If you own a dumpster rental business and you’re looking for ways to get more customers, you need a solid dumpster rental marketing strategy.
The good news? There are several proven ways to market your dumpster rental business online that can bring you consistent leads.
The reality? Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks, and what works best depends on your specific situation, budget, and goals.
Today, I’m going to walk you through five different dumpster rental marketing strategies you can use to grow your business. I’ll cover how each one works, the benefits, the downsides, and what you need to know before you invest time or money into them.
There’s certain things that I would recommend to different dumpster rental businesses based upon where they are in their journey, so I didn’t want to just have things on this list that were all about Dumpster Rental Advertising or running Dumpster Rental Google Ads.
Because of that, I’ll cover a wider range of things than some of my normal posts, but at the end of the day it’s all about marketing your dumpster rental business.
Let’s get started!
1) Setting Up And Ranking A Google Business Listing
Your Google Business listing (also called Google Business Profile or Google Maps listing) is one of the most important things you can do for dumpster rental marketing.
When someone searches “dumpster rental near me” or “dumpster rental [city name]” on Google, the map results show up at the top of the page, often above regular website results.
If your business shows up in those map results, you’re going to get calls.
This is one of the first things I would advise any dumpster rental business to set up before anything.
I’ve had dumpster rental companies (and businesses in many other industries) come to me wanting to run Dumpster Rental Advertising, but don’t even have the basics set up first.
So, before I recommend people go and get into things like Dumpster Rental Google Ads, I firmly believe that this listing should be a big part of your Dumpster Rental marketing strategy.
Very often, I’ll see this part of someone’s business be the biggest driver of leads for their business, and investing the time and energy into it is very key to making sure you have sustainable lead flow throughout the year.
How It Works
Setting up a Google Business listing is free and relatively straightforward.
You’re going to have to go to Google and create a profile for your business with:
- Your business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Service area
- Hours of operation
- Photos
- Services you offer
There’s a bit of a process that goes into getting this part of your business set up.
Often Google will require some kind of video verification during the process, so it really helps if you have some kind of signage or a legitimate physical address for the business.
As a quick side note – Having a legit physical address is super helpful for having your Google Business Profile rank higher, so keep that in mind.
Once it’s set up, Google can show your listing in the map pack when people search for dumpster rental services in your area.
Benefits
It’s completely free – No ad spend required. Just time to set it up and optimize it.
High visibility – Map results show up at the very top of organic Google search results, often getting more clicks than ads or website results.
Mobile-friendly – Most people search on their phones, and the Google Maps listing has a prominent “call” button that makes it easy for people to contact you immediately.
Builds trust – Your listing shows reviews, photos, and business information, which helps build credibility.
Downsides
It takes time to rank – Just setting up a listing doesn’t mean you’ll show up in the top 3 map results. You need to optimize it, get reviews, and potentially wait weeks or months to rank well.
You’re competing with established businesses – If there are already several dumpster rental companies with hundreds of reviews ranking in your area, it’s going to be harder to break into those top spots.
Limited control – Google decides which businesses show up in the map pack based on their algorithm. You can’t pay to guarantee your spot (unless you run Local Service Ads, which we’ll cover later).
Requires ongoing maintenance – You need to keep getting reviews, updating your listing, and responding to customers to maintain or improve your ranking.
My Take
Every dumpster rental business should have a Google Business listing set up and optimized. Even if you’re running ads or doing other marketing, this should be part of your dumpster rental marketing strategy.
Even if you already have a Google Business Listing set up, I highly recommend spending the time to get this ranking higher if possible.
If you would prefer to outsource the work to someone else, this is something that I would do first as part of your Dumpster Rental marketing before I move on to things like paying for ads.
At the end of the day it’s free visibility, and people trust Google Maps results.
2) Ranking A Website In Google (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of getting your website to rank in Google’s organic search results when people search for dumpster rental services.
When someone searches “dumpster rental [your city]” and your website shows up on the first page of results below the map pack, that’s SEO.
This typically plays hand in hand with ranking your Google Business Listing, and oftentimes the things you do for SEO will impact your rankings for the business listing too.
