Running a successful trade business isn’t just about doing great work—it’s about getting found by the right customers at the right time. That’s where Google PPC comes in. When done right, it puts your business at the top of search results, bringing in a steady flow of quality leads. But when done wrong, it can quickly drain your budget without delivering results.
Many tradies dive into Google advertising for tradies without a proper strategy, assuming that simply “being online” is enough. The truth is, small mistakes in your ad setup can cost you thousands in wasted spend. Here are the five most common errors that tradies make—and how to fix them.
1. Targeting the Wrong Audience
It’s tempting to go after a broad audience, thinking that more clicks mean more jobs. But if your ads aren’t reaching the right people, you’re just throwing money down the drain. Google PPC allows you to narrow your audience by location, search intent, and even the type of device people use.
A Melbourne-based plumber doesn’t need to show ads to someone searching for a plumber in Sydney. If you don’t set location targeting properly, you could end up paying for clicks from people who will never hire you. The fix? Make sure your ads are set to show only in the areas you service and refine your targeting to attract real, local customers.
2. Ignoring Negative Keywords
One of the biggest money-wasting mistakes in Google advertising for tradies is failing to use negative keywords. These are the words that tell Google when not to show your ad.
For example, if you’re a licensed electrician, you don’t want to pay for clicks from people searching for “DIY electrical repairs” or “electrician courses.” Without negative keywords, your ads can appear in irrelevant searches, leading to clicks from people who were never going to hire you in the first place. This means you’re spending money on traffic that will never convert into a paying job.
3. Sending People to a Weak Landing Page
Even the best Google PPC campaign won’t work if your website doesn’t do its job. Many tradies make the mistake of sending ad traffic to a generic homepage that doesn’t convince visitors to take action.
A good landing page needs a clear call-to-action, fast loading speed, mobile-friendly design, and trust-building elements like reviews and past projects. If your ad promises “Emergency Plumber Near You” but your landing page doesn’t clearly explain your services or make it easy to call, people will click away—and you’ll have wasted that ad spend.
4. Not Tracking Conversions
A lot of tradies set up ads, see traffic coming in, and assume it’s working. But without proper conversion tracking, you have no idea if those clicks are turning into phone calls, emails, or booked jobs.
Google provides tools like call tracking and form submission tracking so you can see exactly where your leads are coming from. If you’re not tracking results, you won’t know which keywords and ads are bringing in jobs—and which ones are just burning through your budget.
5. Setting and Forgetting Your Ads
One of the biggest mistakes tradies make with Google advertising for tradies is thinking they can set up an ad campaign and leave it running indefinitely. Google Ads needs constant monitoring and optimisation to ensure it’s performing at its best.
Ad performance changes over time. Competitors launch new campaigns, keyword costs fluctuate, and Google’s algorithm updates can impact your results. A successful Google PPC strategy means reviewing your campaigns regularly, tweaking bids, testing new ad copy, and eliminating underperforming keywords. If you’re not doing this, you’re leaving money on the table.
