Stop Waiting for the Phone to Ring and Start Making it Happen
Most Brisbane business owners I talk to have the same strategy with Google: they wait. They wait for someone to type "plumber near me" or "best accountant in Chermside" and hope their ad pops up.
That’s fine, but there’s a massive problem. By the time someone is searching for a specific service, they are usually ready to buy right now, and you are fighting ten other competitors for that one click. It’s expensive, it’s crowded, and it’s stressful.
What if you could get your business in front of your ideal customer while they’re watching a video on YouTube or checking their emails, before they even think to look for a competitor?
Google has a relatively new way of doing this called "Demand Gen." Don’t let the name bore you—it’s just a fancy way of saying "finding people who are likely to buy from you and showing them your stuff before they go looking for someone else."
If you’ve been frustrated by the rising costs of traditional search ads, this is how you get leads for less money by reaching people in a less crowded space.
Why Most Business Owners Get This Wrong
I’ve seen dozens of local businesses try these types of visual ads and fail. They treat them like the yellow pages. They put up a boring photo of their truck, a list of services, and their phone number, then wonder why nobody is calling.
Here is the reality: when someone is on YouTube or scrolling through their Google feed, they aren't looking for you. You are interrupting them. To win, you have to be interesting, not just available.
If you’re a landscaper in Paddington, don't just show a photo of a lawnmower. Show a 10-second video of a muddy, disaster-zone backyard turning into a beautiful entertaining area. That stops the scroll. That makes them think, "I need that for my place."
The "Lookalike" Secret: Finding Your Next Best Customer
The real power of these campaigns isn't just showing ads to random people in Brisbane. It’s about using the data you already have.
Google is incredibly smart. If you give it a list of your 500 best customers from the last two years, it can look at their habits, interests, and behaviours. It then finds thousands of other people in South East Queensland who act exactly like your best customers but haven't heard of you yet.
This is the most effective way to stop wasting money on people who were never going to buy from you anyway. Instead of casting a net in the middle of the ocean, you’re fishing in a pond stocked with hungry fish.
Three Rules for Ads That Actually Make Money
If you’re going to put your hard-earned money into these campaigns, you need to follow these three rules. Anything else is just a donation to Google.
1. Visuals are Everything
I don’t care how good your service is; if your photos look like they were taken on a 2010 Nokia in the dark, you are wasting your time. You don't need a professional film crew, but you do need high-quality, bright, and clear images or videos. - Show the result: Don't show the tools; show the finished kitchen, the clean car, or the happy client. - Show your face: People in Brisbane buy from people. Seeing a local face builds trust instantly.2. Give Them a Reason to Click Now
Because these people aren't actively searching for you, you need to give them a nudge. "Call us for a quote" is weak. Try something like "Download our 2024 Brisbane Renovation Pricing Guide" or "Get a Free Security Audit for Your Shop." Give them something valuable in exchange for their attention.3. Tell Google Exactly What a "Win" Looks Like
You must have your tracking set up perfectly. If Google thinks a "win" is just someone visiting your website, it will find you thousands of people who like to click but never buy. You need to tell Google that a win is a phone call or a completed enquiry form. If you haven't fixed this, you need to fix your tracking before you spend another cent.How Much Will This Cost?
Let’s talk straight about the budget. This isn't a $5-a-day game.
To give Google enough data to find your customers, you generally need to be prepared to spend at least $30 to $50 a day on these specific campaigns. If you spend less, the system can't "learn" fast enough, and you'll just be trickling money away with nothing to show for it.
In terms of results, don't expect the phone to blow up on day one. These campaigns are like a slow-burn fire. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks for the system to figure out who is clicking and who is buying. But once it clicks? It’s like having a salesperson who works 24/7 finding new business for you while you're asleep.
Is This Right for Your Business?
Not every business should do this.
Do this if: - You have a visual business (Tradies, Retail, Real Estate, Gyms, Medical). - You already have a steady flow of customers and want to grow faster. - You have a list of past customer emails you can use to find "lookalikes."
Don't do this if: - You are in an emergency-only industry (like a 24/7 locksmith or tow truck). People only care about you when they are in a crisis and searching on Google right that second. - Your website looks terrible on a phone. Most of these ads show up on mobile devices. If your site is hard to use, you’re paying for people to get frustrated and leave.
What to Do First
If you want to try this, don't just go into Google Ads and click every button. Here is your checklist: 1. Gather your data: Export a list of your customers from the last year (emails and postcodes). 2. Get your photos ready: Take 5-10 high-quality photos of your best work or your team in action. 3. Identify your "Hook": What can you offer that is more interesting than "Contact us"? 4. Set a budget: Commit to at least 30 days of consistent spending.
Most Brisbane businesses are still stuck in the old way of doing things. They are fighting over the same small pool of people searching on Google. By moving into these visual, proactive campaigns, you are getting ahead of the curve and reaching your customers before your competitors even know they exist.
It’s a more sophisticated way to run your marketing, but the reward is a steadier stream of leads that don't cost the earth.
Want to grow your business without the headache? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners stop guessing and start growing. We handle the technical stuff so you can focus on running your business. If you want a hand getting your ads to actually work, contact us today.