I definitely recommend spending time equally on getting your website and Google Business Listings ranking in Google Search because that’s just more space you can occupy on the search engine results.
If you can’t tell (even though my main focus is advertising), I’m a big fan of incorporating organic lead generation into your Dumpster Rental Marketing strategy.
It will help you build a foundation for your business, and is like creating a long term asset that will pay you over the long run whether you’re consistently putting work into it or not.
Think of every page you build onto your website like a little storefront, where more people can type in a search term like “20 yard dumpster rental near me” and you have a page specific to that.
It’s another great Dumpster Rental Marketing strategy that I highly advise people looking into first before going all in on running ads.
How It Works
SEO involves optimizing your website so Google sees it as relevant and authoritative for dumpster rental searches in your area.
This typically includes:
- Creating content on your site about dumpster rental services
- Optimizing your pages for local keywords
- Getting backlinks from other websites
- Making sure your site is fast and mobile-friendly
- Building out service pages for different types of rentals, or location specific pages
A lot of getting a website to rank in Google is going to be based on creating more pages and more content for your website.
SEO in a nutshell is creating more pages on your website that all have a singular keyword focus, and then creating content for those pages that speak directly to that keyword.
Each page should have its own focus, for example…
- Home Page – “dumpster rental [main city]”
- Service Page Examples
- “40 yard dumpster rental” (by sizes)
- “Residential dumpster rental” (by category)
- “Roll off dumpsters” (by dumpster type)
- Location Pages – “dumpster rental [secondary city]
- Etc
Every page you create gives you another opportunity to have your business showing for different searches in Google, and the more pages and content you create the more opportunities you’re going to have to attract people to your business.
Benefits
Free traffic over time – Once you rank, you can get consistent traffic without paying for ads. But, you need to sustain those rankings over time with some consistent work.
Long-term results – Unlike ads (which stop when you stop paying), good SEO can keep bringing you traffic for months or years.
Credibility – Many people trust organic search results more than ads.
Compounds over time – The more content you create and optimize, the more ways people can find you in search results.
Downsides
Takes time to see results – SEO isn’t fast. It can take 3-6 months (or longer) before you see meaningful traffic from SEO efforts.
Requires consistent work – You need to create content, build links, and maintain your site regularly.
Technical knowledge required – SEO has a learning curve. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might waste time on tactics that don’t work. Because of that, I usually recommend paying a reputable Dumpster Rental marketing company to get the work done.
Competitive in some markets – If there are already several well-established dumpster rental companies with strong websites in your area, it’s going to be hard to outrank them.
Google algorithm changes – Google updates their algorithm regularly, which can impact your rankings. What works today might not work as well tomorrow.
My Take
SEO is a great long-term dumpster rental marketing strategy, but it requires patience and consistent effort.
If you have the time and budget to invest in building a solid website with good content, it can pay off. But if you need leads starting next week, SEO probably isn’t the answer.
Think of SEO as a long-term investment. It’s one piece of a larger dumpster rental marketing strategy, not the only thing you should rely on.
Approach SEO with a long term mindset, and be willing to invest in good quality work and it will help you build an asset onto your business that will pay off for years to come.
3) Running Google Ads
Google Ads lets you pay to show your ads at the top of Google search results when people search for dumpster rental services.
When someone searches “dumpster rental near me,” your ad can appear above the organic results and the map pack.
Running Google Ads for local businesses is my bread and butter service when it comes to Dumpster Rental marketing.
For years, I’ve been helping local businesses generate a consistent flow of leads with Google Ads, and it’s no different for dumpster rental.
Just because it’s my favorite, doesn’t mean I would recommend it for every dumpster rental business.
Like I mentioned above, there are other things I would focus on before diving into running a Google Ads campaign.
How It Works
You create ads that target specific keywords like “dumpster rental [city]” or “rent a dumpster near me.”
When someone searches those terms, Google shows your ad. If they click on it, you pay (typically $8-$15 per click for dumpster rental keywords, though this varies by market).
The goal is to send that traffic to a landing page or website where they can call you or fill out a form to request a quote.
It’s very important though that you don’t just start throwing money at the platform to get clicks.
The key with Google Ads is you want to convert those clicks into leads, and if you’re not careful Google Ads can spend money quickly with very little to show for it.
