Look, I’ve sat through enough meetings with Brisbane business owners to know one thing for certain: most of you absolutely hate Google Ads.
And honestly? I don’t blame you.
You’ve probably tried it, tipped a few grand down the drain, got a bunch of 'clicks' but zero actual phone calls, and decided it’s a scam.
It’s not a scam. But the way Google sets it up for you? That’s a trap. They make it incredibly easy to spend money and incredibly hard to actually make a profit unless you know which buttons to stop pressing.
Grab a coffee. Or a beer. Let’s walk through why your ads are probably failing and how we actually fix it so your phone starts ringing with people who actually want to pay you.
The 'Smart' Trap That's Killing Your Profit
If you’ve ever set up an account yourself, Google probably pushed you toward a 'Smart Campaign'.
Sounds great, right? Artificial intelligence doing the heavy lifting while you’re out on a job site or seeing clients.
It’s rubbish.
In my experience, Smart Campaigns are just a way for Google to take your credit card and spend it on the broadest, most useless search terms imaginable. If you’re a plumber in Paddington, a Smart Campaign might show your ad to someone searching for 'how to fix a leaky tap' or 'plumbing apprenticeships'.
Do those people want to hire you? No. But you just paid $12 for that click anyway.
You need to take control back. If you aren't targeting the right people specifically, you’re just donating to Google’s annual profit report.
Stop Paying for People Who Already Know You
This is a massive one. I see it all the time.
You search for your own business name, see your ad at the top, and feel good.
Stop it.
If someone is typing your exact business name into Google, they already know who you are. They’re looking for your phone number or your address. They were going to click your free organic listing anyway.
When you run ads on your own brand name, you’re literally paying for customers who were already going to call you. It inflates your stats and makes your marketing look like it’s working better than it is, but it’s not adding a single cent of 'new' money to your bank account.
The 'Everything' Keyword Mistake
Most service businesses try to be everything to everyone.
Let’s say you’re an electrician. You put 'electrician' as a keyword.
That is way too broad. You’ll get people looking for 'industrial electrician jobs', 'auto electrician near me', or 'how to become an electrician'.
You need to be specific. You want 'emergency electrician Brisbane' or 'ceiling fan installation price'.
If you don't fix your ad settings, you’ll keep paying for clicks from people who are never going to book a job. Every dollar spent on a 'how-to' search is a dollar you didn't spend on a 'hire me now' search.
Your Website is Where the Sale Dies
I can send a thousand people to your website, but if it looks like it was built in 2004 and doesn't work on a phone, nobody is calling you.
For a service business, your website has one job: make the phone ring.
That means: Your phone number is huge at the top. There’s a simple contact form. It loads in under three seconds. It looks great on a mobile phone (because that's where 80% of your customers are).
If you’re sending paid traffic to a homepage that talks about your 'mission statement' and 'company values' for six paragraphs, you’re wasting your time. People want to know if you can fix their problem, if you’re local, and how to contact you. That’s it.
Negative Keywords: Your Secret Weapon
This is the most boring part of Google Ads, but it’s the one that saves you the most money.
Negative keywords are a list of words you tell Google you don't want to show up for.
Common ones for service businesses: Cheap Free Jobs Course Training DIY Pictures Salary
If you’re a premium service provider, you don't want the person searching for 'cheapest plumber in Brisbane'. They’ll be a nightmare client who argues over every invoice. Let your competitors pay for those clicks.
How Much Should You Actually Spend?
I get asked this every single day. "What's a good budget?"
There is no magic number, but here is the reality: if you spend $10 a day, you’re wasting $10 a day.
In most industries in Brisbane, a click costs anywhere from $5 to $50. If your budget is $10, you might get one click. If that person doesn't call, you're done for the day.
You need enough budget to get enough data to see what’s working. Usually, for a local service business, you want to be looking at at least $1,500 to $2,000 a month to actually see a return that matters.
Anything less and you’re just playing at it.
The Bottom Line
Google Ads isn't about 'brand awareness' or 'impressions'. It’s about making the phone ring with people who have money in their hand and a problem that needs fixing.
If your ads aren't doing that, stop them.
Look at your search terms. See what people are actually typing in. If it’s rubbish, fix your keywords. If they’re clicking but not calling, fix your website.
It’s not rocket science, but it does take work.
If you want someone to take a look at your account and tell you honestly where you’re burning cash, get in touch with us at Local Marketing Group. We’ll give you a straight answer without the jargon.
Talk soon,
The Team at Local Marketing Group