Many service businesses struggle to reach new customers effectively. Competition is high, ad prices are rising, and it can feel like everyone offers the same thing. This applies to both small and large businesses - from plumbers and electricians to hairdressers, consultants and accounting firms.
A service business differs from a shop in that it sells knowledge, time or skills - not goods you can take home. That's precisely why marketing becomes extra important. When many deliver similar services, it's about being visible in the right channels and giving potential customers the confidence to choose you.
The solution is not to be everywhere, but to use the right channels in the right way. Combine targeted advertising, search visibility, good customer reviews and proper use of analytics tools. Then you build marketing that doesn't just give clicks, but real inquiries from customers who need your services.
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For service businesses, Google Ads is often the fastest route to new customers. What makes the platform effective is that you can reach people exactly when they're considering purchasing a service. But now Google has made several changes that mean you should use campaign types more deliberately than before.
Use the right campaign type to generate more inquiries
Search – Reach people when the need is urgent
Search ads work best when people are actively looking for something. For a dentist, it might be searches like "emergency dentist Oslo". For a lawyer, it could be "will advice". Here it's important to distinguish between brand search (those who already know your name) and non-brand search (those who are just looking for the service). With the right structure, you gain control over budget, and you can see exactly which searches generate inquiries.
Use exact and phrase match keywords for important services
Have separate campaigns for brand search and non-brand search
Measure conversions like forms, phone calls or meeting bookings
Performance Max – Broad coverage with control
Performance Max shows ads across all Google surfaces: search, maps, Gmail, YouTube, Discover and display. For a consulting firm, this can mean more inquiries from customers you otherwise wouldn't have reached. The challenge is that you give a lot of power to Google's systems. Therefore, you need to add controls:
Set clear goals that actually matter (inquiries, meeting bookings, contracts)
Use negative keywords to avoid irrelevant clicks
Exclude URLs you don't want to send traffic to (e.g., career pages)
Upload customer lists and create audiences based on previous visits
For many businesses, P-Max is a good way to ensure volume, but it must be balanced against more precise search campaigns.
Demand Gen – Build interest early
Demand Gen is Google's new campaign type that shows visual content in YouTube, Discover and Gmail. The goal is to reach people before they search themselves. For example, an accountant can use a short video explaining "5 common mistakes small businesses make with accounting" and then invite them to a free consultation.
Use short videos (15-30 sec) with problem and solution
Have a clear call-to-action – e.g., "Book free review"
Retarget those who have watched the video or visited the website
How to succeed with Google Ads in 2025
Have separate campaigns for brand search, non-brand search and P-Max
Measure the entire customer journey – from ad click to actual contract
Use Consent Mode v2 for correct measurement of leads in Europe
Combine Search (those searching now), P-Max (broad coverage) and Demand Gen (create interest) to get a steady stream of new inquiries
Google Ads can deliver quick results, but you get the best effect when you simultaneously build long-term visibility in search. See how to succeed in the SEO section.
With the right setup, Google Ads gives you not just more clicks, but real inquiries from potential customers who actually need the services you offer. Want to learn more? Find out more about Google Ads here.
LinkedIn: Organic and Paid Visibility
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional platform, and for many service businesses, this is where new customers are actually found. Here you find managers, purchasers and professionals who make decisions about who they should work with. That's why LinkedIn is one of the most important channels for consultants, advisors, accounting firms, plumbers offering business contracts and others selling services to businesses.
Build trust with professional content and targeted campaigns
Organic – Share knowledge and build relationships
LinkedIn rewards content that is useful and professional. An accounting firm can share a simple guide to year-end closing deadlines, while an electrician can post tips on how businesses can save electricity in the office. Such posts demonstrate competence and build trust over time.
Publish 1-2 times a week with short, useful tips
Let employees be visible – posts from people reach further than from company profile
Vary format: Text, PDF carousel, short videos or simple graphics
End with questions that invite comments
Paid – Targeted campaigns
With LinkedIn Ads you can reach very specific target groups. If you want to reach finance managers in small businesses or project managers in the construction industry, this is the channel. You can offer free guides, webinars or a simple checklist – and collect qualified leads directly in LinkedIn.
Lead Gen Forms: Forms that are filled out without leaving LinkedIn
Retargeting: Reach people who have visited your website or engaged with your posts
Thought Leader Ads: Highlight posts from employees to increase credibility and reach
Combine organic and paid
You get the greatest effect when you combine organic content that builds relationships with paid campaigns that provide broad coverage. Then you ensure that the right people both see your competence and get a concrete opportunity to get in touch.
