Google Ads for Brisbane Tradies: A Practical Setup Guide

Published 28 October 2026 · Marketing Agency Brisbane

Quick answer: Google Ads can put a Brisbane plumber, electrician, roofer or builder at the top of Google the day the campaign goes live. It works best when you target only the suburbs you actually service, bid on job-specific searches ("blocked drain Carindale", not just "plumber"), block the searches that waste money, track every call and form, and include your QBCC licence details in the ads. Start small, check the search terms weekly, and grow what works.

Why Google Ads suits trades

Most trade work starts with a search. Someone's hot water system dies in Chermside or a storm lifts tiles in Wynnum, and they pick up their phone. Ads appear above the free map and organic results, so a new or quiet business can be seen straight away while its Google Business Profile and SEO build up. If you're weighing up the two, our SEO vs Google Ads guide goes into the trade-offs.

Step 1: Target the suburbs you actually service

Brisbane is spread out, and a job in Redcliffe isn't worth the same to a Springwood electrician as one down the road. Set your location targeting to the suburbs, postcodes or radius you genuinely cover. A Northside business might cover North Lakes to Nundah, while a Southside one might cover Mt Gravatt, Sunnybank and Carindale.

Then check the location option. Google lets you target people who are in or regularly in your area, or people who are also just interested in it. For most trades, "presence" (people in or regularly in your area) is the safer choice. Google explains the difference in its help page on advanced location options.

Step 2: Pick keywords that mean a job

The best keywords describe a problem or a service plus a place. Think like your customer on a bad day.

• Urgent jobs: "emergency plumber Brisbane", "electrician near me", "burst pipe repair".
• Specific services: "split system installation Brisbane", "roof restoration Northside", "switchboard upgrade".
• Suburb searches: "plumber Chermside", "electrician Carindale". Keep these in their own ad groups so the ad can mention the suburb.

Avoid broad, one-word terms like "plumbing" at the start. They're expensive and attract people looking for DIY tips, jobs or supplies.

Step 3: Block the searches that waste money

Negative keywords stop your ads showing for searches that will never become a paying job. Common ones for trades include "jobs", "apprenticeship", "salary", "course", "DIY", "how to", "free" and "Bunnings". Google covers how they work in About negative keywords. Check the search terms report every week in the first month and keep adding to the list. It's the single habit that saves the most money.

Step 4: Make the phone ring

Most trade customers would rather call than fill in a form, especially for urgent work. Add a call asset so your number shows on the ad, and set an ad schedule so ads run when someone can actually answer. If you do genuine after-hours call-outs, run a separate emergency campaign with its own budget.

Send clicks to a page about that service and area, not your home page. It should show your phone number at the top, your licence details, real photos of your work, the suburbs you cover and a short quote form.

Step 5: Track calls and forms, not just clicks

Clicks don't pay the bills. Set up conversion tracking for calls from the ads, calls from your website and form enquiries. Google explains the options in Measure calls from ads. Once that's in place, you can see which keywords and suburbs bring jobs, and cut the ones that don't.

Step 6: Keep your ads QBCC compliant

This one is specific to Queensland. The QBCC says licensed contractors must include the name they're licensed under and their QBCC licence number in their advertising, and it applies online and on social media too. A trading name on its own isn't enough. Unlicensed operators advertising building work must state the value of work they can do, and some work, such as plumbing and drainage, needs a licence whatever the value. Put your licence details in the ad text or assets and on the landing page.

What should a Brisbane tradie budget?

There's no single answer, because click costs vary a lot by trade and suburb. Instead of guessing, work backwards: estimate what an average job is worth to you, decide what you'd happily pay to win one, and start with a budget that gives you enough clicks to learn from in the first month. Google's own Keyword Planner gives rough click-cost estimates for your keywords. Remember that management fees, if you use someone to run the account, are paid on top of your ad spend.

Common mistakes we see

• Targeting all of Brisbane, or all of Queensland, when you only work in a handful of suburbs.
• Sending every click to the home page.
• No call tracking, so nobody knows which ads bring jobs.
• Never checking the search terms report.
• Ads running overnight when the phone goes to voicemail.
• Missing QBCC licence details in ads and on the website.

Want a hand?

If you'd rather spend your time on the tools than in Google Ads, we can set up or review your campaigns through our Google Ads management service, whether you work the Northside, the Southside or right across Brisbane. Send an enquiry using the form. We'll organise an online meeting, or meet in person if you're based in South East Queensland. You can also call 0426 036 987.

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