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Our Ads Stopped Generating Carpet Cleaning Leads, Now What?
Oh Crap! Our Carpet Cleaning Ads Are No Longer Bringing in Leads
Every savvy Carpet Cleaning Business owner understands the power of paid ads in attracting new leads and driving business growth, all without the long wait associated with traditional marketing strategies.
After all, who wouldn’t want to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right message?
Paid ads can be a game-changer when they work seamlessly… but what if the ads that used to generate a steady stream of carpet cleaning leads suddenly hit a roadblock?
If you’ve been advertising your carpet cleaning business online for some time, chances are you’ve encountered this situation. And if your lead generation heavily relies on these channels, the sudden halt in lead flow can be quite nerve-wracking.
So where do we start?
We do not live in a static world…
Whether you’re advertising on Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or some other platform, the only real constant is that things rarely stay the same.
“Algorithms, policies, and best practices are guaranteed to change, so what worked yesterday may not work today.”
Digital advertising leaves you at the mercy of the platform to a certain extent, but there are factors you can control that may give you clues as to why your ads have stopped producing carpet cleaning leads.
Let’s dive into some key questions you need to ask to help narrow down the reasons why your ads have stopped producing leads like they used to.
Have you made any changes to your ad campaigns?
It’s common to want to change up the wording in your ads, even if they’ve been producing quality leads. After all, marketing is all about testing and tweaking to help improve your margins, and one of the easiest things to change is the wording in your ads.
“Ad campaign changes generally require at least a month to acquire enough data to determine if that change was positive or negative.”
Why does it take so long?
Because we’re relying on an algorithm to determine where your ads fit within their platform.
If you’ve made a change and it’s been less than a month, it’s best to wait a full 30 days to get a clearer picture of the effect your change has had on your ad’s performance.
Is it recommended that you make changes at all?
If you do decide to make changes to your ads, it’s best to run an A/B Test (also known as a “split test”) rather than changing what worked in the past.
Why?
Because there could be other underlying issues at play, and having a backup to test against provides you with the ability to revert if needed.
What changes should you test?
Your ads should be as engaging as possible and speak directly to your target audience. For best results, test your ad campaigns using the following components:
- Headings
- Ad Copy
- Ad Creative/Images
- Target Keywords
- Target Audience
In most cases, those that see your ads are likely already looking for the carpet cleaning services you provide, so don’t over-complicate this. Your ads should be about them, and not about your business.
But what if you haven’t changed your ads but noticed a drop in carpet cleaning leads?
Keep reading…
Have impressions dropped?
Running ads online is simply a numbers game. If you show your message to a large targeted audience, it should produce results.
When the bottom of your marketing funnel (carpet cleaning leads) slows down, we should start by evaluating the top of your funnel (impressions).
Let’s break this down further…
In order to get a new carpet cleaning lead from online ads, you need a lot of impressions/eyes to see those ads.
If your ad impressions have noticeably dropped, it is likely impacting your lead flow.
So why would impressions drop?
We have ordered these potential issues from most likely to least likely:
- New competition can impact your ability to reach the same number of eyes at your previous budget. If you notice your CPL (cost-per-lead) going up, that could be an indication that you have new competition online.
- Seasonal changes can impact search volume and buyer intent. These changes tend to affect the carpet cleaning industry hardest between the spring and fall seasons.
- Algorithm updates on advertising platforms occur EVERY DAY and they can directly impact campaign performance. These changes are typically posted as documentation in the platform’s release notes.
- Platform or campaign bugs can occur without warning. We recommend contacting your advertising channel’s support to determine if this is an issue.
- Market shifts such as high inflation or an economic downturn can impact buyer intent. Ask other carpet cleaning companies in your local market if they are experiencing the same downturn.
If others in your local market are not experiencing issues acquiring leads online, but your impressions have dropped, you may be the victim of an algorithm change on your advertising channel.
“Every platform offers several different ad types. Take Google as an example: They offer Search Ads, Display Ads, and Video Ads, just to name a few.”
To complicate things further, these advertising platforms constantly test and add new ad types all the time.
If this is the case, you may need to adjust your advertising strategy to fit a new ad type that the platform may be pushing without your knowledge.
But what if your impressions look consistent month-over-month?
It’s time to dive further down your marketing funnel…
Has your CTR (click-through rate) dropped?
When it comes to running ads online, clicks are the name of the game.