Most customers start their buying journey with a search on Google. A person who needs help might type "electrician Oslo emergency", "best accounting firm for small businesses" or "lawyer will". If your business doesn't appear here, the inquiry goes to the competitor. That's why search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most important investments for service businesses.
Be visible when customers search – and win more assignments
Why SEO is crucial
SEO is not about tricking your way to a place in Google, but about being the most relevant source when someone searches. The difference between paid ads and SEO is that ads stop as soon as you stop paying, while a good SEO strategy gives you a stable supply of traffic over time. In addition, organic results are perceived as more credible than ads.
How to succeed with SEO in 2025
Build good service pages: Create a separate page for each service and each area. A plumber can have pages like "Plumber Oslo", "Plumber Bergen" and "Heat pump installation".
Create content that answers questions: Many search for specific problems. Answer questions like "What does an electrician cost per hour?" or "How do I avoid residual tax?".
E-E-A-T: Google emphasizes experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness. Add author profiles, professional certifications and real customer examples.
Structured data: Use schema for services, reviews and FAQ. This increases the chance of the website getting extended results in search.
Technical quality: The site should be fast, secure and easy to use on mobile. This affects both ranking and user experience.
Local search: For tradespeople, hairdressers and advisors, local searches are crucial. Use place names actively and ensure Google Business Profile is updated.
SEO vs paid search
Many wonder whether they should use Google Ads or invest in SEO. The truth is that they work best together. The table below shows the difference:
Google Ads
SEO (organic search)
Delivers results quickly – you can be visible tomorrow
Builds up over time, but provides lasting traffic
You pay for each click
No click cost, but requires work and content
Well suited for campaigns and urgent needs
Perfect for building long-term visibility and trust
Full control over message and target group
Depends on Google's assessment of relevance and quality
Practical examples
An accounting firm can write an article like "5 tips for small businesses before year-end closing". This provides visibility on searches like "tips year-end closing accounting". An electrician can create a guide about "why the fuse blows" that reaches both private individuals and businesses. Such articles build both traffic and trust – and naturally lead on to the service pages.
Much of the foundation in SEO also applies to AI-based search results. The difference is that answers must be presented even more clearly. Read more about this in the AEO section.
AI-powered search results like Google's "AI Overviews" and answers in Copilot/Perplexity mean that more people get summarized answers directly in search. Google still recommends following standard SEO principles and structured data to be understood and considered as a source in these experiences.
Make content citable in AI answers for increased visibility
What does AEO mean in practice?
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about structuring your content so that answer engines can easily extract short, precise and correct answers – and show your website as the source. This builds on the same principles as "people-first content" and E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority, trustworthiness).
Concrete measures that increase the chance of being cited in AI answers
Start with the answer: Begin the page/section with a short, clear answer to one specific question (e.g., "What does a plumber cost in Oslo?"), and then elaborate with details, caveats and examples. This matches how AI overviews extract "snippets" first.
Use Q&A and FAQ patterns where appropriate: Create separate sections with questions and answers. Mark FAQs with valid FAQPage structured data; use QAPage only where multiple answers can actually be submitted by users. This makes content more machine-readable and increases the chance of extended results.
Be specific and verifiable: Provide numbers, ranges and conditions (price from-to, response time, coverage areas) and refer to sources when referencing rules/standards. AI services favor answers with clear facts and source basis.
Build E-E-A-T visibly on the page: Author box with role/experience, contact info, updated date, customer references/cases and "About us" signals. This helps systems assess credibility.
Use tables and bullet lists for "divisible" answers: Price setups, step-by-step processes, checklists and comparisons are easy to cite by AI and provide quick value to the reader.
Stay technically tidy: Ensure crawlability, logical heading structure (H2/H3), unique titles, canonical URLs, sitemap and fast mobile load time. If you also work with accessibility like text-to-speech, you can strengthen usability and SEO – read more in our guide to text-to-speech and universal design.
Be fresh: Update important pages regularly with date and changelog. AI overviews often prioritize fresh, reliable information – especially on price, regulations and "how to".
Prepare for zero-click: More searches end without a click when the answer is given in search. Counter this with "next step" in the text (calculator, free checklist, simple price calc, booking link) that makes the click valuable.
How to be selected as a source in Copilot and Perplexity
Answer with source value: Publish pages that provide "citable" facts (numbers, definitions, steps), preferably with small references to public sources/rules when relevant. Both Copilot and Perplexity show visible source references in the answer.
Create "question pages": Pages that explicitly answer one clear question ("What is a fixed price for an electrician?") increase the chance of being selected as a reference in the answer.
Original content wins: Own guides, local expertise and unique data (e.g., your own response times or price ranges in your area) are more attractive sources than generic text.
