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Google Ads for Solar Installers: Keywords, Cost per Click and Budget

"solar installer" and "solar installer company" each get 10K to 100K monthly US searches, with top-of-page bids of $5.07 to $38.50 and $4.60 to $35.95 (Google Keyword Planner, October 28, 2026). "local solar installer" is tiny at 10 to 100 searches but reaches $54.96, while "solar installer cost" shows no measurable data at all.

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By Alvyn Detavernier, founder · published November 4, 2026

The keywords and what they really cost.

Monthly searches and top-of-page bids, pulled from the Google Ads Keyword Planner.

Keyword	Monthly searches	Competition	Top-of-page bid (low to high)
solar installer near me	1k to 10k	Low	$4.48 to $41.00
solar installer	10k to 100k	Low	$5.07 to $38.50
best solar installer	10 to 100	High	$4.38 to $31.14
solar installer cost	n/a	n/a	n/a
local solar installer	10 to 100	Medium	$7.54 to $54.96
solar installer company	10k to 100k	Low	$4.60 to $35.95

Data from the Google Ads Keyword Planner (Discovery Digitals account), pulled on October 28, 2026 for the United States. Volumes shown as ranges.

Lowest low bid

$4.38

The cheapest low end in the table.

Highest high bid

$54.96

The most expensive high end in the table.

Median bid

$21.79

Median of range midpoints across 5 keywords.

2026 industry benchmark

Home & Home Improvement

Average cost per click: $8.33
Average conversion rate: 8.05%
Average cost per lead: $90.92

Source: LocaliQ and WordStream, 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks (updated June 1, 2026). These are US averages across the advertisers in the study: your market, offer and service area will move them.

Budget illustration

Illustration, not a quote: 300 clicks a month at $21.79 (the median bid in the table) comes to about $6,536 a month, or $214.98 a day on average. At the industry's average conversion rate in the benchmark above (8.05%), those clicks would bring roughly 24 leads.

Your real cost per click depends on your service area, the quality of your ads and how competitive the auction is that day. Run the numbers with your own data.

The tax credit message is out of date

For years, residential solar ads led with the federal tax credit. According to the IRS, the Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Ads and landing pages that still promise a 30% federal credit on new installs are now inaccurate, can mislead customers and invite disapproval.

Rewrite the offer around what still holds: lower utility bills, battery backup, financing, and any state or utility incentive you have confirmed for your market.

Selling solar on savings alone

Without the federal credit, payback math depends more on local electricity rates and utility rules, which vary by state. The landing page that converts now asks for a recent utility bill, shows an estimate of yearly savings and payback, and explains financing options clearly. Generic claims about free energy convert worse than a personal estimate.

What the keyword data shows

"solar installer company" (10K to 100K searches, Low competition) is as large as the core term, a sign that buyers look for an established firm rather than an individual. "best solar installer" is small but reaches $31.14, and "local solar installer" hits $54.96, the highest ceiling here. With no data on "solar installer cost", price research happens on other phrasings, such as solar panel cost per watt.

Local Services Ads for solar

Solar energy contractor is a Local Services Ads category in the US, with pay-per-lead pricing and the Google Verified badge for screened businesses. LSA suits homeowners who search for an installer nearby; Search remains the place for battery storage, financing and comparison queries that need a detailed landing page.

Negatives and lead qualification

"solar" matches eclipses, the solar system, garden lights, portable generators, RV kits and solar stocks. Load these negatives before launch. Then qualify in the form: homeowner, roof age and shade, average monthly bill. Solar sales take weeks; upload signed contracts as offline conversions so bidding learns from closed deals, not from curious clicks.

A campaign structure you can use as is.

One ad group per service, each with its own keywords and its own ads.

Ad group	Keywords
Residential solar installation	[solar panel installation] "home solar installation" "rooftop solar installer" "residential solar company"
Solar quotes	[solar quote] "solar panel quote" "solar estimate for my home" "solar consultation"
Solar plus battery	[solar battery installation] "solar and battery storage" "home battery backup solar" "powerwall installer"
Solar financing	"solar financing" "solar loan" "solar lease vs buy" "solar panel financing options"
Core solar terms	[solar installer] [solar installer near me] [solar installer company] "solar contractor" [local solar installer]

Negative keywords to exclude from day one.

These searches do not bring customers: we exclude them so you never pay for those clicks.

solar eclipse
solar system
planets
solar lights
solar generator
portable
solar charger
rv
camping
diy
kit
amazon
free solar panels
government program
jobs
salary
sales jobs
solar opposites
stock
etf

What the ad looks like.

A sample responsive search ad: Google combines up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions depending on the search.

Headlines

30 characters max.

Local Solar Installer21/30
Free Solar Savings Estimate27/30
Solar Plus Battery Backup25/30
Flexible Solar Financing24/30
Licensed and Insured Crews26/30

Descriptions

90 characters max.

See your real savings from your utility bills before you buy. Local, licensed installers.89/90
Panels and battery storage designed for your roof, with a written quote and timeline.85/90

Frequently asked questions.

How much should a solar installer spend on Google Ads?

Enough to fund a long sales cycle. Example: at $20 a click, inside the $5.07 to $38.50 range for "solar installer", $4,000 a month buys about 200 clicks. Track appointments and signed contracts rather than form fills, because solar leads close weeks after the first click.

What does a click cost for solar installers?

Top-of-page bids run from $5.07 to $38.50 for "solar installer" and $4.60 to $35.95 for "solar installer company" in the October 28, 2026 Keyword Planner data. "local solar installer" reaches $54.96. "solar installer cost" showed no measurable volume or bids.

Can solar ads still mention the 30% federal tax credit?

Not for new home installs. The IRS states that the Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Remove the claim from ads and landing pages, and advertise savings, financing or confirmed state and utility incentives instead.

Are Local Services Ads available for solar companies?

Yes. Solar energy contractor is an eligible US Local Services Ads category, with pay-per-lead pricing and the Google Verified badge after screening. Keep Search campaigns for battery storage, financing and comparison searches, which need detailed landing pages and savings estimates.

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