How to Market a Cleaning Business: Complete Guide
📌 Why Staying Top-of-Mind Is the Real Goal
🧠 People don’t always hire the best cleaning company — they hire the one they remember. This is the power of recency bias: the psychological tendency to give more weight to whatever we’ve seen or heard most recently.
🧼 Unlike buying a product online, hiring a cleaning service is often a *when-the-need-strikes* decision. That means your brand has to be in front of potential clients at the moment they’re ready.
🔁 This guide shows you how to use real-time updates, seasonal promotions, fresh testimonials, and smart digital strategies to stay visible — and stay booked. Because the best marketing plan isn’t just one that works today… it’s one that stays relevant all year.
Create a Marketing Plan You Can Actually Follow
A lot of cleaning business owners skip the marketing plan step — and that’s where things fall apart. A solid plan doesn’t have to be long or complicated. It just needs to cover the essentials: your goals, your offers, and how you’ll get them in front of people consistently.
🎯 Set Your Goals
Start with a monthly goal: how many new clients, what type of work, or how much revenue? This gives your ads, content, and outreach direction.
📦 Choose What You’re Selling
What services are you promoting this month? Carpet cleaning, commercial packages, move-out cleanings? Each one needs its own message and visuals.
📣 Pick 2–3 Channels to Focus On
Don’t try to do everything. Pick your top 2–3 platforms: Facebook Ads, Google Business, or email newsletters. Then stay consistent each week.
📆 Add It to a Weekly Plan
Turn your goals into weekly tasks: post a review, run a promo, follow up on leads. The best marketing plan is one you actually stick to.
Want to see a full example from start to finish? Check out our full example of a winning cleaning service marketing plan .
Use Recency Bias Across All Your Channels
Recency bias is only powerful when it shows up everywhere your brand does. Here’s how to apply it across your website, ads, social media, and email — so your cleaning business stays top-of-mind when people are ready to book.
📸 Showcase Recent Projects
Post visual proof of your latest work — not just descriptions. Before/after photos, videos, and behind-the-scenes content show that you're active and trusted now.
🌟 Post New Reviews Regularly
Social proof is strongest when it’s recent. Share new reviews in your ads, homepage sliders, and even Instagram Stories to reinforce trust in real time.
🎯 Run Seasonal Offers
Limited-time promos feel relevant and urgent. Whether it's spring deep cleaning or post-holiday refreshes, align your message with what customers care about now.
🏅 Highlight New Credentials
Have a new certification, award, or service feature? Add it to your homepage and social channels. It shows you're constantly improving and staying current.
Build a Website That Reflects Your Brand in Real Time
Your website is often the first thing potential customers see — and they’ll decide in seconds whether you’re a credible, professional service or not. A homepage that looks fresh, active, and local sends a powerful message: you're relevant, trustworthy, and ready to help.
On the other hand, a site that hasn’t been updated in months (or years) can hurt your brand. Outdated specials, broken links, and generic stock images can all lead to one thing — hesitation.
That’s why it's essential to use recent before/after galleries, testimonials from the past few weeks, and real photos of your team or work in action. It reassures visitors and supports the power of recency bias — the idea that people trust what they’ve seen most recently.
📸 A clean, modern homepage like this builds trust by showing you’re active and professional right now — not 3 years ago.
💡 Want to see what every high-converting cleaning website should include? Explore our guide to designing the perfect cleaning website .
Keep Your SEO Listings Fresh
SEO isn’t just about keywords — it’s about staying active. Google prioritizes businesses that keep their listings and content up to date. Fresh = trustworthy.
Here's how Google interprets a business that updates regularly vs one that doesn’t:
| ❌ Outdated Listings | ✅ Fresh and Active Listings |
|---|---|
| No new photos or business posts for months | New before/after photos added monthly |
| Unanswered customer questions on your profile | You respond to Google Q&A and reviews quickly |
| Old promotions that expired months ago | Seasonal offers posted regularly to your GBP |
Want to optimize your listings, blog content, and local SEO from top to bottom? Read our full SEO guide for cleaning companies .
How to Keep Your Google Business Profile Updated
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most visible touchpoints for your cleaning company. Here’s how to keep it fresh, active, and conversion-ready:
📸 Add New Photos Monthly
Include before/after shots, team in action, and clean client spaces. Google ranks listings with fresh media higher in local packs.
