A lean local budget, cost per lead down to $42.
A local sod and landscaping supplier runs a modest monthly Google Ads budget. With tight campaign structure and disciplined optimization, we drove their cost per lead down sharply month over month — proof that a smaller budget can still compete.
The challenge
Not every business has a five-figure ad budget — and small local businesses often assume PPC isn’t for them. Our client, a local sod and landscaping supplier, runs a modest monthly budget and needs every dollar to bring in real, local leads. The goal was simple: more calls and form fills at a cost per lead that actually makes sense for a small business.
What we did
- Lean, high-intent structure — focused the budget on the local searches closest to a purchase, not broad awareness.
- Match-type discipline — tightened high-impression, low-CTR keywords to stop paying for the wrong clicks.
- Negative keywords — filtered out irrelevant and competitor traffic that wastes a small budget fast.
- Seasonal adjustments — leaned into demand during the warm-weather buying season.
The results
In a single month, cost per lead dropped from roughly $168 to $42 — about a 75% improvement — while conversions climbed from 2 to 11, all on a budget of about $465. It’s a clear example that small business PPC can work when the account is structured and managed with discipline rather than left on autopilot.
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