Few industries carry as much bad advertising experience as solar. Lead portals sell the same enquiry to five installers, Meta forms deliver renters and price-shoppers, and sales teams dial dead numbers. Cleanly set-up Google Ads instead win you your own qualified enquiries from homeowners – and let you measure the long road to a signed contract.
In brief
- Google captures purchase-ready demand (“solar installer”, “solar with battery cost”) – stronger than bought-in portal leads.
- Qualify early: homeowner vs. renter, roof ownership, region – or you pay for enquiries that never become jobs.
- The sales cycle runs weeks – use micro-conversions (call-back request, quote download).
- Mention incentives and tax benefits factually, never as a bait price.
- Measure the qualified enquiry and feed signed jobs back as an offline conversion.
What solar customers search for
| Intent | Example searches | Quality | Conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase-ready | “solar installer [area]” | high | Enquiry / call |
| Battery storage | “solar with battery cost” | high | Consultation |
| Heat-pump combo | “solar and heat pump” | high, high value | Consultation |
| Pure research | “is solar worth it” | low | Newsletter/download |
Steer budget toward purchase-ready searches. Capture pure research more cheaply via guide content and SEO, not expensive clicks.
Qualify leads before sales picks up the phone
The most expensive enquiry is the one that never becomes a job. Filter early:
- Exclude terms that signal renting, DIY or job-seeking (“grant application”, “jobs”, “training”).
- Ask for homeowner/roof, postcode and timeframe in the form.
- Limit targeting to your installation area – actual presence.
Make the long sales cycle measurable
Weeks pass between first enquiry and signature, with a site visit and a quote in between. Define intermediate steps as micro-conversions (call-back request, sample-calculation download, booked appointment) so Google gets enough signals to learn, and feed signed jobs back as an offline conversion.
Communicate incentives and prices correctly
Incentives and tax benefits are strong arguments – state them factually and accurately. Avoid bait prices (“system from €0”) and dubious payback promises; they attract price-shoppers and are exposed to challenge.
Landing page for solar enquiries
- A heading with region and benefit (“Solar with battery in [area] – fixed-price quote”).
- The process: enquiry, roof check, quote, installation, commissioning, registration.
- Reference systems from the area with real photos.
- A form with homeowner, roof type, postcode; phone and call-back up top.
- Notes on accreditation, warranty and grid registration.
Why Meta lead ads often disappoint
Meta lead forms generate many but often poor enquiries, because the user did not actively search. If you use Meta, do it with clear qualifying questions in the form and an immediate call-back. For purchase-ready demand, Google remains the more reliable channel.
Frequently asked questions
Are Google enquiries better than bought-in leads?
Usually yes. Someone searching on Google has active intent and lands with you exclusively, rather than being sold as a multi-buyer lead to five installers.
How do I avoid enquiries from renters?
Through form questions (homeowner/roof) and negative keywords, so site visits reach only prospects who own property.
Which conversion should I measure?
The qualified enquiry plus micro-conversions for the long cycle. Feed signed jobs back as an offline conversion.
Can I advertise incentives?
Yes, factually and accurately. Avoid bait prices and exaggerated payback promises.
Is Meta worth it for solar?
With caveats. Meta lead ads deliver many, often weak enquiries. With qualifying questions and fast call-back it can complement; Google stays the lead channel.
How large should the budget be?
It depends on region and competition. What matters is cost per signed job, not per click or lead.
Related services
Qualified solar enquiries, not lead junk
We build your Google campaigns to win exclusive, purchase-ready enquiries from your area and measure the road to a signed job.