Google Ads can put your business at the top of a Coquitlam search results page tomorrow, but it can also drain an account in a fortnight. The difference is whether every campaign has a cost ceiling worked out from your own numbers. We build that ceiling first, then the campaigns, then the reporting that tells you whether each one is earning its keep.
Start with the ceiling, not the budget
The answer to "how much should we spend" comes after a simpler question: how much can one lead cost before it stops making money? Use your figures:
- Average job value. Say a water-heater swap or a small electrical job averages $1,500.
- Gross margin. At 35%, each job leaves $525 before overheads.
- Close rate. If one in four leads books, multiply by 0.25.
- Break-even cost per lead: $525 × 0.25 = $131.25.
We usually aim the campaign at 50% to 70% of break-even, so roughly $65 to $90 a lead in this example, which leaves room for overheads and profit. Our guide to lead value covers repeat work and maintenance plans, which can justify a higher ceiling.
Who this is for
Google Ads suits Coquitlam businesses that:
- need calls quickly, for a new service, a new crew or a slow month
- know their job values, or will estimate them honestly with us
- can answer the phone or reply to texts within minutes during business hours
- want control over which neighbourhoods and hours they pay for
It's a poor fit for anyone who can't handle more work right now. Ads that bring calls you have to turn away train Google to send you more of the wrong traffic.
What's included
- Account setup in your name, with conversion tracking for calls, texts and emails
- Search campaigns grouped by service, with negative keywords to block DIY, job-seeker and supply-store searches
- Local Services Ads where your trade is eligible, including help preparing for Google's screening
- Location settings that cover your real service area and exclude places you won't travel to
- Ad schedules that match when you answer, with lower bids or pauses after hours
- Landing pages that match the ad, show your phone number and explain your Coquitlam service area
- Weekly checks of search terms and monthly written reports
Timeline
| Period | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Tracking, account structure, ceiling agreed |
| Weeks 2–4 | Campaigns live, search terms cleaned daily at first |
| Months 2–3 | Bids shifted toward the services and districts that book |
| Month 4 onward | Steady-state management, seasonal adjustments, tests of new services |
How results are measured
We report cost per lead and, wherever you can share it, cost per booked job, split by campaign and by area. Clicks and impressions appear in the appendix, not the headline. The same discipline sat behind HVACDeal.ca, one of the results from our HVAC work, which produced 500+ leads at a 12:1 ROI.
If a campaign stays above the ceiling for a full month after fixes, we recommend pausing it and moving the money. You won't have to ask.
When Google Ads isn't the answer
Paid search isn't always the right first move. If your Google Business Profile has three reviews and a competitor's has three hundred, people who click your ad may still choose them. If your website takes eight seconds to load on a phone, you'll pay for visitors who leave. In those cases we'll recommend fixing the profile and site first, then switching ads on once the basics can convert.
Mistakes we see in Coquitlam accounts
- Broad match left unwatched. A search for "drain cleaning chemicals" isn't a customer.
- Targeting "people interested in" Coquitlam. The default location setting can show ads to people outside the city. We use presence-based targeting.
- One campaign for every service. Emergency repairs and planned renovations need different bids, schedules and messages.
- Sending ads to the home page. People clicking "basement leak repair" want that page, with that phone number, right away.
- No call recording or tracking. Without it, nobody can say which ads booked jobs.
Ads work best alongside local SEO, which keeps calls coming when you lower spend. For campaigns aimed at new neighbourhoods, see growth-area campaigns. Fees for management are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
How much should we spend on ads?
Enough to collect useful data, which for most Coquitlam trades means at least a few hundred dollars a week in the first month. We set the figure from your break-even cost per lead and the number of jobs you can actually handle.
Is the ad spend included in your fee?
No. Ad spend is billed by Google directly to your card, in an account owned by your business. Our fee covers planning, building, management and reporting.
What are Local Services Ads?
They are Google's pay-per-lead ads that appear above regular search ads for many home-service categories. Availability and screening rules depend on your trade, so we check eligibility before planning around them.
Can we target only certain neighbourhoods?
Yes. Campaigns can be limited by postal area or radius, and bids can be raised or lowered for parts of the city that convert better or worse.