Why Most Brisbane Business Owners Are Flying Blind
I’ve sat down with a lot of business owners from Chermside to Logan, and almost all of them tell me the same thing: "I’m spending $2,000 a month on Google, but I have no idea if it’s actually working."
They see money leaving their bank account, they see people clicking on their ads, but they can't tell which of those clicks turned into a $500 plumbing job or a $10,000 kitchen renovation.
If you can’t see exactly where your leads are coming from, you aren't marketing—you're gambling. In the industry, we call the setup that tracks this "conversion tracking," but for you, it’s simply the "Proof of Profit" system. When it’s broken, you’re throwing money into a black hole.
Here is how to tell if your tracking is lying to you, why it matters for your bottom line, and how to fix it so you can finally stop wasting ad money while you’re out on the tools or asleep.
The Cost of "Broken" Tracking
Imagine you own a landscaping business. You run two ads: one for "Decks" and one for "Mowing." You get 10 phone calls this week.
If your tracking is broken, you might think, "Great, Google is working!" But what if 9 of those calls were for $50 lawn mows and the 1 call for a $15,000 deck came from a referral, not Google? You might keep spending more on the "Mowing" ads thinking they are the winner, while actually losing money on every job once you factor in travel and petrol.
When your tracking is set up correctly, Google’s smart systems learn who your best customers are. If it knows that people who click your "Decks" ad actually call you, it will show your ad to more people like them. If the tracking is broken, Google is essentially guessing with your credit card.
Three Signs Your Tracking Is Lying to You
Before we get into the fixes, you need to know if you have a problem. Check these three things today:
1. The Numbers Don’t Match Your Bank Account
If Google Ads says you got 50 "conversions" last month, but your phone only rang 10 times and you only got 5 emails, something is wrong. Usually, this means Google is counting things that aren't actually sales—like someone clicking your "Contact Us" page but never actually sending a message.2. You See "Repeat" Customers That Aren't Real
I once looked at a cabinet maker’s account in Morningside. Google claimed he had 100 leads in a week. It turned out that every time the owner refreshed his own website, Google counted it as a new lead. He was effectively paying to watch his own site. If your numbers look too good to be true, they probably are.3. You Aren't Tracking Phone Calls Properly
For most Brisbane tradies and local shops, the phone call is the most important thing. If you are only tracking email forms, you are missing 70% of the picture. If your Google Ads dashboard doesn't show you exactly how many calls lasted over 60 seconds, your tracking is incomplete.How to Fix It (Without Becoming a Tech Expert)
You don't need to know how to code to ensure your marketing is working. You just need to make sure these four pillars are solid.
Pillar 1: Tracking the "Thank You," Not the "Click"
This is the biggest mistake I see. Many businesses track a click on the "Submit" button. The problem? If someone forgets to enter their phone number and the form shows an error, Google still counts that as a win.You should only count a lead when the customer sees a "Thank You" page. This is a separate page that only appears after the message has successfully been sent. It’s the only way to be 100% sure a human actually reached out to you.
Pillar 2: Phone Call Recording and Duration
Not all phone calls are created equal. A 5-second call is usually a wrong number or a telemarketer. A 2-minute call is a potential customer.Your setup should be configured to only count a "conversion" if the call lasts long enough to be a real enquiry. This helps optimise your budget because it tells Google to stop finding people who hang up and start finding people who actually want to talk business.
Pillar 3: The "Phone Match" Test
Here is a simple test you can do right now. Go to your website on your mobile phone. Now, go to Google, search for your business, and click on your own ad (yes, it will cost you a couple of dollars, but it’s worth it).Does the phone number on your website change slightly? It should. This is called a "forwarding number." Google swaps your real number for a temporary one so it can track the call. If the number stays exactly the same as your normal office line, you aren't tracking calls from ads properly.
Why Your Competitors Are Winning (It's Not Just a Bigger Budget)
You might see a competitor’s ads everywhere and wonder how they afford it. Often, it’s because their tracking is so dialed in that they know exactly how much they can afford to pay for a lead.
If they know that every 5 calls results in a $2,000 job, they are happy to pay $40 per call. If you don't know your numbers, you'll get nervous and turn your ads off just when they are starting to work. This is especially true when trying to win more jobs during the slower months in Queensland, like the post-Christmas slump.
Common "Glitches" That Waste Your Money
Even if you had everything set up perfectly six months ago, things break. Websites get updated, plugins stop working, and Google changes its rules. Here are the most common reasons tracking stops working:
Website Updates: Your nephew or a cheap freelancer updated your website and accidentally deleted the "tracking code" that talks to Google. Slow Website: If your site takes 10 seconds to load on a phone, people will click the ad, get frustrated, and leave before the tracking code even has a chance to fire. You paid for the click, but you'll never know who it was.
- Cookie Banners: Those annoying pop-ups asking for permission to use cookies? If they aren't set up right, they can block Google from seeing when a sale happens.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don't try to fix everything at once. Start here:
1. Check your Google Ads "Conversions" tab. Look at the names of the things being tracked. If you see things like "Page View" or "Directions," these are "fluff" metrics. They don't put money in the bank. Disable them and focus only on "Phone Calls" and "Form Submissions." 2. Test your forms. Go to your site and send yourself a test enquiry. Does it take you to a "Thank You" page? If not, call your web person and ask them to set one up. 3. Check call lengths. If your ads say you got 20 calls but you don't remember the phone ringing that much, look at the call reports. You'll likely find most were under 10 seconds.
Is It Worth Hiring a Professional?
Look, I’ll be blunt. You can spend 20 hours watching YouTube videos trying to figure out "Tag Manager" and "Global Site Tags," or you can spend that time running your business.
Setting up tracking correctly usually takes a professional a few hours, but it can save you thousands of dollars in wasted ad spend over a year. If you are spending more than $1,000 a month on Google Ads, having a pro audit your tracking is a no-brainer. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing.
At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in making sure Brisbane businesses aren't just getting "clicks," but are getting actual customers. We don't care about fancy reports; we care about your phone ringing with people who want to pay you money.
If you’re tired of wondering if your ads are working, we can help. We’ll look under the hood, fix the leaks, and make sure every dollar you spend is working toward a sale.
Ready to see the real results from your ads? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your tracking sorted so you can grow with confidence.