📝 Post Weekly Updates
Use the “What’s New” or “Offer” post types to share promotions, new services, or seasonal reminders. It shows you're active and local.
💬 Answer Customer Questions
Google lets users ask questions on your listing. Respond quickly and add common FAQs yourself to proactively build trust.
🌟 Keep Reviews Recent
Ask for a review after every job and respond to all feedback (good or bad). Recency matters as much as rating when customers compare options.
Target Cleaning Clients with Google Ads That Convert
Google Ads are powerful for cleaning businesses because you're catching people who are actively searching for help — often with immediate intent. But to convert those searches into real bookings, your ads need more than keywords. They need timing, relevance, and trust.
🎯 Focus on Local + Service-Specific Keywords
Instead of “cleaning company,” use terms like “move-out cleaning Long Beach” or “pet odor carpet cleaning Torrance.”
📄 Align Your Ad and Landing Page
If your ad says “Same-Day Office Cleaning,” your landing page should repeat that phrase — and offer proof. This keeps trust high and bounce rate low.
🔁 Refresh Your Ads Every Month
Recency bias works here, too. Rotate headlines, test offers, and showcase recent reviews to keep your ads feeling current and competitive.
Want to see what a successful Google Ads experience looks like from click to conversion? Explore our guide to Google Ads landing pages that actually convert .
Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which Is Best for Your Cleaning Business?
Both platforms are effective — but they work differently. Google Ads captures people already searching for help. Facebook Ads lets you stay visible and build trust before the need arises. Here’s how they compare:
| 🧠 Category | 🔎 Google Ads | 📣 Facebook Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer Intent | High (people actively searching for services) | Low to Medium (interest-based or visual engagement) |
| Best For | Booking jobs quickly | Building brand awareness and retargeting |
| Ad Format | Text-based search ads with landing page | Image/video ads with emotional messaging |
| Recency Bias Use | Rotate ads and update landing pages regularly | Post real-time updates, jobs, and social proof weekly |
💡 Want to dive deeper into what makes Facebook Ads work for local service businesses? Explore 5 proven Facebook ad content strategies for cleaning services .
Target Marketing for Commercial Cleaning Clients
Marketing to commercial clients requires more precision than just boosting ads or printing flyers. These buyers make decisions based on need, reputation, and relationship. That’s why a clear, targeted strategy works best.
Here are high-value commercial niches where targeted outreach delivers results:
🏢 Property Management Firms
These clients manage multiple buildings and require recurring cleaning contracts. They value reliability and fast response time.
🏫 Schools and Daycares
Focus your message on health, safety, and background-checked staff. These buyers are highly driven by trust and cleanliness standards.
🏥 Medical & Dental Offices
Requires certifications, compliance, and detailed protocols. Ideal for cleaning businesses that can showcase training or certifications.
🏢 Office Buildings & Co-Working Spaces
Target fast-growing businesses or shared office managers. Focus on reliability, flexible scheduling, and presentation quality.
Want to plan your outreach by vertical, job size, and prospecting method? Learn how to use our commercial target marketing worksheet .
🎥 Watch: How to Market Your Cleaning Business Effectively
Prefer to see it in action? In this video, we walk through real-world cleaning business marketing tactics — including how to apply recency bias, run ads that convert, and build a brand that clients remember when they’re ready to book.
FAQs: How to Market Your Cleaning Business
📣 How much should I spend on marketing?
Start with 5–10% of monthly revenue. For most local cleaning businesses, that’s $300–$800/month split between ads, content, and follow-up tools.
🧼 Should I focus on residential or commercial?
Start with one — whichever is easiest to close. Over time, diversify. Commercial often offers higher volume, but longer sales cycles.
📍 What platforms should I prioritize?
Use Google for search intent and Facebook for local brand awareness. Want to go deeper? Explore the best social platforms for cleaning services .
📆 How often should I promote seasonal services?
Plan 3–4 seasonal pushes per year: spring cleaning, summer move-outs, back-to-school, and holidays. Use urgency + visuals.
Ready to Turn This Strategy Into Action?
Whether you're looking to boost your Google visibility, run better ads, or just get your first few clients in the door, we can help you build a simple, scalable plan that actually gets results.
If you're ready to book more clients and stay top-of-mind in your market — let's get started.
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