Stop Wasting Your Ad Budget: Group Your Products Right

Why Your Google Ads Might Be Burning Cash

If you’ve been running Google Ads lately, you’ve likely heard of 'Performance Max' (or PMax). Google pitches it as the 'all-in-one' solution that puts your business in front of people on Search, YouTube, and Maps automatically.

On paper, it sounds great. In reality, I’ve seen dozens of Brisbane business owners—from cabinet makers in Brendale to boutique retailers in Paddington—throw thousands of dollars into a single PMax campaign, only to get a handful of low-quality enquiries.

The problem isn't the tool; it's how you’ve organised your 'Asset Groups'. Think of an Asset Group like a digital salesperson. If you give that salesperson a bag containing a hammer, a wedding cake, and a legal contract, and tell them to 'go sell something,' they’re going to fail.

To make money, you need to group your products or services so Google knows exactly who to talk to. Here is how to structure your ads to ensure people become customers.

The Fundamentals: What is an Asset Group Anyway?

Forget the technical jargon. An Asset Group is simply a collection of pictures, videos, and headlines that focus on one specific part of your business.

If you run a landscaping business, you shouldn't have one ad group for 'Landscaping'. You should have one for 'Retaining Walls', one for 'Turf Installation', and one for 'Garden Design'.

Why? Because the person looking for a retaining wall wants to see photos of stone and timber, not a fresh lawn. When you group things correctly, Google shows the right pictures to the right person. This is the first step if you want to get prices down on your enquiries. When the ad matches the search perfectly, Google rewards you with cheaper costs.

How to Structure Your Groups for Maximum Profit

I’ve looked at the data for hundreds of accounts, and the biggest mistake is being too broad. You need to categorise your business based on two things: Profit Margin and Customer Intent.

1. Group by Your 'Money Makers'

Create a separate group for your high-ticket items. Give them their own specific photos and headlines. This tells Google: "Spend my money finding people who buy the expensive stuff."

2. Group by Specific Problems

When you separate these, you can tell Google exactly who your best customers are by feeding the system specific signals for each group. A landlord looking for a safety certificate is a very different customer than a homeowner with a burst pipe.

The 'Data-First' Approach to Photos and Video

Google is a machine. It needs 'fuel' to work. In PMax, that fuel is your images and videos. Most small business owners in QLD make the mistake of using generic stock photos.

The Rule of Five: For every asset group, try to have: - 5 Real photos of your work (not stock photos from the internet). - 5 Headlines that focus on a benefit (e.g., 'Get a Quote in 2 Hours' vs 'Joe’s Fencing'). - 1 Simple video (even a 15-second clip filmed on your iPhone of a finished job works wonders).

Analytical data shows that ads with 'real-life' local imagery get significantly more clicks than polished, fake-looking corporate shots. People in Brisbane want to see that you’ve actually done work in suburbs they recognise.

What is a Waste of Money?

I’ll be blunt: putting all your products into one 'Catch-All' group is the fastest way to lose money.

When you do this, Google’s system gets confused. It starts showing your ads to people who aren't really looking to buy. You’ll see your 'clicks' go up, but your phone won't ring. If you find you're getting clicks but no sales, it's usually because your asset group is too vague.

You should also avoid the 'Auto-Generated Video' feature if you can. Google will try to make a video for you using your still photos. They usually look terrible and can make your brand look cheap. Spend 10 minutes recording a walkthrough of your shop or a project site instead.

How Long Until You See Results?

This isn't an overnight fix. Google’s system needs to 'learn'. - Week 1-2: The 'Learning Phase'. You might see some spend but few calls. Don't panic and don't change anything. - Week 3-4: You should start seeing more relevant enquiries. This is where you stop guessing and start seeing which groups are actually performing. - Month 2: This is the 'Sweet Spot'. By now, you’ll know which asset groups are making money and which ones are duds. You can then move your budget away from the duds and into the winners.

Your Action Plan

If you want to fix your ads this week, do this:

1. Audit your current ads: Do you have just one group for everything? If yes, that's your first problem. 2. Pick your top 3 services or products: These should be the ones that make you the most profit or that you’re best at. 3. Create 3 distinct Asset Groups: One for each. Give each its own specific photos and headlines. 4. Check your 'Audience Signals': For each group, tell Google to look for people who have searched for those specific terms (e.g., for the 'Retaining Wall' group, target people searching for 'retaining wall builders Brisbane').

Summary

Structuring your Google Ads correctly isn't about being a tech genius; it's about being a good organiser. If you organise your ads the same way you organise your workshop or your store—with a specific place for everything—Google will reward you with more customers and less wasted cash.

Most Brisbane business owners are too busy to mess around with this stuff, which is why they often settle for 'good enough'. But in a competitive market, 'good enough' usually means you're overpaying for leads.

Ready to stop wasting money on ads that don't work?

At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane businesses get more phone calls and bookings without the technical headache. We handle the structure, the data, and the tracking so you can focus on running your business.

Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can help you grow.