Monitor and improve
Look for AI citations: Search for typical questions you want to own and see which sources are cited in the AI fields. Update your content if competitors provide clearer, more specific answers.
Quality over quantity: AI overviews can sometimes show inaccuracies. The more precise and verifiable content you have, the greater the chance of being selected – and of the user clicking through to you.
YouTube is the world's second largest search engine and the most used video platform. For service businesses, this means a unique opportunity to explain services in a simple way and reach customers when they watch content relevant to their needs. In 2025, YouTube is particularly interesting because short videos and targeted campaigns make it easier to reach the right audience without large production costs.
Explain your service with short, targeted videos
Why YouTube suits service businesses
Many services can be difficult to explain in a short ad text. With video, you can show how you work, what problems you solve and why customers should choose you. A plumber can for example show how they handle a water leak, while an accounting firm can explain the benefits of fixed pricing for small business accounting.
Formats you should use
Shorts ads: Vertical videos of 15-30 seconds that reach users in the feed.
Bumper ads: Short clips of 6 seconds suitable for building recognition.
In-stream ads: Longer videos of 30-60 seconds that can explain a service in more detail.
Demand Gen: Combine video with visual ads in YouTube, Discover and Gmail to create interest earlier in the customer journey.
How to get the best effect
Create a simple creative package: one short clip (6 sec), one medium (15-30 sec) and one longer (60-90 sec).
Use real people and situations – preferably show employees at work or satisfied customers.
Have a clear call-to-action like "Book free site visit" or "Book a meeting".
Target relevant audiences, for example small business owners, decision-makers in an industry or local customers in your area.
Connect with remarketing – show follow-up videos to those who have visited the website or watched parts of a video.
Example
A consulting firm offering courses can use a 15-second video with quotes from previous participants, followed by a clear CTA to sign up for the next course. Combined with a longer video explaining what the course contains, this provides both quick attention and deeper information for those who are interested.
Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business, is a free and powerful marketing channel for local service businesses. When people search for services nearby – for example "plumber Oslo" or "hairdresser Bergen" – it's often your profile that determines whether you're chosen. An updated and active profile can generate more phone inquiries than many paid ads.
Get more calls and visits from local search in Google
Why Google Business Profile is important
For local businesses, visibility in map results and local packs on Google is crucial. A complete profile shows opening hours, services, images, reviews and links to your website. Many customers call directly from the profile without even visiting the website first.
How to optimize your profile
Fill out everything: Add opening hours, address, phone number, website and a short description of your services.
Choose the right categories: For example "plumber", "electrician", "law firm" or "accountant". This affects which searches you appear on.
Use images and video: Upload real images from projects, employees and premises. Google prioritizes profiles with visual content.
Update regularly: Post news, offers or updates. Active profiles rank better.
Add services: Use the "Services" function to describe what you offer – preferably with price ranges and keywords.
Keep contact info consistent: Ensure that name, address and phone number (NAP) are identical on the website and in all directories.
Google posts and inquiries
You can publish posts directly in Google Business Profile. For example campaigns, seasonal offers or new services. These appear in the search result when people find your business. You can also enable direct messages, so customers can contact you right from Google.
Local search and visibility
For tradespeople, therapists, hairdressers and consultants working locally, Google Business Profile is a key to being visible on the map. Combine the profile with local SEO on your website, then the chance of appearing both on the map and in regular search results increases.
Example
An accounting firm in Trondheim updated their profile with new images, descriptions and 10 fresh customer reviews. Within three months, the number of calls from Google increased by over 60%. It shows what a big difference an updated profile can make – completely without advertising.
Google Reviews (reputation)
For service businesses, trust is often what determines who the customer chooses. A potential customer searching for "electrician near me" usually looks at stars and reviews before clicking further. Google Reviews is therefore not just feedback – it's one of the strongest marketing factors you have.
Reviews build trust and increase conversion
Why reviews are important
Reviews affect both where you appear in Google search (especially in map results) and how likely someone is to choose you. A business with many good and fresh reviews appears more credible – and gets more inquiries than competitors with few or old reviews. Google also uses reviews as a signal in local ranking.
How to get more and better reviews
Actively ask for reviews: After successful assignments – send a short and friendly request with a link directly to your review page.
Make it easy: Create a short link (e.g., g.page/[businessname]) and share it in email, SMS or on invoices.
Respond to all reviews: Thank for positive feedback, and respond professionally to any critical reviews. Google likes active dialogue.
Show reviews on the website: Integrate Google Reviews so potential customers see them directly on service pages.
