Google Ads puts your business at the top of search results for the searches you choose, and you pay when someone clicks. In Vancouver, where many service searches are competitive, that can be a fast way to get enquiries or a fast way to lose money. We run small-business accounts around one rule: before anything goes live, we agree in writing how much you will spend per month and the most you will pay for a single enquiry.
We handle the marketing and the account; we never do the trade work the ads are selling.
How the cap is worked out
Take a real example. Say you are a painter whose average job is $3,200 with a 35% margin, so each job earns $1,120 before overhead. You win about one in four quotes. One enquiry is therefore worth about $280 to you. If you are prepared to spend a third of that on getting it, your ceiling is roughly $93 per enquiry.
If the account produces enquiries at $60, it is profitable and worth growing. At $140, it is not, no matter how many clicks it gets. Having that number agreed before launch keeps every decision honest. The same arithmetic, with a worksheet, is in our first-year budget guide.
Who it is for
- New businesses that need enquiries while their map listing and website build momentum.
- Established businesses with a slow season, a new service line, or a new part of the city to break into.
- Owners who know their job value and close rate, or are willing to work them out with us.
It is not a good fit if you can't take on more work in the next few months, or if you can't fund at least a 60-day test.
What is included
- Search and cost research to estimate what clicks cost for your service in your target areas.
- Account structure by service, with separate campaigns where costs or job values differ a lot.
- Location targeting by neighbourhood radius or postal area, using Google's location targeting options, with exclusions for areas you don't serve.
- Negative keywords so you don't pay for "jobs", "DIY", "free" or searches for competitors' names you have no right to use.
- Ad copy that mentions the areas, response times and proof you can honestly offer.
- Landing pages or page fixes on your website so clicks turn into calls.
- Call and enquiry tracking so we measure cost per enquiry, not just cost per click.
- Weekly checks during the test period, then at least monthly, with a plain report.
Timeline
- Week 1: research, cap agreed, tracking set up.
- Week 2: campaigns live with a conservative daily budget.
- Weeks 3–8: search-term clean-up, bid and ad adjustments, first honest read on cost per enquiry.
- Around day 60–90: decision point: grow, adjust or pause.
How results are measured
The main number is cost per qualified enquiry: total ad spend divided by the calls, texts and emails that were real potential customers in your service area. We also look at how many of those became jobs, using whatever simple record you keep. Clicks and impressions are tracked, but they are not results.
Mistakes to avoid
- Turning on broad match with no negatives. Your ad shows for searches that have nothing to do with you.
- Sending clicks to the home page. A page about the specific service converts better.
- Running ads 24/7 when nobody answers. Missed calls from paid clicks are pure loss; schedule ads for hours you can respond.
- Judging after one week. A few days of data is noise, especially on small budgets. Give a new account at least a month before deciding anything big.
- Bidding on searches outside your hours or area. A click from Surrey at 11 pm costs the same as one from Kitsilano at 10 am, but it is far less likely to become a job you can take.
- Ignoring the map listing. Many people who see your ad check your Google Business Profile before calling.
Plan prices, which do not include ad spend, are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on Google Ads?
Work back from your numbers. Decide the most you can pay for one enquiry and still profit, multiply by the enquiries you can handle in a month, and start below that. Many small businesses test with a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars a month.
Is the ad spend included in your plan price?
No. Ad spend goes straight from your card to Google, so you always see exactly what was spent. Our plan fee covers the planning, building, monitoring and reporting.
Should I target the whole city?
Usually not at first. Targeting the neighbourhoods you reach quickly, and excluding areas you don't serve, keeps costs down and enquiries relevant. You can widen the area once the numbers are proven.
What happens if the ads don't work?
We agree a test period, usually 60 to 90 days, and a target cost per enquiry. If the account can't get near that target, we tell you plainly and recommend pausing rather than burning more budget.
Sources
- Google Ads Help: About location targeting (2026-10-22)