Look, I’ve sat in enough pubs around Brisbane to know that most small business owners look at Google Ads like a poker machine. You put money in, the lights flash, but you’re not entirely sure if you’re actually winning or just paying for the electricity.
Most agencies will show you fancy reports with "impressions" and "click-through rates." Honestly? That stuff is rubbish if your phone isn't ringing. If you're spending $2,000 a month and you can't point to the jobs that came from it, you've got a problem.
I’ve spent the last decade looking under the hood of hundreds of accounts. Most of the time, the budget is being spread too thin, like a tiny bit of butter over a massive loaf of bread. You end up invisible everywhere instead of being the king of your local patch.
Here is my honest take on how you should actually be spending your money to get more bookings and stop wasting cash.
The "All-In" Strategy for Local Legends
If you’re a plumber in Coorparoo or an accountant in Milton, you don’t need to be seen by everyone in Australia. You don’t even need to be seen by everyone in Brisbane.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is businesses trying to cover too much ground with a small budget. If you’ve only got $50 a day to spend, and you’re trying to target the whole South East Queensland corner, Google is going to eat that money before you’ve even finished your morning coffee.
We tell our clients to start small. Pick the three or four suburbs where you make the most profit. Put your whole budget there. Once the phone is ringing off the hook and those jobs are paid for, then we take that profit and expand to the next suburb.
Stop Chasing Every Single Keyword
Google loves it when you use "broad match" keywords. Why? Because it lets them show your ad for basically anything vaguely related to your business. If you’re a "landscape gardener," Google might show your ad to someone looking for "free garden pictures."
You just paid five bucks for a person who wants a wallpaper for their phone. That’s a waste of money.
We prefer to be surgical. We want the person typing in "retaining wall builder price Brisbane." That person has a credit card in their hand. They’re ready to buy.
You should be checking your ads regularly to make sure you aren't paying for junk searches. If you see search terms that have nothing to do with a paying customer, kill them immediately.
The 70/20/10 Rule for Your Cash
If you want to grow without going broke, you need a plan for how every dollar is split. Here is how we usually break it down for our most successful clients:
1. The 70% - The Bread and Butter
This goes to the "high intent" stuff. People searching for exactly what you do, right now. If you’re a smash repairer, this is someone searching for "panel beater near me." This is where the majority of your phone calls will come from.2. The 20% - The Follow-Up
Have you ever looked at a website, left, and then seen their ads everywhere for the next week? That’s remarketing. It’s not annoying if it’s done right—it’s a reminder. Most people don't buy the first time they see you. They’re busy. Their kids are screaming. They get a phone call. This 20% of your budget keeps you top of mind so when they are ready to book, they find you again.3. The 10% - The "What If?"
This is for testing. Maybe it’s a new service you’re offering, or maybe it’s trying out video ads on YouTube to show people how you work. It’s a small enough amount that it won't hurt if it fails, but it’s how you find the next big win for your business.Why Your Website is Probably Killing Your Budget
I can send a million people to your website, but if your site is rubbish, nobody is going to call you.
I’ve seen blokes spend $5,000 a month on ads sending people to a website that doesn't work on phones, takes ten seconds to load, and doesn't have a phone number at the top. That’s not a Google Ads problem. That’s a business suicide problem.
Before you increase your budget, make sure: Your phone number is huge and at the top. Your site loads fast on a crappy 4G connection. You have a clear "Get a Quote" button. You show photos of your actual team and your actual work. People buy from people, not stock photos of guys in shiny hardhats from America.
"If your website looks like it was built in 2005, no amount of Google Ads spend will save you; people will click your ad, see your site, and immediately bounce back to your competitor."
— Lisa Nguyen, Digital Strategy Consultant
The Trap of "Smart" Campaigns
Google has this thing called "Smart Campaigns." They tell you it’s easy—just give them your credit card, and they’ll do the rest.
Don’t do it. It’s like giving your wallet to a teenager and telling them to go buy groceries. They’ll come back with some bread, but also a lot of lollies and a magazine you didn't want.
Smart campaigns give you zero control. You can’t see what keywords people used, and you can’t see which ones are burning your cash. We always use "Manual" or "Expert" mode. It’s more work, but it means every dollar is accounted for.
How Long Until You See Results?
I’ll be straight with you. If someone says they can double your business in 24 hours, they’re lying.
Google Ads is a game of data. The first month is usually about finding out what doesn't work. We find the junk keywords and turn them off. We find the ads that people don't like and rewrite them.
By month two, things start to steady out. By month three, you should be seeing a clear pattern of "I spent X and I made Y." If you aren't seeing that by day 90, something is fundamentally wrong with your offer or your website.
Is Your Budget Too Small?
This is a hard conversation to have, but sometimes your budget is just too low for your industry. If you’re a lawyer in the CBD and clicks cost $40 each, a $20 a day budget is useless. You’ll get one click every two days. You’ll never get enough data to know what’s working.
In that case, you’re better off taking that money and spending it on a better sign for your shop or some flyers. Google Ads works best when you have enough "fuel" to get the engine running.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re worried you’re wasting money, do this today: 1. Open your Google Ads account. 2. Look at your "Search Terms" report. 3. If you see words that have nothing to do with your business, tick the box and click "Add as Negative Keyword." 4. Check your website on your own phone. Try to call yourself. If it’s hard to do, fix it.
Setting a budget isn't a "set and forget" job. It’s a weekly check-up to make sure you’re still winning.
If you want someone to take a proper look at your account and tell you where the holes are, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We don't do jargon, and we don't do fluff. Just more phone calls for your business.
Ready to sort it out? Let's chat.