In our last blog post, we walked through a step-by-step guide to setting up your very first Google Ads campaign from scratch. That article gave you the big picture so you could follow along and get an ad live. But there’s a lot of nuance in each step — and that’s where this series comes in. Over the next several weeks, we’ll break down each part of the process in detail, starting with one of the most important decisions you’ll make right at the beginning: choosing your campaign goals.
Why Campaign Goals Matter
Think of campaign goals as telling Google what kind of results you care about most. If you tell it you want “Website Traffic,” Google will focus on sending as many people to your site as possible. That might sound good at first, but if most of those visitors click away without calling or filling out a quote request, it’s money down the drain.
For moving companies, traffic doesn’t pay the bills — booked jobs do. That’s why choosing the right goal is critical.
The Best Goal for Moving Companies: Leads
When you see the options, you’ll notice things like “Sales,” “Website Traffic,” “Product and Brand Consideration,” and “Leads.”
For a moving company, the clear choice is Leads. This tells Google you want people to take real action — call your business, fill out a contact form, or request a quote. Instead of optimizing for clicks, your ads will be optimized for conversions that actually drive revenue.
Think of it this way:
- A click is just curiosity.
- A lead is someone who might put money on your schedule.
Picking the Right Campaign Type
Once you’ve chosen “Leads,” Google will ask you what campaign type you want. You’ll see options like:
- Search
- Display
- Video
- Shopping
- Performance Max
Here’s the breakdown for movers:
Search Ads – These are the text ads that appear at the top of Google search results when someone types in “movers near me” or “Charlotte moving company.” This is where you want to be. People searching these terms are ready to book, not just browsing.
Display Ads – These are the banner ads that follow people around the internet. They’re great for remarketing later, but not ideal when you’re just starting.
Video Ads – Mostly used on YouTube. Can be effective for branding, but it’s a more advanced play.
Shopping Ads – These are for e-commerce. Not relevant for movers.
Performance Max – A newer option that spreads your ads across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and more. Powerful, but it can burn through your budget quickly if you’re not careful.
Why Search Ads Win for Movers
Search Ads are king because they connect you directly with people who are already looking for moving services in your area. Unlike social media ads where you’re interrupting someone’s scroll, search ads capture high-intent users. If someone types “Wilmington moving company,” they’re probably ready to call right now.
That’s why we recommend starting with Search Ads first, then layering in Display or Video once you’ve mastered the basics and have extra budget to test.
Pro Tip: Avoid “Smart Campaigns”
When you first set up Google Ads, you might notice Google pushing you toward something called “Smart Campaigns.” These are simplified campaigns where Google takes control of nearly everything — keywords, bidding, and placements.
The problem? They usually waste money. You’ll end up paying for clicks from people looking for U-Haul rentals, moving jobs, or even completely unrelated services. Stick with the full “Search Campaign” option so you can control your targeting.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right campaign goal sets the direction for your entire Google Ads strategy. For movers, the best path is clear: pick Leads as your goal and Search Ads as your campaign type. From there, you can build tightly targeted campaigns that focus on the only thing that really matters — getting more booked jobs on your calendar.
If all of this feels like a lot to figure out, that’s where we come in. At Triple L Marketing, we specialize in helping moving companies set up campaigns that actually convert. Instead of wasting money on clicks, we’ll help you bring in calls and quote requests from people ready to move. Click here to book a consultation.
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