Google Ads can be transformative for service businesses—or a massive money pit. The difference comes down to strategy, structure, and understanding how service business marketing differs from e-commerce. This guide is specifically for service providers: tradies, professionals, consultants, and local businesses who generate leads rather than direct sales.
Why Google Ads Works for Service Businesses
Unlike social media advertising, Google Ads catches people with intent. When someone searches "emergency plumber Sydney" or "divorce lawyer Melbourne," they're actively looking for a solution. This high-intent traffic converts at dramatically higher rates than interruption-based advertising.
For service businesses, this means:
- Leads are pre-qualified—they already need your service
- You appear exactly when potential customers are searching
- Results can be immediate (unlike SEO's months-long timeline)
- You only pay when someone clicks
- Precise geographic targeting ensures local relevance
Campaign Structure for Service Businesses
Search Campaigns: Your Core Focus
For most service businesses, Search campaigns drive the best results. Structure matters:
Campaign Level:
- Separate campaigns by service type or location
- Set realistic daily budgets based on market opportunity
- Use location targeting that matches your service area
- Schedule ads when your office can answer calls (or use call tracking)
Ad Group Level:
- Tightly themed ad groups around specific services
- 10-20 keywords per ad group maximum
- Match keyword themes to ad copy and landing pages
Example Structure for a Plumber:
- Campaign: Emergency Services → Ad Groups: Blocked Drains, Burst Pipes, Hot Water Emergency
- Campaign: Installations → Ad Groups: Hot Water Installation, Bathroom Renovation, Gas Fitting
- Campaign: Maintenance → Ad Groups: Plumbing Inspection, Annual Service, Tap Repairs
Local Services Ads (Where Available)
Google's Local Services Ads (LSAs) are available for some service categories in Australia. Key differences:
- Pay per lead, not per click
- Google guarantee badge builds trust
- Appear above regular search ads
- Require background checks and verification
If LSAs are available for your industry, they're typically worth testing alongside search campaigns.
Keyword Strategy for Services
High-Intent Keywords
Prioritise keywords that indicate purchase intent:
- Service + location ("accountant Brisbane")
- Service + "near me" ("dentist near me")
- Urgent modifiers ("emergency electrician," "24 hour plumber")
- Booking intent ("hire," "book," "get quote")
Negative Keywords: Critical for Service Businesses
Negative keywords prevent wasted spend. Common negatives for service businesses:
- Job-related: "jobs," "careers," "salary," "hiring"
- DIY-related: "how to," "DIY," "tutorial," "course"
- Free-related: "free," "cheap," "discount" (sometimes)
- Wrong locations: suburbs/cities you don't service
- Competitors: other business names
Match Types
For service businesses starting out:
- Phrase match: Good balance of reach and relevance
- Exact match: Highest relevance but limits reach
- Broad match: Use cautiously with robust negatives
Ad Copy That Converts
Responsive Search Ads Best Practices
Google now uses responsive search ads as standard. Tips for service businesses:
Headlines (write 10-15):
- Include location: "Sydney's Trusted Electricians"
- Include service: "24/7 Emergency Plumbing"
- Include differentiators: "Same Day Service Available"
- Include trust signals: "Licensed & Insured"
- Include call to action: "Call Now for Free Quote"
Descriptions (write 4):
- Expand on your key benefits
- Include your guarantee or unique selling point
- Mention experience and credentials
- End with clear call to action
Ad Extensions (Now Called Assets)
Extensions increase ad size and click-through rates. Use:
- Call extensions: Essential for service businesses
- Location extensions: Show your business address
- Sitelink extensions: Link to specific services, contact page, about page
- Callout extensions: "Free Quotes," "Same Day Service," "Licensed"
- Structured snippets: List service types
Landing Pages for Lead Generation
Your landing page is where conversions happen or don't. Essential elements:
- Match message to ad: If the ad says "emergency plumber," the page should be about emergency plumbing
- Clear phone number: Click-to-call prominent on mobile
- Contact form: Above the fold, minimal fields
- Trust signals: Reviews, credentials, guarantees
- Service areas: Confirm you work in their location
- Fast loading: Slow pages kill conversions
Tracking and Measurement
For service businesses, track:
- Phone calls: Use call tracking numbers to attribute calls to ads
- Form submissions: Track as conversions in Google Ads
- Call duration: Filter out short calls that aren't leads
- Cost per lead: Your key efficiency metric
- Lead quality: Track which leads become customers
Set up conversion tracking properly from day one. Without it, you're flying blind.
Budget and Bidding
Starting Budget Guidelines
Minimum budget depends on your market, but general guidelines:
- Small local market: $500-$1,000/month to start
- Medium market: $1,000-$3,000/month
- Competitive metro market: $3,000-$10,000/month
Bidding Strategy
For new campaigns:
- Start with Manual CPC to control costs and learn
- Once you have 30+ conversions, test automated bidding
- Target CPA or Maximise Conversions often works well for lead generation
- Never use Maximise Clicks alone—it optimises for clicks, not leads
Common Mistakes Service Businesses Make
- Broad keywords without negatives: "Plumber" shows for "plumber jobs," "how to become a plumber," etc.
- Targeting too wide an area: Focus on where you actually want to work
- Sending traffic to the homepage: Use dedicated landing pages for each service
- Not tracking calls: Phone calls are often your primary conversion
- Setting and forgetting: Regular optimisation is essential
- Competing on price alone: Differentiate on value, speed, quality
Getting Started
- Define your most profitable service and target location
- Research keywords and estimated costs
- Create or optimise landing pages
- Set up conversion tracking for calls and forms
- Build campaign with tight ad groups
- Start with conservative budget and optimise based on data
- Review and optimise weekly for the first few months
Google Ads isn't set-and-forget. But done right, it's one of the most predictable and scalable ways to generate leads for service businesses.