require that you develop your own content. Our managed email marketing service includes content development, which makes monthly top-of-mind awareness marketing much easier. You definitely shouldn't be manually running email newsletter campaigns from your own email accounts without the appropriate software - you risk CAN-SPAM compliance issues as well as the shut down of your email services from your email provider.

What about "spams" and "unsubscribes" - do I need to worry about those things?

No - our email platform automatically takes care of industry required spam and unsubscribe tracking. The included email list management services means you don't have to worry about accidentally re-subscribing someone who previously opted out or marked your message as spam. That means you get into front of the best potential customers possible.

Where can I see information about who opened my email newsletters?

Once you are signed up for our email marketing service, we can provide you access to log-in and review your previous campaign history.

How do I send you updates for my email list?

You have options! We can provide you with a specific form so that you can input new newsletter subscribers one at a time, which is popular for clients with office managers that can process that information on a daily or weekly basis. We can also accept common spreadsheet file formats (like .csv or .xls) for adding multiple subscribers at one time.

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