Google Ads for Tradies: Getting Started Without Wasting Money

Google Ads can be one of the most effective ways for tradies to generate new work. It can also be a black hole that swallows your marketing budget with nothing to show for it. The difference comes down to setup and management.

Over the years, I have worked with plumbers, electricians, builders, and other trades across South East Queensland. The tradies who succeed with Google Ads do things differently from those who give up after wasting money. This guide covers what actually works for Google Ads.

Why Google Ads Works for Tradies

The fundamental value proposition is straightforward: someone needs a tradie right now, they search Google, and they find you.

Unlike social media advertising where you are interrupting people who were not thinking about your services, Google Ads puts you in front of people actively searching. When someone types “emergency plumber Logan” into Google, they have a problem and they want it solved. That is the ideal customer.

For emergency services especially, Google Ads can be transformative. A burst pipe does not wait for organic rankings to improve through SEO. If you are not appearing for emergency searches, you are leaving money on the table.

The Cost Reality

Let me be direct about costs. Google Ads for trades is competitive in South East Queensland. You should expect to pay:

$8-15 per click for general trade searches
$15-30 per click for emergency searches
$5-10 per click for maintenance and less urgent services

If a click costs $15 and you need 10 clicks to generate one enquiry, each enquiry costs $150. If half your enquiries convert to jobs, each job cost $300 to acquire through Google Ads.

Whether that makes sense depends on your average job value and profit margins. For a plumber whose average emergency job is worth $800, paying $300 to acquire that work is excellent. For a handyman doing $150 odd jobs, the numbers do not work as well.

Calculate your acceptable cost per acquisition before spending a dollar on ads.

Setting Up Your First Campaign

If you are starting from scratch, here is how to set up a campaign that will not waste your money.

Campaign Type: Search Only

When creating a campaign, choose Search. Do not choose Performance Max, Display, or other options yet. Search campaigns put your ads in front of people actively searching—exactly what you want as a tradie.

Performance Max in particular can burn through budget on low-quality placements. It has its place, but not for tradies just getting started.

Location Targeting: Be Specific

Set your location targeting to the areas you actually serve. If you are a Logan plumber, target Logan and surrounding suburbs. Do not target all of Brisbane unless you genuinely service the entire metro area and are prepared to pay premium prices for North Brisbane clicks while you drive from Logan.

Use “Presence” targeting, not “Presence or interest.” The latter shows your ads to people who have shown interest in your area—tourists researching Brisbane trips, people who might move there someday. Not your customers.

Keywords: Start Focused

Keywords are the searches that trigger your ads. Start with a focused list of high-intent keywords:

Good starting keywords for a plumber:

plumber [suburb]
emergency plumber [suburb]
blocked drain [suburb]
hot water repair [suburb]
leak detection [suburb]

Avoid broad terms like:

plumber
plumbing
how to fix a tap

Broad terms attract clicks from people researching, not buying. “How to fix a tap” attracts DIYers. “Emergency plumber Logan” attracts people who need you now.

Use phrase match or exact match for your keywords. Broad match can trigger your ads for barely relevant searches and drain your budget quickly.

Negative Keywords: Equally Important

Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. Essential negative keywords for tradies include:

jobs
careers
salary
training
apprentice
how to
DIY
free
cheap (sometimes)
reviews (people researching, not buying)

Review your search terms report weekly and add negative keywords for any irrelevant searches that triggered your ads.

Ad Copy That Converts

Your ad needs to accomplish three things: qualify the searcher, communicate value, and prompt action.

Headlines:

Include your service and location: “Emergency Plumber Logan”
Highlight response time: “Available 24/7”
Add credibility: “Licensed & Insured”

Description:

Address the pain point
State what makes you different
Include a call to action

Example ad:

Emergency Plumber Logan - Available 24/7 Burst pipes, blocked drains, hot water failures. Licensed and insured with 15+ years experience. Fast response across Logan. Call now for same-day service.

Landing Pages: Not Your Homepage

Do not send ad traffic to your homepage. Create dedicated landing pages for each service or service category.

