Why Your Marketing Isn't Bringing in the Leads It Used To
I was sitting down with a cabinet maker in Geebung a few weeks ago. He was frustrated. For three years, he’d been paying a 'specialist' five hundred bucks a month to 'do his SEO.'
He showed me his reports. They were full of charts, percentages, and words like 'backlink profile' and 'keyword density.'
I asked him one simple question: "How many kitchens did you sell from your website last month?"
He went quiet. "None," he said. "Not a single phone call."
That’s the reality for a lot of Brisbane business owners right now. You’re being sold a bag of goods that worked in 2018, but today, it’s just a fast way to set fire to your marketing budget. Google has changed. Your customers have changed. If you’re still using the old playbook, you’re basically invisible.
In this guide, I’m going to walk you through exactly what has stopped working, why it’s a waste of your hard-earned money, and the simple steps you can take to actually get more phone calls from people ready to buy.
1. The Death of 'Keyword Stuffing' (And Why It Makes You Look Cheap)
Remember when you’d see a website that said: "We are the best plumber Brisbane. For Brisbane plumbing services and Brisbane blocked drains, call our Brisbane plumbers today."
It sounds ridiculous, right? It reads like a robot wrote it.
Years ago, you could trick Google by repeating your service and your suburb twenty times on a page. Today, Google is smart. It knows you’re in Brisbane. It knows you’re a plumber. When you write like that now, two things happen:
1. Google ignores you: They’ve built their system to reward helpful, natural writing. 2. Customers leave: If a homeowner in Carindale lands on your site and sees that gibberish, they think you’re a scammer or a low-quality outfit. They’ll click the 'back' button faster than you can blink.
What to do instead:
Stop trying to 'optimise' for a specific word. Instead, write like you’re talking to a mate who needs your help.If you want to understand the basics of how this works without the headache, check out our Australian business SEO guide. The goal is to be the most helpful person on the internet for your specific trade or service.
2. Buying Cheap Links is a Scam
I see this all the time. An 'expert' offers to get you 100 links to your website for $99. It sounds like a bargain.
It’s not. It’s a death sentence for your website’s reputation.
Think of a link from another website like a digital 'word of mouth' recommendation. If a local builder links to your electrical business, that’s a great recommendation. If 100 random websites in Russia or India that have nothing to do with Brisbane or your industry link to you, Google sees it for what it is: cheating.
The Reality Check:
If you buy these cheap links, Google will eventually catch on. They won't just ignore the links; they might remove your website from search results entirely. I’ve seen businesses in New Farm and Milton lose 80% of their leads overnight because they tried to take this shortcut.What actually works:
Instead of buying junk, focus on getting found in every suburb by being a genuine local authority. Real links come from being involved in your community, being listed in legitimate Australian business directories, and having people share your content because it’s actually useful.3. AI-Generated Content That Says Nothing
Everyone is using AI these days. It’s tempting to press a button and have a computer write 50 blog posts for you.
But here’s the problem: AI just remixes what’s already out there. It doesn’t know that the traffic on Gympie Road is a nightmare at 4 PM, or that Brisbane houses have specific issues with termites or humidity.
Google is now actively de-ranking sites that just churn out generic, boring AI fluff. Your customers can smell it too. They want to know they are hiring a human being who knows their stuff, not a computer program.
How to win:
Use AI for ideas, but write the final version yourself. Share your real stories. Mention the job you did in Chermside last week. Show photos of your actual team. Authenticity is your biggest competitive advantage against the big national companies.4. Focusing on 'Rankings' instead of 'Revenue'
If a marketing agency tells you, "We got you to #1 for [obscure keyword nobody cares about]," they are distracting you from the fact that your phone isn't ringing.
Being number one for a word that doesn't result in a sale is a total waste of money. You don't pay your mortgage with 'rankings'; you pay it with bank transfers from happy customers.
The Step-by-Step Fix:
1. Look at your phone: Is it ringing more than last month? 2. Look at your inbox: Are the enquiries coming from people in your service area? 3. Check your 'Google Business Profile': Are people clicking the 'Call' button or 'Directions' button?If the answer is no, it doesn't matter where you 'rank.' Your marketing is failing.
5. Ignoring the 'Google Map' (The 3-Pack)
For a local business, the 'traditional' blue links at the bottom of the page are becoming less important. Most people looking for a service in Brisbane look at the map first.
If you aren't in those top three spots on the map, you’re missing out on about 70% of the local clicks. Many businesses spend thousands on their website but zero effort on their Map listing. That’s a massive mistake.
How to fix your Map listing today:
- Get Reviews: Ask every single happy customer for a Google review. Don't be shy. A business with 50 five-star reviews will beat a business with 5 reviews every time, even if the second business has a 'better' website. - Add Real Photos: People want to see your van, your uniform, and your smiling face. It builds trust. - Update your hours: There's nothing that makes a customer angrier than driving to a shop that says 'Open' on Google but is actually closed.Summary: What You Should Do Now
Marketing in 2024 isn't about outsmarting a computer. It’s about being the best choice for a local customer.
1. Stop the 'cheap' stuff: If it costs $100 and promises the world, it’s a scam. 2. Be helpful: Answer the questions your customers actually ask you on the phone. 3. Be local: Talk about Brisbane, your suburbs, and your local experience. 4. Focus on the phone: If an activity doesn't lead to a call or an email, stop doing it.
Running a business is hard enough without worrying about technical jargon. Focus on being the best at what you do, and make sure your website reflects that.
If you’re tired of paying for marketing that doesn't work and you want a straight-talking partner to help grow your Brisbane business, we should chat.
Ready to get more customers? Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your phone ringing.