The KPIs that matter most are quality search traffic from relevant queries, conversions from calls and form submissions, and ROAS that your firm confirms offline. Use CTR to check ad copy relevance and watch time on site in analytics to validate landing page engagement.
1) Quality search traffic
Clicks only help if they come from the right queries. Open the Search terms report, look at terms that received clicks, and send any low quality ones to negative keywords. Push budget into exact and phrase matches that describe your services plus city or county. Keep a short monthly note on which negatives you added and which ad groups produced the best queries.
2) Conversions
For surveyors, the conversions that matter are calls and form submissions. If you do not use dynamic call numbers, track phone link clicks on your website plus form submissions as your primary conversion events. Keep forms short and above the fold. Segment conversions by campaign or ad group so you can move budget toward services that generate real inquiries.
3) ROAS confirmed by the firm
Google Ads cannot see what happens after a prospect contacts you. Build a monthly ROAS sheet that you update at month end. Keep it simple:
- Columns: Month, Ad spend, Phone link clicks, Form submissions, Total ad conversions, Closed jobs from ads, Revenue from ads, ROAS
- Formula: ROAS = Revenue from ads ÷ Ad spend
Have your front desk or PMs mark closed jobs that originated from ad driven contacts. A quick note in your intake log is enough to reconcile revenue without UTMs or CRM tagging.
4) CTR as a diagnostic, with realistic benchmarks
CTR confirms that your ad copy matches the keywords in each ad group. Improve CTR by mirroring the search term in the headline and by using sitelinks and callouts. Set expectations correctly. A practical benchmark for surveyors is 4 to 6% CTR on Search. Expect a plateau once copy and match types are aligned rather than a steady climb forever.
5) Conversion rate expectations
Across services, a reasonable working range for surveyors is 3 to 6% conversion rate from Google Ads traffic. Project complexity, market size, and landing page quality all affect results. Use this band for planning and measure improvement against your own baseline rather than generic industry claims.
6) Improve time on site to lift conversions
Time on site is tracked in analytics and is a useful proxy for landing page quality. To increase engagement and leads:
- Optimize copywriting so the H1 and first paragraph match the query and state who the service is for
- Add multiple CTA buttons in the first screen and near sections with proof or pricing guidance
- Place a simple form above the fold with minimal entries
- Add testimonials that reference the service and city
- Highlight experience info such as certifications or licenses
- Show deliverables and a short timeline so buyers know what they receive and when
When engagement rises, conversion rate usually improves without changing bids.
7) Simple monthly workflow
Replace complex dashboards with a routine your team can keep.
- Pull ad spend, clicks, and conversions from Google Ads
- Export phone link clicks and form submissions from analytics if needed
- Review the Search terms report and add negatives for any poor queries with clicks
- Reconcile closed jobs and revenue that came from ad sourced leads
- Update your monthly ROAS sheet and shift budget toward the best performing service ad groups
Bottom line
Judge success by who clicked, who contacted you, and what revenue closed. Track quality search traffic through your Search terms and negatives, measure conversions using phone link clicks and form submissions, and confirm ROAS monthly with your team. Use CTR in the 4 to 6% range as a relevance check and use time on site to validate landing page quality. With these habits in place, your surveyor ads will spend less on noise and produce more booked work.