Google Ads for Adelaide tradies
I’ve inherited more than one Google Ads account that was quietly burning through a client’s budget on searches that had nothing to do with their business. One was a fencing contractor paying for clicks on “fence sitting quotes” — as in, the idiom. Nobody had checked in months.
Google Ads works, properly managed. It’s also one of the easiest things to run badly and still show a dashboard full of numbers that look fine.
What proper management actually looks like
- Campaigns built around what you actually do and where you actually work — not broad match keywords that catch anything vaguely related
- Negative keywords set up from day one, so you’re not paying for irrelevant clicks
- Landing pages that match the ad, so someone clicking “emergency plumber Adelaide” lands on a page about emergency plumbing, not your homepage
- Weekly or fortnightly checks on what’s working and what’s bleeding money, adjusted as we go
- Reporting that tells you calls and leads, not just clicks and impressions nobody can bank
Why this costs more than SEO
Growth, the package that includes Google Ads, starts at $1,200/month rather than the $700 Local package. That’s not padding — running ads properly takes real, ongoing attention. Campaigns need checking regularly, not set-and-forget. If you want cheap ad management, you’ll get cheap ad management, and you’ll pay for it in wasted click spend instead.
Real numbers, one example
A recent Facebook ads campaign for a client expanding into a new market — cold, no existing presence there — pulled in 3,316 enquiries at roughly $34 a lead. I’m not going to pretend every campaign performs the same; industry, competition, and existing brand recognition all matter. But that’s what happens when someone’s actually watching the account instead of letting it run itself.
Common questions
What’s the minimum ad spend I need?
Depends on your trade and how competitive your keywords are — I’ll give you an honest number once I know your industry and area, rather than a generic figure that doesn’t mean anything.
Do you take a percentage of ad spend?
No. My fee is the flat monthly management cost. What you spend on the actual ads goes straight to Google, and I don’t have an incentive to push your budget higher than it needs to be.
Can I see exactly where my money’s going?
Yes — full access to your own Google Ads account, always. This isn’t a black box you’re locked out of.
Want enquiries coming in at a price that actually makes sense?
and I’ll give you a straight answer on whether Ads is even the right move for you yet. Or read the questions people usually ask first. Not ready to chat? Get a free website check.