Google Ads can be a powerful way for garages to attract new customers, increase bookings, and stay visible in a competitive local market. But when campaigns are not set up correctly, garages often end up paying too much for low-quality clicks or irrelevant traffic. Understanding what works and what wastes money is essential for making Google Ads profitable rather than painful.
What Works
1. Targeting High-Intent Local Keywords
The most effective campaigns focus on the searches people use when ready to book: MOT near me, car service near me, brake repair near me, diagnostics near me. These keywords indicate a clear need. Bidding on them usually leads to more calls and bookings compared to broader, generic terms.
2. Using Location Targeting Correctly
Garages should only show ads within a tight radius around their business. Most customers will not travel far for standard servicing or repairs, so targeting too wide wastes budget. A well-configured radius ensures ads only show to people close enough to realistically become customers.
3. Creating Dedicated Landing Pages
Sending paid traffic to a homepage often leads to lost leads. Instead, garages should create landing pages for individual services such as MOT testing or tyre fitting. These pages convert higher because they give the user exactly what they searched for, along with a booking button and clear pricing.
4. Using Call Extensions and Call-Only Ads
Many customers prefer to phone the garage directly rather than fill out a form. Call extensions make it easy for them to tap and call straight from the ad. Call-only ads work extremely well for emergency services and quick repairs.
5. Tracking Every Lead
What gets measured gets improved. Tracking calls, contact forms, and booking submissions allows garages to see which keywords and ads generate real customers. This prevents guessing and helps allocate budget to what brings real results.
What Wastes Money
1. Bidding on Broad, Generic Keywords
Keywords like car repair or garage can drain a budget quickly. They attract curious browsers and price-shoppers rather than customers ready to book. Without tight targeting, garages often pay for clicks from people far outside their area or searching for unrelated services.
2. Targeting Too Wide an Area
Targeting an entire region, city, or county wastes money because people rarely travel long distances for everyday garage work. Ads should be targeted locally, ideally within a few miles of your premises.
3. Not Excluding Irrelevant Searches
Negative keywords prevent your ads showing for irrelevant terms such as car sales, DIY fixes, tools, or mechanic jobs. Without a solid negative keyword list, garages pay for clicks that will never convert.
4. Sending Traffic to Slow or Poorly Designed Websites
Even the best ad cannot convert well if the website takes too long to load or makes it difficult to book. Slow websites increase bounce rates and cost more per customer. A fast, clear landing page is essential.
5. Running Google Ads Without Conversion Tracking
Without tracking, garages have no idea which ads work. This often leads to wasted spend and poor decisions based on assumptions. Conversion tracking is non-negotiable for profitable advertising.
Final Thoughts
Google Ads can be one of the most effective ways for garages to bring in new bookings — but only with the right strategy. By focusing on targeted, high-intent keywords, using strong landing pages, and eliminating wasted spend, garages can turn Google Ads into a reliable source of customers rather than a drain on the budget.
