What does marketing cost for a tradie?

Marketing costs depend on what you are paying for. A website, a person managing ads and the money spent on those ads are different costs. If a quote only gives you one monthly figure, ask what is included and what you pay on top.

For a local service business, the useful comparison is not just the fee. It is the work you get, the time it takes off your plate and whether it helps put your work in front of the customers looking for it.

Separate the service fee from ad spend

If a provider manages Google or Meta ads, check whether the monthly fee includes the advertising budget. Often it does not. The management fee pays for the work; ad spend goes to the platform and is an extra cost.

Ask who pays the platform, where the money goes, and how you can see what has been spent. Curlew's $199 monthly service fee is separate from ad spend. The ad money goes to Google and Meta from your own card.

Compare what the monthly fee actually covers

A low fee can be good value if it covers the work you need. It can also leave important jobs, set-up costs or follow-up work outside the package. Ask for a plain list of what happens each month, what is done once at the start, and what still needs your time.

For example, Curlew's one monthly service covers marketing for local service businesses. It brings together digital ads on Google and Meta, posts featuring your jobs on your socials, and work to help you show up when someone searches. A Brisbane team of marketers checks and approves what goes live. AI agents do the legwork.

The goal is straightforward: take the work your business is already doing and put it in front of people looking for that work. The service is $199 a month. There is no contract, and you can leave any month. You send a couple of photos and videos now and then. Ad spend is separate.

Ask what happens after you start

The start-up process matters. Find out what the provider needs from you, what they will set up, and when the first work is expected to go live. Get the answer in writing so you can compare like with like.

Curlew says the first round of ads and social content is live within seven days of coming on board. If it is not, the first month is free. Curlew also offers your money back if you are not happy with your first 30 days. Those are Curlew's stated terms, so check the current details before signing up.

Work out whether the cost makes sense for your business

Start with what you want marketing to do. Do you need more of a particular kind of job, more people in a particular area, or simply a consistent way to show recent work? Then look at the full cost, including ad spend and any other extra charges.

Keep track of the enquiries you get and which ones turn into booked work. Ask the provider what they report and how they connect enquiries to the work being done. No monthly fee, on its own, tells you whether marketing is paying off. That depends on your jobs, margins, service area and how enquiries become customers.

Questions to ask before choosing a provider

• What work is included each month, and what is not?
• Is ad spend separate from the fee? Who pays it?
• What do you need from me, and how often?
• Who checks the work before it goes live?
• What happens in the first few weeks?
• What will I see in the monthly update?
• Can I leave, and what happens to the work and accounts if I do?

A clear answer makes it easier to compare providers. Be wary of promises about a set number of leads or a particular Google position before anyone has looked at your business and the area you work in.

Is a monthly marketing service right for you?

It can suit you if marketing jobs keep slipping behind the work on the tools and you want somebody to keep them moving. It may not suit you if you would rather manage every part yourself, or if you need a specialised campaign beyond what the service covers.

The right choice is the one where you understand the fee, the work, the extra costs and your part in it. If you want to see whether Curlew's monthly service fits your business, get in touch through the enquiry form.