A bilingual campaign, done properly, means running English and French marketing as two tracks with their own keywords, ads, pages and phone numbers. That separation is the whole point: it lets you see what a French-speaking customer costs to win and what they're worth, instead of guessing.
Who this is for
This suits Ottawa trades that either already get French calls without trying, or work wards where French is common. In the 2021 Census, 14.1% of Ottawa residents named French as their first official language and 36.4% could converse in both languages. That second number matters too: many bilingual customers will happily read an English ad, but a well-written French one can still be the reason they pick you over the next listing.
It's a weaker fit if:
- you can't serve a customer in French at any point in the job, and won't arrange a workaround;
- your service area sits mostly in the western suburbs, where French searches are a smaller share;
- your English marketing doesn't convert yet. Fix that first; a second language multiplies whatever you already have, including the leaks.
Our areas page notes the wards where a French track is usually worth testing early.
What's included
- Language-split keyword research. French trade searches are not word-for-word translations of English ones. We research them separately and note the terms Ottawa francophones actually type.
- Separate ad groups and landing pages. One French page per core service, written for that customer, linked from your bilingual website.
- A copy brief for a professional writer. We recommend you engage a professional French copywriter or a certified translator. In Ontario, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario reserves the "Certified" designation for members it has certified; in Quebec, OTTIAQ plays a similar role. We give the writer a brief with the offer, the trade terms, tone and character limits, then check that the result fits the ads and pages.
- Tracked phone numbers per language. Calls and texts from each track are counted on their own.
- A French-call plan. Who answers, when, and what the voicemail says. We design the ads around a promise you can keep.
- Monthly reporting by language. Leads, cost per lead and booked jobs for English and French side by side.
Timeline
| Period | What happens |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Review of your English results, French-call history and service area; decide go or wait |
| Weeks 2–4 | French keyword research and copy brief; you engage the copywriter |
| Weeks 4–6 | French pages and ads built and checked; tracking tested in both languages |
| Months 2–3 | First comparison of cost per lead by language; budget moved toward whichever earns more |
How results are measured
We report three numbers per language: cost per lead, lead-to-job rate and revenue per lead, where you share it. A French track that costs more per lead can still win if those leads close more often. We'll show the arithmetic either way, and we'll recommend switching French off if it isn't paying.
What it costs beyond the plan
Two costs sit outside our fee. Ad spend for the French campaigns goes straight to Google from your account. French copywriting is paid directly to the writer you choose, so you own the copy and can keep working with them whether or not you stay with us.
Mistakes to avoid
- A single French page for the whole site. It tells francophone visitors they're an afterthought.
- Mixing languages in one ad group. You lose the ability to see which language works.
- Promising French service you can't deliver. A customer who calls in French and gets confusion leaves a worse review than one who never called.
- Literal translation of trade slang. Many English shop terms don't have a word-for-word French equivalent that customers would recognise; a professional writer will know the natural term.
- Ignoring the review side. Reply to French reviews in French. It's free and it shows.
For the paid side of these campaigns, see Google Ads with a cost ceiling. For the deeper how-to, read our guide to French campaigns for Ottawa trades.
Frequently asked questions
Do you write the French copy?
We don't claim in-house French copywriting. We prepare the brief, keyword research and page structure, and we recommend that a professional French copywriter or a certified translator writes or reviews the copy. In Ontario, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario lists certified members.
Can't we just translate our English ads automatically?
You can, but francophone customers notice, and many of them are exactly the people who compare carefully before calling. Trade vocabulary is where automatic translation fails most often, and a clumsy ad costs you the trust you were paying to earn.
What if nobody on our team speaks French?
Then we say so honestly. Options include a French voicemail with a same-day callback promise you can actually keep, a bilingual office contact for part of the week, or simply not running French ads until you can serve those customers well.
How do you know which language a lead came from?
Each language track has its own landing pages and its own tracked phone number, so calls, texts and emails can be attributed to English or French in the monthly report.