Why Your Google Ads Budget Isn't Bringing in the Jobs You Want
I’ve sat down with a lot of business owners across Brisbane—from electricians in Coorparoo to lawyers in the CBD—and almost all of them say the same thing: "Google Ads is just an expensive way to lose money."
Look, I get it. You set a budget of $50 a day, Google spends it by 10:00 AM, and your phone doesn't ring once. It’s frustrating. But here’s the truth: Google isn't broken, your strategy is. Most small businesses set up their ads the way Google suggests, which is usually designed to make Google money, not you.
In this post, I’m going to bust the biggest myths about how to spend your money on Google Ads. I want to show you how to stop paying for tyre-kickers and start paying for people who actually want to book your services.
Myth #1: You Need a Massive Budget to See Results
This is the biggest lie in the industry. Big agencies will tell you that unless you’re spending $5,000 a month, it’s not worth doing. That’s rubbish.
I’ve seen a local pest control guy in Chermside dominate his suburb on $30 a day because he was smart about where that money went. You don’t need to outspend the big national franchises; you just need to be more surgical.
If you try to show up for every search term in all of South East Queensland, you’ll go broke in a week. But if you focus your money on the specific suburbs you actually want to work in, and the specific jobs that make you the most profit, your small budget will go much further. When you stop wasting cash on broad, useless searches, you suddenly find you have plenty of money to win the jobs that matter.
Myth #2: "Set and Forget" Is a Real Strategy
Google loves it when you set a budget and never look at it again. Why? Because they can keep charging you for clicks that happen at 2:00 AM from people who are just "researching" and have no intention of calling you.
If you’re a tradie, do you really want to pay $15 for a click on a Tuesday at midnight? Probably not. You want that click at 7:00 AM when someone has just discovered a burst pipe and needs a plumber now.
By tightening up when your ads show, you can stop wasting ad money while you’re tucked up in bed. Your budget should be working when your office is open and you’re ready to answer the phone. Every dollar spent when you can't pick up the phone is a dollar potentially flushed away.
Myth #3: High Traffic Equals High Sales
This is the trap most business owners fall into. They look at their Google dashboard and see "1,000 clicks!" and think they’re winning. Clicks don't pay the mortgage. Deposits do.
I’d rather see you get 10 clicks that result in 3 phone calls than 100 clicks that result in nothing. To make this happen, you have to stop bidding on "information" keywords.
For example, if you’re a landscaper, you don't want to pay for someone searching "DIY garden ideas." They want to do it themselves—they aren't going to hire you. You want to pay for the person searching "retaining wall builder Brisbane." That person has a problem and a credit card ready to go. You need to stop paying for clicks and start focusing on the specific searches that lead to a sale.
How to Actually Allocate Your Budget
If you want to see a return on your investment in the next 30 days, here is how I’d tell a mate to set up their budget:
1. Pick Your "Money" Services First
Don't try to advertise everything you do. Pick the two or three services that have the highest profit margin and the shortest sales cycle. If you're a mechanic, don't waste money on "oil changes"—the profit is too low. Target "logbook servicing" or "brake repairs."2. Tighten Your Geography
If you’re based in Logan, don't advertise to people in North Lakes unless you really enjoy sitting in traffic on the Gateway. Focus your budget on the 10-15 suburbs closest to you. You'll save on petrol, and you'll be able to get to quotes faster, which means you'll win more jobs.3. Focus on the "High Intent" Times
Look at your best days for bookings. Is it Monday morning when everyone realizes they didn't fix the problem over the weekend? Put 70% of your budget into those peak windows. You can even lower your spend during your busiest and quietest months to ensure you always have a steady flow of work without being overwhelmed or sitting idle.The Reality of Costs
Let’s talk turkey. How much does this actually cost in Brisbane right now?
In competitive industries like plumbing or electrical, a single click can cost you anywhere from $10 to $40. It sounds like a lot, right? But if it takes 5 clicks to get one phone call, and that call turns into a $600 job, you’ve spent $100 to make $500 in gross profit.
If you do that every day, you’ve got a real business.
Most people fail because they spend $20 a day, get two clicks, don't get a call, and quit after three days. You have to give the system enough "fuel" (budget) to actually get the data it needs to work. Usually, for a local Brisbane business, a starting budget of $1,500 to $2,000 a month is the "sweet spot" to see real, undeniable results.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re currently running ads and they aren't working, do these three things today:
1. Check your "Search Terms" report: Look at what people actually typed into Google to find you. If you see words like "free," "cheap," or "jobs," you are wasting money. Add those as "negative keywords" so your ads never show for them again. 2. Turn off the "Display Network": Google often opts you into showing your ads on random websites and apps. It’s almost always a waste of money for local service businesses. Stick to the Search results. 3. Fix your landing page: If your ad sends people to your homepage and they have to hunt for your phone number, they will leave. Send them to a page that clearly states what you do and has a massive "Call Now" button at the top.
Summary: It’s About Profit, Not Popularity
Google Ads isn't a popularity contest. You don't need everyone in Brisbane to see your name. You just need the person who has an urgent problem to see your name at the exact moment they are looking for a solution.
Stop worrying about the technical settings and start thinking about the person on the other side of the screen. Are they ready to buy? Can they find your phone number? If you focus on those two things, your Google Ads budget will stop being an expense and start being an investment.
Ready to stop guessing and start growing? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses turn their Google Ads into a lead-generating machine. We don't care about clicks; we care about your phone ringing. Contact us today and let's get your budget working for you, not Google.