Solar Installer Marketing 2026: Lead Costs, SEO vs PPC & Conversion Data
The bottom line
With 5,250+ MCS contractors chasing the same homeowners, the winners compete on cost of customer acquisition — and local SEO delivers leads at a fraction of paid channels.
Below: real cost-per-lead by channel, the SEO-vs-PPC maths, and what actually ranks installers locally.
Solar installer marketing is the system an MCS-certified installer uses to win work at an acceptable cost per lead — typically a mix of local SEO, Google Business Profile, reviews, paid ads and referrals. The economics differ sharply by channel, and by installer size:
| Installer size | Monthly budget | Where it should go first |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader / 1 crew | £300–£800 | GBP + reviews + one location page per town served |
| 2–5 crews (regional) | £1,000–£3,000 | Local SEO build-out + selective PPC on money terms |
| 5+ crews / multi-region | £3,000–£8,000+ | SEO at scale + PPC + referral engine + PR |
There are now over 5,250 MCS-certified solar contractors in the UK — the highest ever. With 257,397 installations completed in 2025, that is roughly 49 installations per installer per year. The difference between thriving and struggling comes down to one thing: the cost of winning each customer.
The lead-generation landscape: real numbers
| Channel | Cost per lead | Lead-to-sale | Effective CPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads (PPC) | £80–£250 | 10–15% | £600–£800 |
| Facebook / Meta Ads | £20–£80 | 5–10% | £300–£600 |
| Lead-gen platforms (shared) | £20–£50 | 5–10% | £300–£600 |
| Lead-gen platforms (exclusive) | £50–£150 | 15–25% | £250–£500 |
| Organic search (SEO) | Effectively £0* | 25–30% | £200–£400* |
| Referrals | £200–£500 bounty | 29–30% | £200–£500 |
*Organic leads have near-zero marginal cost once established after a 12–18 month investment period.
Google Ads CPCs for UK solar keywords range from £1.50 to £8.00, with "commercial solar panels" among the most expensive terms. A realistic benchmark is ~200 clicks per conversion, requiring £600–£1,400 in ad spend per acquisition; monthly budgets for small-to-medium installers typically run £1,000–£3,000. Facebook delivers the lowest cost per lead but typically the lowest quality — one documented case study cut CPL from £98 to £25.80 over six months (a 74% improvement) through optimised targeting.
Why local SEO wins for solar
Solar installation is a local service — nobody hires an installer 200 miles away. That makes local SEO the single most valuable marketing investment. The maths are compelling: Google Ads delivers leads at £80–£250 each at 10–15% conversion; organic search delivers them at near-zero marginal cost and 25–30% conversion. The upfront SEO investment is repaid many times over once rankings are established.
Installers dominating local search share common traits: an optimised Google Business Profile with regular reviews (volume and recency matter — even 31 reviews can outrank competitors with 2,400), dedicated location pages for every town served (not one "areas we cover" page), consistent NAP across directories, and genuine local content that goes beyond generic filler.
Content that generates leads
The highest-converting content is not "how solar panels work" articles — it is specific, local and commercial: town-level service pages, sector pages (solar for schools, hotel solar), and transparent pricing. Pairing your own quotes with independent references such as transparent cost data builds the trust that converts a browser into an enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a solar lead cost in the UK?
It varies sharply by channel: Google Ads leads run £80–£250 at 10–15% conversion (£600–£800 per acquisition), shared lead-gen platforms £20–£50, and organic search has near-zero marginal cost at 25–30% conversion once established.
Is SEO or PPC better for solar installers?
For most installers, local SEO delivers the best long-term return: leads at near-zero marginal cost and 25–30% conversion, versus Google Ads at £80–£250 per lead and 10–15%. PPC buys speed; SEO compounds. The upfront SEO investment (£2,000–£3,000/month for 12–18 months) is typically repaid many times over.
How do I get clients for my solar business?
The cheapest durable clients come from owned channels: a complete Google Business Profile with steady reviews, a location page for every town you genuinely serve, and a referral bounty. Paid channels (Google Ads £80–£250 per lead) buy speed while the organic channels mature.
How can I promote my solar business locally?
Prioritise the map pack: GBP categories and photos, weekly review velocity, consistent name/address/phone across directories, and genuinely local content (real installs, named streets and estates). Local press coverage of community installs adds authority links that compound.
How much does a solar panel installer earn?
At current volumes the UK averages roughly 49 installations per certified contractor per year. Margin per domestic job varies widely with acquisition cost — which is why cost per lead, not headline revenue, decides which installers are profitable.
How many reviews do solar installers need to rank?
Volume and recency matter more than raw count in many local markets — even 31 well-managed Google Business Profile reviews can outrank a competitor with 2,400 stale ones. Consistent NAP, dedicated location pages and genuine local content do the rest.