Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast

Google PPC Isn’t Dead — You’re Just Running It Wrong

Feb 10, 2026

Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers and former PPC agency founder, shares paid acquisition know-how for home service companies. He explains why Google Ads still work and why most operators fail. Topics include how PPC differs from Local Service Ads, essential budget and landing page requirements, and the tracking and process foundations needed before scaling paid search.

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INSIGHT

PPC Offers Control And Complexity

PPC gives advertisers far more control over copy, keywords, landing pages, and revenue tracking than LSA.
That control creates more levers to optimize but also many more points of failure.

ANECDOTE

Big Spenders Still Win With PPC

John and Sam recalled businesses spending six figures monthly on PPC and winning in big markets.
They contrasted that with shops who claim PPC doesn't work, showing execution, not platform, explains success.

ANECDOTE

Competitors Share Conflicting Wins

At an Owned & Operated event two $30M companies openly shared that a tactic worked for one and failed for the other.
That illustrated local variation and the need to dissect how competitors win in your market.

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Does Google PPC still work for home service businesses—or is it just an expensive mistake?

In this Clicks to Calls episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Service Scalers CEO Sam Preston to break down the truth about Google Ads (PPC) for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies. Some operators swear PPC is dead. Others are spending six figures a month and winning. The difference isn’t the platform—it’s execution.

They walk through why PPC fails for most owners, how it’s fundamentally different from Local Service Ads, and what has to be in place before PPC becomes a scalable, predictable lead channel. From budget minimums and landing pages to tracking revenue (not just calls), this episode lays out a clear framework for deciding if PPC belongs in your business—and how to avoid burning cash if you try it.

If you’ve ever said “Google Ads don’t work for us,” this episode will challenge that assumption.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why PPC still works—and why most operators think it doesn’t
The real difference between LSA and PPC (and why PPC breaks first)
Budget thresholds you actually need to make PPC viable
Why landing pages matter more than ad copy

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Connect:
John Wilson: https://x.com/WilsonCompanies

Sam Preston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampreston

#OwnedAndOperated #HomeServices #HVAC #Plumbing #GoogleAds #PPC #Marketing #LeadGeneration #BusinessGrowth

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

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