Google Ads come up in almost every conversation I have with tradespeople who want to grow faster. The pitch is straightforward: pay to appear at the top of Google immediately, rather than waiting months for organic rankings to build. It's compelling. But it's also a tool that's easy to use expensively and badly.
Here's an honest assessment of when Google Ads work for trade businesses, and when they don't.
What Google Ads Actually Are
When you search for something on Google, the top two or three results often have a small "Sponsored" label. Those are paid ads. Advertisers bid on specific keywords and pay Google every time someone clicks on their ad.
For trades, the relevant keywords are things like "emergency plumber Brighton," "boiler service Crawley," or "electrician Worthing." These keywords have real buying intent behind them: people typing these searches are usually ready to book.
When They Make Sense
You need work now. Organic search rankings take time to build. If you've just started out or you have a quiet period you need to fill quickly, ads can generate enquiries within days rather than months. As a short-term bridge, they're genuinely useful.
You have a specific, high-value service to promote. Emergency callouts, boiler installations, or specialist work with high average job values can justify relatively expensive cost-per-clicks. If one ad click costs £8 and converts to a £600 job, the maths works.
You have the budget to do it properly. A Google Ads campaign needs regular management to stay efficient. Keywords need testing, bids need adjusting, ads need improving based on what's working. Running a poorly managed campaign is more expensive than not running one at all.
When They Don't Make Sense
You don't have a website that converts. Ads drive people to your website. If your site is slow, unclear, or doesn't have a visible phone number, you're paying for traffic that bounces. Fix the website first.
You're competing for very expensive keywords on a small budget. In larger Sussex towns like Brighton and Crawley, popular trade keywords can cost £10-30 per click. A £100/month budget generates 5-10 clicks, which won't sustain a business. Either budget properly or focus on organic growth instead.
You're using them as a permanent strategy. Ads stop the moment you stop paying. Every pound spent on ads is a pound not spent on building assets (a website, a GBP profile, organic rankings) that compound over time and continue working without an ongoing invoice.
The Alternative (and Why I Usually Recommend It First)
For most trades businesses in Sussex, the most cost-effective path to consistent enquiries is investing in organic foundations first: a well-built website, a fully optimised GBP, and local SEO that builds rankings over time. This takes longer to deliver results but the return on investment is far better over a 12-24 month horizon.
Once that foundation is in place, Google Ads can be layered on top for seasonal pushes or to capture demand in specific areas where your organic presence is still developing.
What to Expect if You Do Run Ads
- Results are immediate but require ongoing budget
- Typical cost-per-lead for a trade business in Sussex: £15-50 depending on service and competition level
- Without proper campaign management, costs drift upward and conversion rates fall
- The most common mistake: running broad keywords without negative keywords, resulting in clicks from irrelevant searches
If you're considering Google Ads and want an honest assessment of whether they make sense for your specific situation, get in touch. I'll tell you what I'd do in your position, even if the answer is to wait.
