Look, Google is trying to take your money
I’ll be straight with you. Google’s "Performance Max"—or PMax as the nerds call it—is designed to be easy. It’s designed so you can click a few buttons, upload a couple of photos, and let their robot do the work.
But here’s the problem: robots don’t care about your profit margins. They care about spending your budget.
If you’ve ever looked at your Google Ads account and wondered why you’re spending a fortune but not seeing the phone ring or the orders fly in, it’s probably because your "Asset Groups" are a mess.
Think of an Asset Group like a digital salesperson. If you sell work boots and high-end dress shoes, you wouldn’t send the same bloke out to sell both using the same pitch, would you? Of course not. You’d talk to the tradie about durability and the office worker about style.
Most small businesses throw everything into one big bucket. They wonder why the ads look weird and the results are rubbish.
We’re going to fix that today. I’m going to show you how to structure these groups so you’re actually making more sales and not just donating to Google's annual Christmas party fund.
What is an Asset Group anyway?
Forget the jargon. An Asset Group is just a collection of stuff: - Headlines (The text that grabs attention) - Images (What people see) - Videos (If you have them) - Audiances (Who you want to see the ad)
The mistake most people make is they create one group and call it "All Products."
That’s lazy. And it’s expensive.
When you do that, Google might show a picture of a hammer with a headline about a screwdriver. It looks unprofessional, and it wastes your money because nobody clicks on it.
The Golden Rule: One Theme per Group
If you take nothing else away from this, remember this: Each group needs to be about one specific thing.
If you’re a plumber in Brisbane, don’t have an ad group for "Plumbing Services." Have one for "Hot Water Repairs," one for "Blocked Drains," and one for "Emergency Callouts."
Why? Because the person with a flooded kitchen doesn’t care about your fancy new drain camera. They want to know you can get there now.
How to break your business down
Before you touch the computer, grab a pen and a piece of paper. Or a napkin. Whatever’s handy.
List your top 3-5 most profitable services or product categories. Not the ones you wish sold, but the ones that actually pay the bills.
For each one, you need to think about: 1. The Hook: Why do they need this now? 2. The Visual: What does the finished job or product look like? 3. The Person: Who is actually buying this?
If you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to no one. You need to tell Google who to target specifically for each category.
The "Quick Win" Structure
If you’re busy and just want this to work, here is the structure we use for our clients at Local Marketing Group.
1. The Heavy Hitters (Top Sellers)
This group is for the stuff that already sells. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use your best photos and your clearest headlines.2. The High Margin (The Money Makers)
Maybe you don’t sell these as often, but when you do, you make a killing. This group needs its own space so you can afford to spend a bit more to get the right lead.3. The Seasonal / Specials
Running a Christmas sale? Or a "Winter Is Coming" heater service? Put it in its own group. That way, when the season is over, you just flip the switch and turn it off without breaking the rest of your ads.Headlines that don't suck
I see so many ads that are just the business name.
"John’s Electrical Services."
Who cares?
People don't buy your business name. They buy a solution to their problem.
Instead of your name, try: - "Fast Hot Water Repairs Brisbane" - "Fixed Price Drain Clearing" - "Available 24/7 - No Call Out Fee"
See the difference? One is about you. The other is about the customer.
Google gives you a lot of slots for headlines. Use them all. But keep them focused on the theme of that specific group. If the group is about blocked drains, every single headline should mention drains.
Images: Stop using stock photos
We’ve all seen them. The overly happy family sitting on a pristine lawn. The "tradie" with a clean shirt and a tool belt that’s never seen a day’s work.
People see right through that rubbish.
Get your phone out. Take a photo of your actual team, your actual van, or the actual job you just finished.
Real photos get more clicks. More clicks mean more phone calls for your business. It’s that simple.
The "Audience Signal" Secret
This is where most people get tripped up. Google asks for an "Audience Signal."
Think of this as giving the robot a scent to follow. You’re telling Google, "Hey, look for people who look like my existing customers."
Don't just pick broad interests like "Home Improvement." That’s too vague.
Instead, upload your customer email list (if you have one). Or target people who have visited your website before. This gives Google a massive head start.
When to walk away
Setting this up takes time. If you do it right, it’ll take you a few hours to get the photos, write the copy, and sort the groups.
If you’re flat out on the tools or running the shop, you might not have those hours.
That’s fine. But don't just "set and forget" a bad structure. If you can't do it properly, get someone to help. A badly structured PMax campaign is the fastest way to set fire to five grand.
How do you know if it's working?
You need to look at the numbers, but not the ones Google wants you to look at.
Google will tell you about "Impressions" and "Interactions." Those are vanity metrics. They don't pay the mortgage.
You need to look at: 1. Enquiries: Did the phone ring? Did an email come in? 2. Cost per Lead: How much did you pay for that phone call? 3. Quality: Was the person on the other end actually looking to buy, or were they a tyre-kicker?
If your cost per lead is higher than what you make on the job, your structure is wrong. Period.
Common mistakes to avoid
I've seen hundreds of accounts. Here are the most common ways people mess this up:
- Mixing Services: Putting "Roof Tiling" and "Gutter Cleaning" in the same group. Don't do it. - Bad Videos: Google will make a "video" for you using your photos if you don't provide one. They are awful. They look like a PowerPoint presentation from 1995. If you don't have a good video, it's often better to not have one at all, or use a very simple one-shot clip of you talking to the camera. - Ignoring Location: If you only work in North Brisbane, make sure your ads aren't showing to people in Gold Coast. It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised.
My honest take
Google Ads isn't a magic wand. It’s a tool.
If you use it properly—by structuring your asset groups logically and speaking directly to your customers' problems—it’ll make you a lot of money.
If you treat it like a "set and forget" thing, it’ll be the most expensive mistake your business ever makes.
Start small. Pick your best service. Build one perfect Asset Group for it. See what happens.
Once that’s making you money, then you build the next one.
What should you do next?
Go look at your Google Ads account right now.
If you see one group called "Asset Group 1" with 50 different products in it, you’re wasting money.
Split them up. Write better headlines. Use real photos.
If you want someone to take a look at it for you and tell you where the leaks are, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We don't do fluff, and we don't do jargon. We just make sure your ads actually work.
Reach out to us here: https://lmgroup.au/contact