Benefits
Fast results – You can start getting leads as soon as your campaign is live. No waiting 6 months like with SEO.
Predictable and scalable – If you’re spending $1,000/month and getting 25 leads, you can increase your budget to $2,000 and get roughly 50 leads (assuming your campaign is optimized properly).
High-intent traffic – People searching “dumpster rental near me” are actively looking to rent a dumpster right now. This is high-quality traffic.
Control over your budget – You set your daily budget and can turn ads on or off whenever you want.
Detailed tracking – You can see exactly how many clicks, calls, and leads you’re getting and what your cost per lead is.
Downsides
Costs money – Unlike SEO or Google Business listings, you’re paying for every click. Depending on your market, cost per click can be $8-$15+.
Requires ongoing management – Google Ads campaigns need regular optimization. If you don’t know what you’re doing (or don’t hire someone who does), you can waste a lot of money on irrelevant clicks.
Competition drives up costs – If multiple dumpster rental companies are bidding on the same keywords in your area, costs go up.
Stops when you stop paying – The second you turn off your ads, the leads stop. There’s no residual effect like with SEO.
Learning curve – Running profitable Google Ads campaigns takes knowledge and experience. Many people waste thousands of dollars before figuring it out.
My Take
Google Ads is one of the best dumpster rental marketing strategies if you have the budget and you’re willing to manage it properly (or hire someone to manage it for you).
It’s fast, scalable, and can bring consistent leads. But it requires ongoing investment, both in ad spend and in management/optimization.
If you need leads now and you have the budget, Google Ads is a solid choice. Just make sure you’re tracking everything properly so you know your actual cost per lead.
4) Running Local Service Ads
Local Service Ads (LSAs) are a newer type of Google ad specifically for local service businesses, including dumpster rental companies.
These ads show up at the very top of Google search results above regular Google Ads and above the map pack.
Keep in mind that Local Service Ads are an evolving Dumpster Rental marketing strategy, and a platform that Google is still working on.
Currently LSAs are not in every market, and they’re not in every industry.
At the time of writing this post, Google still puts Dumpster Rental in the same category as Junk Removal which can create some issues when you’re trying to specifically get dumpster rental leads.
The hope is that this will change moving forward, and Google will create a dedicated Dumpster Rental category
How It Works
Instead of paying per click like regular Google Ads, with Local Service Ads you pay per lead (phone call or message request).
Google verifies your business by checking your licenses, insurance, and background checks. Once verified, you get a “Google Guaranteed” badge that shows up on your ad.
When someone searches for dumpster rental services, your ad can show at the top with your Google Guaranteed badge, your star rating, and your phone number.
One of the nice things about LSAs is that if you get an irrelevant lead, you can dispute it with Google and get a credit back in many cases.
Benefits
Pay per lead, not per click – You only pay when someone actually contacts you, not just when they click on your ad. This can be more cost-effective than regular Google Ads.
Prime real estate – LSAs show above everything else on the search results page.
Google Guaranteed badge – This badge builds trust and can increase the likelihood that people choose you over competitors.
Simple to set up – LSAs are much simpler than regular Google Ads. Less complexity, less ongoing management required.
Control over budget – You set a weekly budget and can adjust it anytime.
Downsides
Qualification requirements – You need to pass Google’s verification process, which includes background checks, license verification, and insurance verification. Not all businesses qualify.
Limited control – You can’t control exactly when or how your ads show like you can with regular Google Ads. Google’s algorithm decides when to show your ad. Google can be a bit of a black box with LSAs, and I’ve seen campaigns just die off for no apparent reason.
Not available everywhere – LSAs aren’t available in all markets or for all service types yet.
Can get expensive – Depending on your market, cost per lead can be $30-$50+. In competitive markets, it adds up quickly.
Lead quality varies – Just because someone calls doesn’t mean they’re a qualified lead. You might get calls from people outside your service area or people just price shopping.
My Take
If Local Service Ads are available in your market and you qualify, they’re worth testing as part of your dumpster rental marketing strategy.
The pay-per-lead model can work well, and the Google Guaranteed badge does help with trust.
