The Great Marketing Dilemma: Pay Now or Work Now?
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a sparky in Coorparoo, a lawyer in the CBD, or running a boutique shop in Paddington—you’ve likely been hounded by people telling you that you "need to be on Google."
But here’s the thing: nobody tells you the truth about the cost. They either try to sell you expensive ads that stop working the second you stop paying, or they promise to get you to the top of Google "organically" but don't tell you it might take six months to see a single phone call.
At Local Marketing Group, we see small business owners flushing money down the toilet every day because they’re using the wrong tool for their current stage of business.
You have two main choices to get found online: 1. Paid Ads: You pay Google or Facebook every time someone clicks on your name. It’s like a tap. Turn it on, and the leads flow. Turn it off, and the tap runs dry. 2. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): This is the art of making Google like your website so much that they show it to people for free. It’s like planting an orchard. It takes time to fruit, but once it does, you get the harvest without paying for every piece of fruit.
Which one is right for you? It depends entirely on your bank balance and how many customers you can handle today.
The Truth About Paid Ads (Google Ads)
Most people start here because it’s fast. If you’ve got a credit card and a website, you can be at the top of Google by lunchtime.
Why it works
It’s instant. If you’re a plumber and a storm hits Brisbane, you want to be at the top of the search results right now. You don't have time to wait for a blog post to rank. You pay for the top spot, the phone rings, you do the job, and you pay Google their "success fee" (the cost of the click).The Trap
It’s addictive and expensive. I’ve seen businesses in Chermside spending $5,000 a month on ads just to keep their staff busy. The problem? As soon as they stop spending that $5,000, the phone stops ringing. They haven't built an asset; they've rented a lead source. If Google decides to double their prices (which they do), your profit disappears.The Truth About SEO (Getting Found for Free)
SEO is about making sure that when someone types "best accountant Brisbane" or "emergency tree removal," your business shows up in the main list, not the ones with "Ad" written next to them.
Why it works
People trust the organic results more. Think about yourself—do you always click the top ad, or do you skip down to the first "real" result? Most people skip. Once you rank high, those clicks are free. Whether 10 people click or 1,000 people click, your cost remains the same. This is how you build a sales machine without ads that works while you sleep.The Trap
It is slow. If you are starting a new business today and you need to pay rent next week, SEO will not save you. It is a long-term play. Most business owners give up after three months because they haven't seen a "result," not realising they were 80% of the way there.Phase 1: The Start-Up (Revenue: $0 - $100k)
When you’re just starting out, cash is king and time is your only surplus. You probably can't afford a $2,000-a-month marketing agency.
The Strategy: Hustle and Targeted Ads
At this stage, you need money coming in now. You should put a small, controlled amount into Google Ads—maybe $20 or $30 a day—targeting very specific services you offer. Don't try to own the whole of Brisbane. If you’re a tiler in North Lakes, only show ads to people in North Lakes.
While the ads bring in the immediate cash, you need to spend your evenings doing the free stuff. This means getting your Google Business Profile set up, asking every single customer for a review, and making sure your website works on phones. If a customer can't call you with one thumb while standing on a construction site or sitting on a bus, you’ve lost the lead.
What to avoid: Don't sign long-term SEO contracts. You don't have the cash flow to wait six months for a return. Stay lean.
Phase 2: The Growing Business (Revenue: $100k - $500k)
Now you’ve got some runs on the board. You have regular customers, but you’re still working too hard for every lead. This is the "danger zone" where many Brisbane businesses get stuck. They’re too busy to do the marketing themselves, but they feel like they can't afford the big guns.
The Strategy: Diversification
You should still be running ads to keep the baseline of work coming in, but now you must start investing in your "digital real estate." This is where you start focusing on your website loading fast and creating content that answers customer questions.
I spoke to a landscaper in Carindale who was spending a fortune on ads for "landscaping." We changed his strategy to focus on SEO for "retaining walls Brisbane" and "pool fencing." It took four months, but now he gets three enquiries a week for high-value retaining wall jobs without paying a cent to Google for those clicks. That’s pure profit.
What to do first: Fix your website. If it’s slow or looks like it was built in 2005, your ads will be twice as expensive because people will click, see a messy site, and leave immediately. Google also hates slow sites and will hide them from the free results.
