Tradie advertising: Google and Facebook ads for the work you want.
Compare paid search and Meta advertising for Australian trade businesses. Choose the right job types and service areas, then track enquiries through to bookings.
- 1Confirm your service area and capacity
- 2Choose relevant job types
- 3Check platform eligibility
- 4Connect call and form tracking
- 5Assign every enquiry a follow-up
How paid advertising is charged and managed.
Media spend is separate from management and conversion software. Ask what each quote covers; no platform can guarantee the number or value of jobs your campaign will book.
Google Search Ads
Target relevant service searches and suburbs. Use negative keywords, suitable landing pages and call tracking to reduce irrelevant enquiries.
Facebook & Instagram (Meta) ads
Show genuine completed projects for planned work. Judge lead forms by qualified enquiries and bookings, not cheap form submissions alone.
Local Services Ads — check eligibility
Check availability directly with Google before budgeting. This is not a promise that Local Services Ads are available to Australian tradies.
How to know which advertising books jobs.
Use a different number per channel
Call tracking numbers on your ads, your van, your website and your flyers. When the phone rings you know instantly what paid for it.
Tag every online link
UTM parameters on ads, email and social links so your analytics attributes each booked job to the right campaign.
Ask and record the source
'How did you hear about us?' logged in the CRM against every job. Six months of this data will change where your money goes.
Measure cost per booked job
Not clicks, not impressions, not leads. Spend divided by jobs booked. Anything above your gross profit per job gets cut or fixed.
For the wider plan, read marketing for tradies. Paid advertising needs a reliable answering process. Give callers a next step when you are unavailable — see the AI receptionist for tradies guide.
Related guides.
Google Ads for Tradies
Keyword lists, budgets and the ad copy that books jobs.
Read the Google Ads for Tradies guideMarketing for Tradies
Costs, channels and a 90-day plan for the full online stack.
Read the Marketing for Tradies guideSEO for Tradies
Rank in Maps and organic search across your service suburbs.
Read the SEO for Tradies guideMarketing Agency for Tradies
When to hire an agency, what to pay and what to demand.
Read the Marketing Agency for Tradies guideTradie advertising — your questions.
Should tradies use Google Ads or Facebook ads?
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Google Search ads can reach customers searching for a service now. Facebook and Instagram ads can show completed work to people planning a project. Choose based on job type, service area and tracked bookings.
How much should a tradie spend on paid advertising?
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Set a test budget based on available capacity and gross profit per job. Separate media spend from campaign management and software fees. There is no guaranteed cost per lead or booked job.
Are Local Services Ads available for tradies in Australia?
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Check Google’s current country, area and trade eligibility before planning a campaign. Availability and verification rules vary. Do not assume Local Services Ads are available for your Australian business; use eligible Search campaigns where appropriate.
What should a Facebook or Meta lead ad include?
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Use genuine job photos, a clear service area and an accurate offer. Ask only the details needed to assess the enquiry, and arrange prompt follow-up with the customer’s permission.
How do I track which ads book jobs?
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Use campaign tags, call tracking and a CRM record that connects the enquiry to its booking outcome. Divide campaign spend by confirmed bookings and compare it with job profitability.
Not sure where your ad budget should go?
Book a free discovery call and we'll tell you which channels suit your trade, your suburbs and your job values.