That said, you need to track your actual cost per lead carefully. Just because you’re paying per call doesn’t mean every call is a good lead.
5) Running Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads let you show ads to people on Facebook and Instagram based on their location, demographics, and interests.
For dumpster rental marketing, you can target people in your service area and show them ads about your services.
Facebook is a platform that I would only really focus on if you have all of the other items on this list checked off and you need more volume.
For the most part, I’d imagine that many dumpster rental businesses would get more than enough leads from everything else here.
Just by having your business show up all over the Google Search Results, you’re going to have very little issue when it comes to generating an abundance of leads for your business.
How It Works
You create ads (images, videos, or carousels) that show up in people’s Facebook or Instagram feeds.
You can target by:
- Location (people within 20 miles of your business, for example)
- Age, gender, interests
- Homeowners
- People who recently moved
- And many other targeting options
When people click your ad, you can send them to your website, a landing page, or even have them message you directly on Facebook.
I’m personally partial to Facebook Lead Ads, but there’s plenty of different ways to generate a lead with facebook.
It’s key to keep in mind that you need to have qualification systems in place to make sure you’re trimming out low quality leads from Facebook.
Benefits
Lower cost per lead – Facebook Ads are typically cheaper than Google Ads. The cost per lead that I usually see with Facebook Ads will be much cheaper than on Google.
Advanced targeting – You can get very specific with who sees your ads based on demographics and interests.
Visual ads – You can use images and videos to showcase your dumpsters, your service, and your business.
Good for brand awareness – Even if people don’t convert immediately, they see your business and might remember you later.
Retargeting options – You can show ads to people who visited your website but didn’t convert.
Downsides
Lower intent traffic – People on Facebook aren’t actively searching for dumpster rental services. They’re scrolling through their feed. This means conversion rates are typically lower than Google Ads. This is also why the cost per lead is cheaper than on Google Ads.
Requires good creative – Your ads need to be visually appealing and stop people from scrolling. If your ad creative is bad, you won’t get results.
Less predictable – Facebook Ads can be hit or miss. What works in one market might not work in another.
Longer sales cycle – Since people aren’t actively looking for dumpster rental when they see your ad, they might not convert immediately. They might need to see your ad multiple times.
Ad fatigue – If you show the same ad to the same people too many times, they stop responding to it. You need to refresh your creative regularly.
My Take
Facebook Ads can work for dumpster rental marketing, but in my experience, they’re not as effective as Google Ads for most dumpster rental businesses.
The problem is intent. When someone searches “dumpster rental near me” on Google, they need a dumpster right now. When someone sees your Facebook ad, they’re just scrolling their feed.
That said, Facebook Ads can be useful for:
- Building awareness in your local market
- Retargeting people who visited your website
- Reaching people who might need dumpster rental soon (like people who just bought a house)
If you have the budget to test it and you’re already doing Google Ads or other higher-intent marketing, Facebook Ads can supplement your strategy.
But if you’re just starting with dumpster rental marketing, I’d focus on Google first.
What You Need To Know Before You Start
Budget matters – Google Ads and Local Service Ads require ongoing monthly spend. If you can’t afford $1,000-$2,000/month minimum, focus on free options like Google Business listings and SEO first.
Time matters – SEO and ranking your Google Business listing take months. If you need leads next week, you need to run ads. Even then though, you’ll need to go through an optimization process with ads and that takes time too.
Tracking matters – No matter which dumpster rental marketing strategy you use, you need to track your results. How many leads did you get? What was your cost per lead? How many converted to customers? If you’re not tracking this, you’re flying blind.
Quality matters – A crappy website or poorly designed ads will kill your conversion rate. Make sure wherever you’re sending traffic (your website, landing pages, etc.) is actually designed to convert visitors into leads.
Need Help With Your Dumpster Rental Marketing?
If you’re a dumpster rental business owner and you want help setting up and managing your online marketing, I can help.
We specialize in Google Ads lead generation, and can help you generate more dumpster rental leads.
Click the button below to book a free consultation. I’ll review your current marketing situation and show you exactly what I’d recommend for your business.
Thanks for reading, and I hope this guide helps you grow your dumpster rental business with the right marketing strategy.
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