Look, I get it. Every second day, someone’s knocking on your door or sliding into your inbox trying to sell you the 'next big thing' in local advertising.
One bloke says you need a billboard on Milton Road. Another says you're a dinosaur if you aren't on TikTok. And then there’s the local footy club asking for a handout in exchange for a sign that nobody looks at.
It’s enough to make you want to chuck your phone in the Brisbane River.
Most small business owners I talk to are tired of 'spending' money on marketing. They want to start investing it. There’s a big difference. Spending is what you do at the pub on a Friday night—it’s gone. Investing is putting a dollar in and getting five dollars back in sales.
If your current ads aren't making the phone ring, you’re just donating to Mark Zuckerberg’s next private island. Let’s sort out what’s actually worth your time and what’s a complete load of rubbish.
The Google Trap: Are You Paying for Clicks or Customers?
Google is usually the first place people go. It makes sense. If your toilet is overflowing at 2 am, you don’t go to Instagram to look at pretty pictures of bathrooms; you search for 'plumber near me'.
But here’s the problem: most businesses do Google Ads wrong. They bid on broad terms and end up paying for clicks from people who aren't even in Brisbane, or worse, people just looking for DIY tips.
If you aren't careful, you’ll end up burning cash on mistakes that are easily avoided. You need to be surgical. You want the person who is ready to whip out their credit card right now, not the person 'just researching'.
Google is great for 'high intent'. That means people who actually need your help today. It’s expensive, but if you do it right, the leads are usually the best quality you can get. Just don't let an agency tell you that 'brand awareness' is a good reason to spend five grand a month on search ads. It isn't. You want phone calls, not 'awareness'.
Facebook: The Digital Letterbox Drop
Facebook and Instagram are different. Nobody is on Facebook looking for a conveyancing lawyer. They’re there to see what their cousins had for lunch or to argue about the new bike lanes in the city.
Advertising here is like a digital version of those flyers people used to shove in your letterbox. Most get chucked in the bin, but if your timing is perfect and your offer is a cracker, someone will bite.
I see a lot of tradies and shop owners try to run fancy 'brand' ads here. Don't bother. If you’re going to spend money on Facebook, give people a reason to stop scrolling. A '10% off for Paddington locals' or a 'Free Quote This Week' works ten times better than a polished video of your office.
"The biggest mistake I see is businesses trying to look like a massive corporation on social media; people in Brisbane want to buy from a local human, not a faceless logo."
— Sarah Chen, SEO Specialist
If you’re smart, you can even get local jobs without spending a cent on ads by just being helpful in community groups. But if you are going to pay, keep the creative simple and the offer strong.
Local Sponsorships: Charity or Strategy?
This is a touchy one. We’ve all been asked to sponsor the local junior cricket team or the school fete.
My honest take? Most of the time, this is a donation, not advertising. If you’re doing it because you want to help the community, good on you. You’re a legend. But don't expect it to grow your business.
A logo on the back of a jersey that gets covered in mud every Saturday morning isn't going to make your phone ring. If you want these things to actually pay off, you have to be more strategic.
You need to stop just donating and start asking how you can actually get in front of the parents and members in a way that leads to a conversation. Maybe it’s an exclusive deal for members or a talk you give at the club. Just a sign on a fence is a waste of money in 2024.
The Comparison: Where Should Your First Dollar Go?
If you’ve got $1,000 to spend this month, where does it go?
1. The 'I Need Work Now' Option: Go with Google Local Services Ads or Search Ads. It’s the fastest way to get the phone ringing. You’ll pay more per lead, but they’re usually ready to book.
2. The 'I Want to Build a Local Reputation' Option: Focus on your Google Business Profile (the map bit) and some targeted Facebook ads. This takes longer but builds a 'moat' around your business that's harder for competitors to cross.
3. The 'I’m on a Budget' Option: Get into the local Facebook groups and start answering questions. Or, better yet, pick up the phone and call your past customers to see if they need anything else. It costs nothing but time.
Why Most Local Ads Fail
I've seen enough spreadsheets to know why most local marketing fails. It’s rarely the 'platform'—it’s the 'message'.
If your website looks like it was built in 2004 and doesn't work on a phone, no amount of advertising will save you. People will click your ad, see your dodgy site, and leave immediately. You’ve just paid Google $15 for someone to be disappointed in you.
You also need to be fast. If someone enquires through an ad and you take two days to call them back, they’ve already hired the bloke who answered on the second ring. In the local game, speed is everything.
What Should You Do First?
Before you give another cent to an ad rep, do these three things:
Check your Google reviews. If you have 3 stars and your competitor has 4.8, your ads will fail. Period. Fix your 'landing page'. When people click your ad, do they see a phone number and a clear way to book? Or do they see a wall of text about your 'company values'?
- Track your numbers. If you don't know which ads are actually resulting in a bank deposit, stop all of them until you figure it out.
If you're sick of guessing and want to know which ads actually get calls for a business like yours, let's have a chat. We've seen what works in the real world, and more importantly, we know what’s a total waste of your hard-earned cash.
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about 'impressions' or 'engagement'. We care about your phone ringing. If you want to stop the guesswork and start seeing more bookings, get in touch with us.