Google Ads vs Meta Ads for Perth tradies, which should you run?
When to pick search, when to pick social, and when running both is the only sensible move.
For Perth tradies, Google Ads suits emergency or break/fix trades (plumbers, electricians, glaziers, HVAC) where homeowners search the moment something goes wrong, while Meta Ads suits considered, higher-value work (landscapers, builders, tilers, fencing) where buyers take weeks to decide. With under about $1,500/mo, pick one channel; with $3,000/mo or more, run both, splitting roughly 60% Google to catch active searchers and 40% Meta to warm up future buyers.
Most tradies in Perth ask the wrong version of this question. It isn't 'Google or Meta?', it's 'where is the homeowner I want to reach right now in their decision?' Answer that and the right channel picks itself.
What each channel actually does
Google Ads catches homeowners who are actively searching, they've got a problem, they've opened a search bar, they're ready to call. The keyword tells you exactly what they need. The downside: clicks are expensive because everyone's bidding for the same intent.
Meta Ads catches homeowners scrolling on the couch, they don't have a problem yet, but they will. You're building demand instead of fighting for it. The downside: lower intent means you need much more volume to convert, and creative is 80% of whether it works.
When to pick Google Ads first
- You do emergency or break/fix work, plumbers, electricians, glaziers, HVAC. Homeowners search the moment something goes wrong
- Your service area has decent search volume (anything in Perth metro qualifies, even cheaper auctions in Mandurah and Midland)
- You need leads inside the first 7 days, not the first 6 months
- Your average job value is over $300, covers the higher CPC
When to pick Meta Ads first
- You do considered, non-emergency work, landscapers, builders, tilers, fencing, homeowners think about it for weeks before searching
- You have good before/after photos or video from past jobs
- Your average job value is over $1,500, supports a longer warming cycle
- You're trying to grow brand awareness in specific suburbs (e.g. premium areas like Subiaco or Scarborough)
Where each channel breaks down
Google Ads breaks if you bid on broad keywords without negatives, you'll burn $400 in a week on 'plumbing' clicks from people looking for a job at a plumbing supply company. I see this on every audit. Match what you bid on to actual buying intent (see Google Ads service).
Meta breaks if your creative is a stock image with your logo. The platform rewards real, native-looking content, phone footage from a recent job, a 30-second to-camera explainer, a 6-second before/after. If you can't or won't shoot creative, Meta will eat your budget without giving leads back.
When to run both
Most established Perth tradies do best on both, splitting roughly 60% Google / 40% Meta. Google catches the bottom of the funnel, people who need you today. Meta catches the top, people who'll need you in 4 weeks and remember your name when they do. Run together, they multiply rather than split.
If you only have $1,500/mo to spend total, pick one. If you have $3,000/mo+, run both. See the pricing page for what each combination looks like.
The wrong question
The wrong question is 'which is better?', both work when run properly, both flop when not. The right question is 'which fits my trade, my buyer's mindset, and my budget right now?' Get an honest answer to that and the channel choice is obvious.
Oliver Gniel · Founder, Forge West