Phase 3: The Established Player (Revenue: $500k - $2M+)
At this level, you aren't just looking for "a job." You’re looking for the right jobs. You want the high-margin work, and you want to dominate your local area.
The Strategy: Dominance and Brand
By now, SEO should be your primary lead driver. You want to show up for every possible search related to your business. If you’re a law firm, you don't just want to show up for "lawyer"; you want to show up for "how to settle a property," "what does a conveyancer do," and "divorce laws QLD."
At this stage, you use Ads as a tactical weapon. - Use ads to launch a new service. - Use ads to pick up extra work during a slow month. - Use ads to target your competitors' names (sneaky, but effective).
Your goal here is to prove you're the best choice so that by the time someone calls you, they’ve already seen your name three or four times in the free search results. They already trust you.
How Much Does This Actually Cost?
Let's talk brass tacks. I hate it when agencies hide their pricing behind "custom quotes." Here is the reality for most Brisbane small businesses:
Google Ads Costs
- The Management Fee: An agency will charge you anywhere from $500 to $2,000+ a month just to run the ads for you. - The Ad Spend: This goes straight to Google. For a tradie, you’re looking at $5 to $15 per click. If 10% of people call you, that’s $50 to $150 per lead. If you’re a lawyer or a high-end service, that click can be $50 or more. - Total: Most effective small business ad campaigns start at around $1,500 - $2,500 per month (total spend).SEO Costs
- The Monthly Investment: Good SEO isn't a one-time thing. It’s ongoing work. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $3,000 a month for a proper local campaign. - The Timeframe: You won't see much for 3 months. By 6 months, you should see the phone ringing more. By 12 months, the cost-per-lead is usually much lower than ads.What is a Waste of Money?
I see a lot of rubbish in this industry. Here is what you should avoid spending your hard-earned cash on:
1. Guaranteed #1 Rankings: If an agency guarantees you the #1 spot on Google, they are lying. Nobody owns Google. They might get you to #1 for a keyword nobody searches for, like "underwater basket weaving in Upper Mount Gravatt," but that won't make you money. 2. Cheap SEO ($200/month): You’ll get what you pay for. Usually, this means they’ll use bots to create thousands of low-quality links to your site, which will eventually get you banned by Google. It’s like putting cheap, dirty fuel in a Ferrari—it might run for a minute, but you’re going to blow the engine. 3. Ads Without Tracking: If you don't know exactly how many phone calls came from your ads, stop running them. You’re just guessing. 4. Boosting Posts on Facebook: For most service businesses, "boosting" a post is just giving Mark Zuckerberg a donation. It gets likes, but likes don't pay the mortgage. Targeted ads that solve a problem for a customer are what work.
How Long Until You See Results?
This is the question I get asked most at the pub when people find out what I do.
- Ads: 24 to 48 hours. Once the campaign is live, you are in the game. - SEO: 3 to 9 months. It depends on how competitive your industry is. If you're a mortgage broker in Brisbane, it's a war zone. It will take time. If you have a very niche business in a small suburb, it might only take 8 weeks.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here is the 3-step plan I’d give to a mate:
1. Claim Your Google Business Profile: It’s free. Fill it out completely. Add photos of your work, your team, and your office. Get 10 happy customers to leave a review this week. This is the single most important thing for local Brisbane businesses. 2. Audit Your Website: Open your website on your phone. Try to find your phone number. If it takes more than two seconds or you have to zoom in, fix it. A slow website costs you cash every single day. 3. Pick Your Path: Do you need a job tomorrow? Start a small, targeted Google Ads campaign. Do you want to be the biggest player in your suburb in a year's time? Start your SEO journey now.
The Local Marketing Group Approach
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all marketing. A coffee shop in West End needs a completely different strategy than a pest control company in Ipswich.
We focus on the numbers that matter to you: leads, bookings, and sales. We don't care about "impressions" or "engagement" if they don't result in money in your bank account.
If you’re tired of wondering where your next customer is coming from, or you’re sick of paying for ads that don't seem to be working, let’s have a chat. We’ll look at your business, your revenue level, and tell you exactly what we’d do if it were our money on the line.
Ready to grow your Brisbane business?
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your phone ringing.