Why Your Google Ads Are Burning Cash (And How to Fix It)
If you’ve been running Google Ads for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard of "Performance Max" or PMax. Google sells it as a magic button: you give them your credit card, some photos, and a link to your website, and their robots do the rest.
In reality, for most small business owners in Brisbane, PMax is a great way to send money to Google while getting very little in return. I’ve seen tradies in Chermside and law firms in the CBD blow thousands of dollars because they let Google’s robots run wild without any guardrails.
Today, I’m going to show you how to structure your ads properly. We aren't going to talk about "algorithms" or "data modeling." We are going to talk about how to bundle your services so that when someone in Brisbane searches for what you do, they see an ad that actually makes them want to pick up the phone.
The Problem with the "One Size Fits All" Approach
Most business owners make a massive mistake. They create one single group of ads and throw everything into it.
Imagine you’re a plumber. You do emergency repairs, hot water system installs, and bathroom renovations. If you put all of those into one bucket, Google might show a photo of a beautiful new bathroom to someone whose toilet is currently overflowing.
That person doesn't want to see a renovation; they want a 24/7 repairman. They won't click, or worse, they’ll click, see you do renovations, and leave. You just paid $15 for a click that was never going to buy.
To see real results, you need to win with Google Ads by being specific. In the marketing world, we call this "Asset Group Structuring," but for you, it just means "Organising your stuff so it makes sense to the customer."
Step 1: Group Your Services Like a Menu
Think of your business like a restaurant menu. You don't just list "Food." You have starters, mains, and desserts. Your ads should be exactly the same.
For every distinct service you offer, you need a separate group. Here is how a local Brisbane landscaping business should break it down:
Group A: Retaining Walls. Photos of walls, headlines about structural integrity, and links to your retaining wall page. Group B: Turf Laying. Photos of green grass, headlines about instant lawns, and links to your turf page. Group C: Garden Maintenance. Photos of tidy hedges, headlines about regular mowing, and links to your maintenance page.
When you do this, Google’s robot gets smarter. It learns that people searching for "retaining walls in Indooroopilly" respond better to the retaining wall group. This is how you get more local customers without spending more money. You're simply being more relevant.
Step 2: The Visuals (Don't Use Stock Photos)
Google will ask you for images. Most people go to a stock photo site and download a generic picture of a smiling person in a hard hat.
Stop doing this.
People in Brisbane can spot a fake American stock photo from a mile away. If you’re a local sparky, take a photo of your van parked in front of a recognisable Brisbane street. Take a photo of your team in their actual uniforms.
Real photos get more clicks. More clicks tell Google your ad is good. When Google thinks your ad is good, they charge you less per click. It’s that simple.
What you need for each group:
20 Images: Use real jobs you’ve done. Show the "Before and After." 5 Logos: Make sure they are clear. 5 Videos: Even a 10-second clip of you talking to the camera on a job site is better than a generic slideshow.Step 3: Writing Headlines That Sell
Google gives you a lot of space to write headlines. Don't waste it by being boring.
Don't just write "Plumbing Services Brisbane." Everyone writes that. Instead, focus on what the customer actually wants.
"Fixed Price Hot Water Repairs" "Arrive On Time or It’s Free"
- "Brisbane’s Highest Rated Electrician"
Step 4: Telling Google Who Your Customer Is
This is the "secret sauce" that most small businesses miss. Google lets you give it "signals." This is basically you saying, "Hey Google, look for people like this."
Don't just leave it blank. You can upload your existing customer email list (Google keeps this private) so the system can find people with similar habits. You can also tell Google to target people who have visited your competitors' websites.
If you are a gym in Milton, you want Google to show your ads to people who have been looking at other gyms in the inner west. This is a much better use of your money than just showing ads to "everyone in Brisbane interested in fitness."
Step 5: The "No-Go" Zone (Where Money is Wasted)
One of the biggest traps in PMax is the "Expansion" setting. Google will ask if it can find new search terms for you. Usually, this is just a way for Google to spend your money on junk searches that have nothing to do with your business.
Unless you have a massive budget (over $200 a day), turn off "Final URL Expansion." You want to send people exactly where you want them to go—usually a specific service page, not your homepage.
How Long Until You See Results?
I’ll be honest with you: Google Ads is not an overnight fix. The first 2 to 4 weeks are what we call the "learning phase." The robots are trying to figure out who clicks and who doesn't.
You will likely see some enquiries in the first week, but the real profit starts showing up in month two or three. If you don't have the budget to stick it out for at least 90 days, don't start. You'll just be giving Google a donation.
Summary of Your Action Plan
1. Audit your current ads. Are you dumping everything into one group? If so, stop. 2. Split your services. Create separate groups for your top 3 most profitable services. 3. Update your photos. Delete the stock photos and use real shots of your work in Brisbane. 4. Check your headlines. Make sure they offer a benefit, not just a description. 5. Watch the spend. If a group is spending money but not making the phone ring, kill it and move that budget to the group that is working.
Marketing shouldn't be a mystery. It’s about putting the right offer in front of the right person at the right time. By structuring your Google Ads this way, you’re making it much easier for Brisbane locals to find you and hire you.
If this sounds like too much work while you're trying to run a business, that’s exactly why we’re here. At Local Marketing Group, we handle the technical headaches so you can focus on the jobs coming in.
Ready to get your ads actually working? Contact us today and let’s talk about how to get more customers through your door.