Marketing Services
Google Ads
Put your business at the top of Google for high-intent searches and only pay when someone clicks.
Overview
Google Ads explained
Google Ads puts your business at the top of search results for the exact terms customers use when they are ready to buy — not just browsing. Unlike SEO, which builds over months, ads can put you in front of customers within a day of launching a campaign.
The trade-off is cost: you pay per click, so campaigns need clear targeting, sensible budgets, and enquiry tracking to know which spend actually turns into booked work. Done well, Google Ads is one of the fastest ways for a local business to fill gaps in its pipeline.
Cockatoo helps you set campaigns up around the searches and service areas that matter, so budget goes toward clicks likely to become customers.
What to check
Key points
- Reach customers at the exact moment they search for your service.
- You only pay when someone clicks — spend is directly tied to interest.
- Tracking is essential — without it, you cannot tell which clicks convert.
Before you start
What you'll need
- A clear list of the services and suburbs you want to advertise for.
- A realistic daily or monthly budget you are comfortable testing with.
- A website or landing page ready to receive and convert clicks.
- A way to track calls and form submissions back to the campaign.
- A sense of your average job value, so you know what a lead is worth.
Process
How it works
- Identify the high-intent searches worth paying for in your service area.
- Set a starting budget and structure campaigns around your key services.
- Write ads and landing pages that match what the searcher is looking for.
- Connect call and form tracking so results are measurable.
- Review performance weekly and shift spend to what books jobs.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Bidding on broad terms that attract clicks with no intent to buy.
- Sending clicks to a generic homepage instead of a relevant landing page.
- Running ads with no call or enquiry tracking connected.
- Setting a budget once and never reviewing which campaigns perform.
Common questions
Google Ads FAQs
How much should I budget for Google Ads?
Budget depends on your industry, competition, and job value — some trades spend well with a modest monthly budget, others need more to compete. Start with an amount you are comfortable testing, track results closely, and adjust once you know your cost per booked job.
How fast do Google Ads work?
Campaigns can start showing within a day of launch, and clicks often arrive immediately. It typically takes a few weeks of data before you can judge performance properly and refine targeting, bids, and ad copy with confidence.
Is Google Ads better than SEO?
They solve different problems. Google Ads gets you visible immediately but stops the moment you stop paying. SEO takes longer to build but keeps bringing enquiries without an ongoing cost per click. Many businesses run both together.
How do I know if my Google Ads are working?
Track calls, form submissions, and bookings back to your campaigns, not just clicks. A campaign with lots of clicks but no tracked enquiries is not proving its value. Reviewing this weekly lets you shift budget to what actually books jobs.
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