Urgent work: be there when they search
A burst pipe or a dead switchboard means someone is searching right now and calling whoever shows up first. Google Search is built for that moment. Get your ads, Google Business Profile and reviews sorted, and make it dead easy to call you.
Considered work: stay in front of them
Renovators, people moving house and DIYers who've hit their limit take their time. Reach them earlier with social ads and useful content, then stay visible until they're ready to book.
The honest bit
Longer funnels bring more leads that go nowhere. You'll spend time filtering out people who aren't ready or aren't a fit. That's the price of reaching them early. Qualify fast: ask about budget, timing and job size upfront.
The leads that do convert are often bigger jobs, so the extra effort usually pays back.
What To Watch Out For
- Paying outside your area. Check your ads only show where you actually work.
- Ads running when no one answers. A missed call is a job handed to your competitor.
- Chasing DIY searchers with urgent ads. People looking for how-to videos aren't looking to hire.
Your Industry Learnings
- Urgency decides the channel. Emergency means Google.
- Wasted leads are the cost of a long funnel. Qualifying is the fix.
- The fastest reply usually wins the job.
Do this week
- Decide: is most of your work urgent or considered?
- Urgent: check your Google Business Profile and ask 3 happy customers for reviews
- Considered: add 2-3 qualifying questions to your enquiry form
FAQs
Should tradies use Google Ads or Facebook ads?
For emergency and same-day work, Google. For bigger, considered jobs, use social to reach people early and Google to catch them when they're ready.
Why am I getting leads that don't turn into jobs?
Longer funnels attract people who are still browsing. That's normal. Ask about budget, timing and job size upfront to filter fast.
How do I get more calls from Google?
Keep your Business Profile complete, collect reviews, make calling one tap away, and answer the phone every time.