In comparison, impressions are just a vanity number as without clicks, you will have no conversions (leads).
How do we measure this?
We use a measurable KPI called click-through rate, otherwise known as CTR.
So if your impressions are consistent, what could impact your CTR?
These potential issues have been ordered from most likely to least likely:
- Seasonal changes can impact search volume and buyer intent. These changes tend to affect the carpet cleaning industry hardest between the spring and fall seasons.
- Algorithm updates on advertising platforms occur EVERY DAY and they can directly impact campaign performance. These changes are typically posted as documentation in the platform’s release notes.
- Market shifts such as high inflation or an economic downturn can impact buyer intent. Ask other carpet cleaning companies in your local market if they are experiencing the same downturn.
- Platform or campaign bugs can occur without warning. We recommend contacting your advertising channel’s support to determine if this is an issue.
- New competition can impact your ability to reach the same number of eyes at your previous budget. If you notice your CPL (cost-per-lead) going up, that could be an indication that you have new competition online.
Ok, but what if your impressions and CTR appear to be consistent?
It’s time to investigate your cost-per-click…
Has your CPC (cost-per-click) gone up?
Let’s propose this scenario: Your impressions and CTR appear to be consistent, it’s early Spring, and no one else in your market is having issues acquiring new business… so now what?
We have one final KPI to evaluate — Your cost-per-click, otherwise known as CPC.
“Your CPC is impacted by supply (target audience size) and demand (competition).”
If you notice the amount you’re paying for clicks has suddenly gone up, new competition has likely entered your local market, or an algorithm change could be to blame.
If new carpet cleaning companies enter the marketplace with a higher bid strategy, your CPC for the same target audience will rise.
If this happens to you, you may want to consider raising your advertising budget or simply pivot your strategy to target a different segment of the market.
What is the Blue Ocean Strategy?
In terms of marketing, the Blue Ocean Strategy is the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost to open up a new market space and create new demand. It is about creating and capturing an uncontested market space, thereby making your competition irrelevant.
Source: https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/what-is-blue-ocean-strategy/
How would you implement a Blue Ocean Strategy?
Instead of targeting the general “carpet cleaning” market, which every other carpet cleaning company is after, you may consider targeting a smaller niche or changing your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) altogether.
“In other words, identify a less competitive market and allocate your advertising budget there.”
Seasonal changes can also impact your CPC, as your target audience size may shrink during certain times of the year.
We have ordered the most likely scenarios that can impact CPC below:
- New competition can impact your ability to reach the same number of eyes at your previous budget. If you notice your CPL (cost-per-lead) going up, that could be an indication that you have new competition online.
- Algorithm updates on advertising platforms occur EVERY DAY and they can directly impact campaign performance. These changes are typically posted as documentation in the platform’s release notes.
- Seasonal changes can impact search volume and buyer intent. These changes tend to affect the carpet cleaning industry hardest between the spring and fall seasons.
- Platform or campaign bugs can occur without warning. We recommend contacting your advertising channel’s support to determine if this is an issue.
- Market shifts such as high inflation or an economic downturn can impact buyer intent. Ask other carpet cleaning companies in your local market if they are experiencing the same downturn.
If you have evaluated all these possibilities and are still unsure about the reasons behind your drop in leads, it may be time to seek help from experts.
Contact Carpet Cleaner Marketing Masters to Fix Your Ad Campaigns
If you notice a drop in carpet cleaning leads from your ad campaigns, it’s important not to panic. Solving these issues alone may not always produce the desired results. In such cases, we recommend scheduling a free strategy call with our ad campaign experts at Carpet Cleaner Marketing Masters.
Our team has extensive experience in digital advertising and can help analyze your campaigns, identify the underlying issues, and provide effective solutions to get your lead generation back on track.
Don’t let a temporary setback discourage you. With the right expertise and strategies, you can regain the effectiveness of your ads and continue generating valuable leads for your carpet cleaning business.
Remember, advertising is a dynamic field, and staying informed and adapting to changes is key to success.

About the Author: As a business owner in the carpet cleaning and cleaning service industry for over 30 years as well as a marketing consultant and author, with well-over a decade of lead generation experience managing a results-driven marketing agency for Professional Carpet Cleaning and Residential Cleaning Companies, John Clendenning is wildly known as a leading Marketing Expert within the Professional Cleaning Industry.
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