Maintain steady activity: 2-4 new reviews per month is better than 20 in one day. Stable growth gives a more credible picture.
How to handle negative reviews
A negative review doesn't have to be a disaster. Respond calmly, thank them for the feedback and show that you want to solve the problem. A professional response can actually strengthen your trust, because potential customers see that you take responsibility. If the review is unreasonable or fake, you can report it to Google for review.
Integrate reviews in marketing
Use the best reviews in ads, on the website and in presentations. Real customer quotes have high credibility and can significantly increase conversion rate. You can also link reviews to Google Business Profile and show them directly in search and maps.
Example
A cleaning company in Oslo started asking all satisfied customers for a short review. After two months, they had 40 new reviews, went up from 3.9 to 4.8 stars – and doubled the number of inquiries via the Google profile. Simple measures can have enormous effect.
Google Analytics (GA4)
To know what actually works in marketing, you need to be able to measure. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the tool that shows how visitors find you, what they do on the website, and which channels generate the most inquiries. Without data, marketing quickly becomes guesswork – and no one can afford that in 2025.
Measure what matters: Inquiries and new agreements
Why GA4 is important for service businesses
GA4 lets you understand the customer journey from first click to completed inquiry. You can see how many find you via Google search, ads, social media or direct traffic – and what actually leads to contact, order or meeting booking. For many service businesses, this is the difference between knowing and believing.
How to use GA4 effectively
Set up conversions: Measure important actions like "Submitted contact form", "Booked meeting" or "Click on phone number".
Connect channels: Integrate GA4 with Google Ads, LinkedIn and Meta so you see which campaigns actually deliver results.
Analyze the customer journey: See which pages people visit before they get in touch – and which they leave. This helps you optimize content.
Use reports smartly: Focus on few but useful reports – like traffic sources, landing pages and conversion rate.
Use data for improvement: Combine numbers from GA4 with concrete actions: improve texts, change CTAs or adjust campaigns that don't convert.
Important KPIs to follow
KPI
Explanation
Why it's important
Conversion rate
The proportion of visits that end in desired action (e.g., inquiry, order or booking)
Shows how effective the website and marketing are
Traffic source
Tells which channels customers come from – search, ads, social media etc.
Helps you prioritize marketing budgets
Average engagement time
How long users are actively on your site
Indicates how relevant your content is
Bounce rate
Percentage who leave the site without doing anything
High bounce can indicate weak message or wrong targeting
Number of new users
How many unique visitors the website gets
Shows growth in visibility and brand
Cost per conversion (CPC)
How much you spend on ads per inquiry or customer
Important for assessing profitability in your campaigns
Privacy and Consent Mode v2
In Europe, tracking must be done in accordance with GDPR. GA4 therefore uses Consent Mode v2 to measure data in a privacy-friendly way – even when the user has not accepted all cookies. This makes it possible to get a more accurate picture of traffic without breaking privacy rules.
Get help from experts
For many small and medium-sized businesses, Google Analytics can seem overwhelming. An experienced digital marketing agency can help with everything from proper setup and data collection to monthly reporting and optimization. Then you don't have to interpret the numbers alone and can focus on operations.
Example
A consulting firm discovered via GA4 that 70% of conversions came from mobile, but that the contact form didn't work optimally on small screens. After a simple update, inquiries increased by 35%. Small insights can give big results.
Our experience is that service businesses that analyze and adjust campaigns monthly often significantly reduce cost per inquiry. The method is simple: measure, learn, improve – and repeat.
Summary
When you combine quick results from advertising with lasting visibility in search, and make it easy to choose you with good reviews and clear measurement, you get marketing that delivers new inquiries steadily and consistently.
Digital marketing for service businesses is about combining quick results from advertising with long-term visibility in search and strong customer experiences. When Google Ads, SEO, LinkedIn and AEO are used together, you get a steady stream of inquiries – year-round.
Need help with strategy, setup or analysis? Mementor helps you build a complete digital presence.
Fact: Businesses with active Google reviews get on average 35% more phone inquiries – and simultaneously increase their local ranking in Google.
Google Ads delivers quick results, but for long-term growth you should also invest in visibility in search. Read more about how SEO helps service businesses below.
Many of the principles for SEO also apply to AEO – but here content must be structured for AI-generated answers.
Thomas Alling
Thomas Alling har over 25 års erfaring fra internett- og byråbransjen og leder Mementor AS. Han er spesialist på digital markedsføring, AEO, SEO og konverteringsoptimalisering, og kjent for å kombinere strategisk innsikt med teknisk kompetanse. Thomas har utviklet strategier som gir målbare verdier for kunder over hele Norge.
