In the last post, we covered how to set up conversions so you can measure leads, not just clicks. Now it’s time to tackle one of the most important parts of any Google Ads campaign: keyword research and creating ad groups. This is where you decide which search terms will trigger your ads—and how you organize them for the best results.
Why Keyword Research Matters
Keywords are the bridge between what your customers type into Google and when your ad shows up. If you get this step right, you’ll attract people who are actively looking for movers in your area. If you get it wrong, you’ll waste money on irrelevant clicks from people searching for jobs, DIY moving tips, or truck rentals.
For moving companies, every lead counts, so we want to be very deliberate about which keywords we target.
Tools for Keyword Research
The best place to start is Google’s free Keyword Planner (built into Google Ads). Simply type in seed terms like “movers near me” or “moving companies in Charlotte,” and it will show you related search terms, average monthly volume, and competition levels.
Other tools you can use:
- Ubersuggest (budget-friendly, simple to use)
- SEMrush or Ahrefs (great for more advanced campaigns, especially if you want to see competitor keywords)
But even without these tools, Google’s Keyword Planner is enough to build a strong campaign.
Organizing Keywords Into Ad Groups
Ad groups let you cluster similar keywords together so you can write tailored ads. Think of each ad group as a “theme.”
For a moving company, here’s a simple structure:
- Ad Group 1: Local Movers
- movers near me
- moving companies in [city]
- professional movers in [city]
- Ad Group 2: Long-Distance Movers
- long distance moving companies
- cross country movers
- state-to-state moving services
- Ad Group 3: Apartment Movers
- apartment movers [city]
- small move movers
- movers for one bedroom apartment
By keeping these separate, you can write ad copy that directly matches what the customer is searching for. Someone typing “apartment movers” will see an ad that speaks specifically to apartment moves, not just generic moving services.
Match Types: Exact, Phrase, and Broad
Google Ads lets you control how closely a search needs to match your keyword to trigger your ad.
- Exact Match: [movers near me] → only shows ads for searches very close to that phrase.
- Phrase Match: “movers near me” → allows for slight variations (e.g., “best movers near me”).
- Broad Match: movers near me → very wide net, often too broad for small businesses.
For movers, Phrase Match is usually the best starting point—it gives you flexibility without wasting budget. Sprinkle in some Exact Match for your highest-value keywords. Avoid pure Broad Match unless you have a huge budget.
Negative Keywords: Protect Your Budget
Just as important as choosing the right keywords is filtering out the wrong ones. That’s where negative keywords come in.
Examples of negatives for movers:
- jobs
- careers
- cheap
- free
- DIY
- truck rental
Adding these tells Google not to show your ads for irrelevant searches. Over time, you’ll add more negatives by checking your Search Terms Report to see what people actually typed before clicking your ad.
Putting It All Together
When you’re done, you’ll have a campaign with:
- Multiple ad groups organized by theme
- A mix of phrase and exact match keywords
- Negative keywords to block waste
This foundation ensures your ads are reaching people who are ready to hire movers instead of draining your budget on clicks that will never convert.
In the next section of this series, we’ll cover writing ads that actually get clicks—because good keywords need strong ad copy to close the gap between searcher and customer.
Leave a Reply