How to Get More Phone Calls From Your Google Ads Today

Look, if you’re paying Google for ads, you’re already in the game. But most local business owners in Brisbane are playing with one hand tied behind their back.

You’ve seen those ads at the top of the search results. Some are just a couple of lines of text. Others are huge—they’ve got phone numbers, links to specific pages, little bullet points about 24/7 service, and even images of the team.

Those "extra bits" are what Google calls Assets (they used to call them extensions).

If you aren't using them, you're basically paying full price for a steak and only eating the garnish. You’re leaving money on the table, and worse, you’re making it harder for people to call you.

Let’s fix that. Here is my honest take on what actually works to get the phone ringing and what’s just a waste of your time.

Why Your Ads Look Tiny (And Why It’s Costing You)

Google is a real estate game. The more space your ad takes up on a phone screen, the less space there is for your competitors. It’s that simple.

When you use these extra features, your ad grows. It looks more professional. It gives people more reasons to click. But most importantly, it gives them a way to contact you without even clicking through to your website.

For a plumber in Chermside or an accountant in Milton, that’s the gold standard. You want the lead, not the website traffic.

If your ad is just a headline and a description, you’re invisible. You need to bulk it out.

The "Big Three" That Actually Make You Money

There are about a dozen different things you can add to your ads. Most are rubbish for local businesses. You only need to focus on the ones that drive action.

1. The Call Button

They don’t have to wait for your site to load. They don’t have to hunt for your contact page. They just tap and talk.

If you’re a service business and you don’t have this turned on, you’re burning your cash while you sleep. Honestly, it's the biggest mistake I see.

2. Location Info

Adding your address (linked to your Google Business Profile) shows people exactly where you are. It also shows your star rating. We all know that a 4.8-star rating next to your ad is worth more than any fancy sales copy you can write.

3. Sitelinks (The Shortcuts)

Link to your specific services. If you’re a builder, have a link for "Decks & Patios," another for "Bathroom Renos," and one for "Recent Projects."

It helps people find exactly what they want faster. And when people find what they want, they buy.

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Results

I’ve looked under the hood of hundreds of Google Ads accounts. Most of them are a mess because the business owner (or a cheap agency) set them up once and never looked at them again.

Mistake: Using "Global" Settings

Google’s robots don’t know your business. They’ll pull random text from your site that might not even make sense in an ad. Take ten minutes and write these yourself. Tell people you offer "Free Quotes" or "Local Brisbane Family Owned." That human touch wins every time.

Mistake: Sending Everyone to the Homepage

By the time the customer finds the hot water page, they’ve clicked away and called the next guy. Use your sitelinks to send people to the exact page they need.

"If you make a customer hunt for your phone number or a specific service page, you've already lost the sale to the bloke who put it front and center."

— Daniel Cooper, Growth Marketing Lead

The Stuff You Can Probably Ignore

Don’t get bogged down in the technical weeds. You’ll hear people talk about things like "Price Assets" or "App Assets."

Unless you have a very specific, simple pricing model (like a $99 fixed-price service), price assets can actually hurt you. They attract tyre-kickers who are only looking for the cheapest deal. You want the customers who value quality.

And unless you’ve spent fifty grand developing a custom app for your business, you don’t need an app link. It just clutters the screen and confuses people.

How to Check If You’re Wasting Money

Go to your Google Ads account right now. Look at the "Assets" tab.

If it’s empty, you’re in trouble. If it’s full of stuff Google "automatically created" for you, you’re probably wasting your budget.

You want to see specific, hand-written callouts that highlight your competitive advantages.

- 20 Years Experience - Fully Licensed & Insured - No Call Out Fee - Same Day Service

These aren't just "extra text." They are the reasons someone chooses you over the bloke in the ad below you.

What Should You Do First?

If you’re busy—and I know you are—just do these three things this week:

1. Check your Call Asset: Make sure your phone number is correct and set to show during your business hours. There is no point paying for a call at 9 PM if no one is there to answer the phone. 2. Add 4 Sitelinks: Point them to your most profitable services. Not your "About Us" page. No one cares about your origin story when their toilet is overflowing. 3. Add 4 Callouts: These are short snippets (25 characters) that brag about your business. Use them to build trust fast.

My Final Word on This

Google Ads isn't a "set and forget" thing. It’s a tool. If you use it properly, it’s like a tap you can turn on to get more enquiries whenever you need them.

But if you ignore the details—like these assets—you’re just making Google rich while you struggle to fill the calendar.

If you’re running B2B services, you need to be even more careful about getting real leads rather than just clicks from people who aren't your target market.

Stop letting your ads look like everyone else's. Take the space, show your stars, and give them a button to call you. It’s the easiest win you’ll have all month.

If you want someone to take a look at your setup and tell you straight where you're losing money, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We don't do jargon, we just do results.

You can find us here: https://lmgroup.au/contact