A good tradie landing page includes:

Clear headline matching the search intent
Phone number prominently displayed (tap-to-call on mobile)
Brief description of the service
Trust signals (license number, insurance, years in business)
Reviews or testimonials
Simple contact form
Service area information

Keep the page focused. The goal is one action: call or submit an enquiry. Learn more in our guide to landing page mistakes.

Budget and Bidding

Starting Budget

Start with a budget you can sustain for at least 90 days. Google Ads requires data to optimise, and you will not get meaningful data from a week of advertising.

A reasonable starting budget for a local tradie is $50-100 per day. Less than that and you may not get enough data to optimise effectively. More than that might burn money while you are still learning.

Bidding Strategy

For new accounts, start with “Maximise Clicks” bidding. This gives Google flexibility to get you as many clicks as possible within your budget.

Once you have conversion tracking set up (see below) and have recorded at least 15-30 conversions, switch to “Maximise Conversions” or “Target CPA” bidding. These strategies optimise for actual leads, not just clicks.

Tracking That Matters

You must track conversions. Without conversion tracking, you cannot know which keywords generate leads and which waste money.

What to Track

For tradies, conversions typically include:

Phone calls from the website
Phone calls from ads (call extensions)
Contact form submissions
Chat enquiries if you use live chat

How to Set It Up

Google Ads can track calls directly from call extensions. For website actions, you need to set up conversion tracking tags on your site—either through Google Ads directly or via Google Tag Manager.

This is technical work. If you are not comfortable with it, get help. Running Google Ads without conversion tracking is like running a business without checking your bank balance.

Common Mistakes Tradies Make

Targeting Too Broadly

I have seen tradies target entire states because “we’ll go anywhere for a big job.” In practice, this means paying Brisbane prices for Cairns clicks when you really only want work in your immediate area.

Using Smart Campaigns

Google heavily promotes “Smart Campaigns” to small businesses. These are simplified campaigns with minimal control. They can work for some businesses, but they limit your ability to optimise and often waste money on low-quality placements.

Stick to Search campaigns where you control the keywords, ads, and targeting.

Not Answering the Phone

This sounds obvious, but if you are paying $15 per click and missing calls, you are literally throwing money away. Have a system for answering calls during business hours and returning after-hours calls promptly.

Consider a call answering service during peak hours if you are frequently on jobs and cannot answer.

Set and Forget

Google Ads requires ongoing attention. At minimum, weekly:

Review search terms and add negative keywords
Check which ads are performing and pause underperformers
Monitor cost per conversion
Adjust bids and budgets based on performance

Expecting Instant Results

Google Ads can generate leads immediately, but optimising campaigns takes time. Expect to spend the first month learning and adjusting. Profitability typically improves significantly after 90 days of active management.

When to Get Help

Google Ads management is a legitimate skill that takes time to develop. Consider professional management if:

You do not have time to learn and manage campaigns yourself
You have tried and struggled to get results
Your business could scale significantly with more leads
The cost of management is less than the efficiency gains

A good Google Ads manager should pay for themselves through improved performance. Ask about their experience with trades specifically and expect transparent reporting.

Getting Started Checklist

Before launching your first campaign:

Calculate your acceptable cost per acquisition
Set up a Google Ads account
Create a dedicated landing page for your primary service
Set up conversion tracking for calls and forms
Research keywords (start with 20-30 focused terms)
Build your negative keyword list
Write at least 3 ad variations
Set a realistic daily budget
Plan time for weekly optimisation

The Bottom Line

Google Ads works for tradies who approach it strategically. It fails for those who expect to set it and forget it, or who target too broadly and hope for the best.

Start focused, track everything, and give yourself time to learn. The tradies who stick with it and optimise consistently find Google Ads becomes a reliable source of quality work.

Want help with Google Ads for your trade business? Platform21 manages Google Ads campaigns for tradies across South East Queensland with full transparency and no hidden fees. Request a free Google Ads audit or explore our Google Ads management to see where you could improve.

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