"We need Google Ads"
This is one of the most common things business owners say after their website goes live. The website's up, the phone hasn't started ringing, and the natural next thought is: *"We need to advertise on Google."*
It's a fair instinct. But here's the thing — Google Ads is almost always the wrong place to start.
There's a free tool that brings in more customers, costs nothing, and only takes about 15 minutes to set up. And if you skip it, every dollar you spend on Google Ads is going to work harder than it should have to.
That free tool is called Google Business Profile.
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What is Google Business Profile?
You know when you search "plumber near me" or "best cafe Cranbourne" on Google, and a map pops up at the top with three or four businesses on it? Like this:
> 📍 Joe's Plumbing ⭐ 4.8 (52)
> 📍 Cranbourne Pipes & Drains ⭐ 4.7 (38)
> 📍 Allplumb Services ⭐ 4.9 (104)
That map listing is a Google Business Profile. It's free. Anyone can create one. And for local businesses — tradies, cafes, dentists, anyone who serves a specific area — it's the single biggest source of free leads on the internet.
When someone in your area searches for what you do, Google shows them the map first. People click the map results before they click anything else. They check the reviews, look at the photos, then either call you straight from the listing or drive to you.
No ads. No cost. Just visibility.
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Why you should set this up before Google Ads
Here's the order most people get wrong. They think: *"I'll run some Google Ads, get customers, then worry about the rest."*
The problem is that Google Ads sends people to your website. And before they call you, they do one thing: they check your reviews on Google.
If you don't have a Google Business Profile, they can't find your reviews. They can't see your photos. They can't see your address or hours. They see a website, but they don't see *you* — and that makes them nervous.
So they bounce. And you just paid for that click.
Now compare that to a tradie who has a Business Profile set up properly:
- 30+ five-star reviews
- 20 photos of real jobs
- Verified address
- Direct call button
- Clear hours
When *that* tradie runs ads, the people clicking on them are pre-qualified. They've already seen the proof. The ads convert way better, and the cost-per-customer drops in half.
The Business Profile makes the ads work. Skipping straight to ads is like trying to fill a bucket with the bottom missing.
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How to set up Google Business Profile (15 minutes)
Here's the step-by-step. You'll need a Google account (any Gmail works) and about 15 minutes.
Step 1: Go to the Google Business Profile signup
Open this link in your browser:
https://business.google.com/create
Sign in with your Google account, or create a new one if you don't have one yet.
Step 2: Add your business name
Type your full business name as it appears on your invoices and ABN registration. For example:
> *G Cheema Landscaping & Services Pty Ltd*
Don't add extra words like "best landscaper Melbourne" — Google will reject it.
Step 3: Pick your category
Choose the category that best describes what you do. You can add more later. Some common ones for tradies:
- Landscaper
- Plumber
- Electrician
- Concrete contractor
- Fence contractor
- Builder
- Painter
- Roofing contractor
Pick the main thing you do as the primary category. You can add up to 9 more secondary categories afterwards.
Step 4: Add your location
If you have a physical shop or office that customers visit, add the address. If you go *to* customers (most tradies), choose "I deliver goods and services to my customers" and skip the visible address.
Then add your service areas — the suburbs you cover. Add as many as makes sense (10-20 is normal). Examples:
> *Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Berwick, Narre Warren, Clyde, Pakenham, Dandenong, Officer, Hallam, Endeavour Hills*
Step 5: Add your contact details
- Phone number — your main business mobile
- Website — your full URL
If you don't have a website yet, that's a problem. Google takes verified websites way more seriously than businesses without one.
Step 6: Verification
This is the only step you can't skip. Google needs to confirm you're really the owner of the business. There are a few ways:
| Method | Time | Notes |
|--------|------|-------|
| Video ⭐ | 1–3 days | Record a 30-second video showing your work van, your tools, and your face. Fastest method. |
| Postcard | 5–14 days | Google posts a card with a code to your address. Slower but reliable. |
| Phone | Instant | Google calls your number with a PIN. Sometimes available, sometimes not. |
| Email | Instant | Only works if you have a business domain email (like `[email protected]`). Doesn't work with Gmail/Yahoo. |
We recommend the video method if it's offered to you. It's the fastest and avoids waiting for the postcard.
Step 7: After verification — fill it out properly
Once Google approves your Profile, this is where most people stop. Don't. A bare profile gets ignored. Spend another 30 minutes filling in:
- Hours — your real hours, including weekends if you work them
- Description — 2-3 sentences about what you do and where (max 750 characters)
- Services list — every service you offer, with a short description and price (or "from $X")
- Photos — at least 10. Real photos of your work, your van, your tools, your team. Phone photos are fine. No stock images.
- Logo — your business logo if you have one
- Cover photo — one big landscape photo that represents your work
That's it. Once it's live, you'll start showing up in local Google searches within a few days.
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Then comes the reviews
A Business Profile with no reviews still gets ignored. The single biggest thing you can do after setup is ask every happy customer for a review.
Don't wait for them to think of it themselves — they won't. After you finish a job and the customer is happy, send a quick text:
> *"Hey [Name], thanks so much for choosing us! If you've got 30 seconds, a Google review would mean the world. Here's the link: [your review link]"*
You can find your review link inside Google Business Profile under "Get more reviews."
Aim for 20 reviews in your first 3 months. After that, you'll be on the map (literally) for local searches.
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Now — about Google Ads
Once your Business Profile is live, verified, and has at least 10 reviews, then Google Ads starts to make sense. Here's what to expect:
- Budget: Most Melbourne tradies spend $300–$800 per month
- Cost per click: $5–$20 depending on the service (lawyers and emergency plumbers are more expensive than landscapers)
- Cost per lead: $30–$80 for most trades
- Time to first lead: Usually within a week
Google Ads works, but it needs to be set up properly. Wrong keywords, wrong landing page, wrong ad copy — and you'll burn through $500 with nothing to show for it. We recommend either:
- Hiring a freelancer or small agency specifically experienced with tradies. Avoid the big agencies that charge $1,500+/month management fees.
- Doing a one-day Google Ads course yourself if you're hands-on. Google has free training at skillshop.exceedlms.com.
But seriously — don't start with ads. Get your Business Profile sorted first. Free leads first, paid leads second.
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TL;DR
- Set up Google Business Profile at business.google.com/create — 15 minutes, free
- Verify it (video method recommended) — 1–3 days
- Fill it out properly — photos, services, hours, description
- Ask every customer for a review — aim for 20 in 3 months
- Then consider Google Ads, with a $300–$800/month budget
Skip step 1 and you're paying for ads to a website nobody trusts. Start with step 1 and your ads — when you eventually run them — work twice as hard.
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Need help setting yours up? If you're a Websites Factory customer, we can prepare all the content you need (business description, categories, services list, photos) so you just have to copy and paste. Just reply to your last email from us and ask. Not a customer yet? See what we do.