Trades and construction marketing
Google Ads
for tradies.
For a tradie, Google Ads works best as search ads on the jobs you want, shown in the areas you actually travel to, during the hours someone can answer the phone. Judge it on jobs won, not clicks or even leads: a $60 lead that rings out is worth nothing. Track calls from ads and calls from the website as conversions, and set an ad schedule that matches when you can pick up.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer who checks the sources. Last checked 2 November 2026.Bid on the jobs
you want.
'Plumber' is expensive and vague: it catches people wanting a quote for a new bathroom, a dripping tap and an apprenticeship. Searches that name the job, like 'hot water system replacement' or 'blocked drain', tell you what the person needs and usually turn into work more often.
Use separate ad groups for the jobs you want most, with ads that name the job and a page that matches. Keep a negative keyword list for what you don't do, so 'DIY', 'jobs' and 'course' searches don't spend your budget.
Where and
when.
Set locations to where you'll actually drive, and check the location option: the default can also reach people who have only shown interest in your area. For most trades, 'Presence' (people in or regularly in the area) is the safer start.
Then match the ad schedule to when calls get answered. An ad that runs at 9pm and sends calls to a phone nobody picks up pays for a lead you'll never win.
Calls are
the conversion.
For most trades, enquiries usually come by phone. Google Ads can track calls from the ad, calls to a number on your website, and taps on your number. Set a minimum call length so a two-second hang-up doesn't count as a lead.
If you show your number in a call ad, Google checks it appears on your website, as text, not in an image. Then follow every lead through to a job, so you know which searches bring work, not just calls.
Cost per job
What does a job
really cost you?
Google Ads reports cost per lead. Your bank account cares about cost per job. Put in your numbers and see the gap, and how much of it is the phone rather than the ads.
Cost per job won
$0
Send the click
somewhere useful.
Sending every ad to the home page makes the visitor hunt for the job they searched. A page for each main job, with the phone number at the top, the areas you cover, a few real photos and your licence number, usually turns more clicks into calls.
The worked example of an electrician's landing page shows one built and explained, including the NSW licence rule and why the phone number has to be text.
How the budget
actually spends.
Google treats your budget as a daily average. On a busy day it can spend up to twice the daily budget, but not more than 30.4 times it across a month. So a $50 a day budget can spend $100 on a Monday and less on a quiet Sunday, and still land around $1,520 for the month.
That's another reason to match the schedule to your hours: a day with lots of searches but nobody on the phone can still use double the budget.
What I see most often
Where tradie ad budgets
leak.
- 1
Ads running when nobody can answer
The schedule is left on all day, every day, and evening calls ring out.
- 2
Broad searches with no negatives
'Plumber jobs', 'plumbing course' and 'how to unblock a drain' all eating into the budget.
- 3
Counting every call as a lead
Short calls, wrong numbers and existing customers all counted, so the account looks better than it is.
- 4
No idea which ads won jobs
Leads go into a diary, not a spreadsheet, so nobody can say which searches turned into paid work.
The honest bit. If you're booked out for six weeks, more ads won't help. Fix your capacity or raise your prices first. Ads are for when you have room for more of the right work.
Questions
people ask.
Are Google Ads worth it for tradies?
Usually, if you answer the phone and target the jobs you want. Judge them on cost per job won. The calculator on this page shows yours.
How much do Google Ads cost for a tradie?
It depends on your trade, area and competition. Work it out from what a job is worth and how many enquiries you win. The trades budget page has a calculator.
Should my ads run 24/7?
Only if someone answers 24/7, or you take emergency work and can respond. Otherwise set an ad schedule that matches your hours.
How do I track calls from Google Ads?
Set up phone call conversions for calls from ads, calls to the number on your website, and taps on your number, with a minimum call length.
Related
Keep
going.
- IndustryLead generation for tradies
- IndustryFacebook ads for tradies
- IndustryAdvertising rules for tradies
- IndustryHow customers choose a tradie
- IndustryGoogle Business Profile for tradies
- IndustryMissed calls: stop losing jobs
- HubTrades and construction marketing
- ServiceGoogle Ads management
- ExampleWorked example: a landing page for an electrician
- RegionGoogle Ads, Central Coast
Get a free
Google Ads audit.
Takes a minute. Audits come back within 1 to 2 business days. For anything else, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
What happens next
- 1I'll ask for read-only access, or just your website for a search audit.
- 2I go through it and write up the 3 biggest fixes.
- 3A 20-minute call to walk you through it. No pitch unless you ask.