A straight-up breakdown of what you'll actually spend, what results to expect, and how to make sure you're not throwing money away.
If you're a tradie in Sydney wondering what Facebook ads will set you back, here's the quick version:
Most tradies spend $300 to $600 per month on ad spend (the money that goes directly to Facebook) plus a management fee for someone to set up, run, and optimise your campaigns.
The ad spend is the minimum — it's what Facebook charges to show your ads. The management fee varies depending on who you work with and what's included.
That might sound like a lot. But when a single job can be worth $500 to $5,000+ depending on your trade, even one or two extra leads a month can pay for the whole thing. Let's break it all down.
This trips up a lot of tradies, so let's keep it simple.
Ad spend is the budget you give directly to Facebook. It's what Facebook charges to show your ads to people. You pay this through your own Facebook account, and you can see exactly where every dollar goes. Think of it like petrol in a car — it's the fuel that makes the ads run.
Management fee is what you pay your marketing agency (or person) to actually build, run, and optimise the campaigns. This covers strategy, writing the ad copy, designing the images, setting up the targeting, monitoring performance, and making adjustments to get better results over time. Think of it like paying a mechanic — you could technically do it yourself, but you'd probably waste a lot of time and money figuring it out.
At Golden Marketing, we handle Facebook & Instagram Ads management for tradies across Sydney. Ad spend is always separate and paid directly by you to Facebook, so you have full visibility of your budget. Get in touch for a custom quote based on your trade and area.
Not every tradie will spend the same amount. Here's what moves the needle:
If you're targeting a tight area like the Northern Beaches, your costs will generally be lower than someone trying to cover all of Sydney. Smaller audience = less competition for those eyeballs = cheaper clicks.
Electricians and plumbers tend to have more competition on Facebook than, say, a specialist pool fencer. More competition means higher costs per click, but it also usually means the leads are worth more.
Facebook rewards good ads with lower costs. If your ad has a strong image, clear message, and people are actually clicking on it, Facebook will show it to more people for less money. This is where having someone who knows what they're doing makes a real difference.
Where people end up after clicking your ad matters. If they land on a slow, confusing page with no clear way to get in touch, you'll waste most of your ad spend. A clean, fast page with a phone number and a simple form converts way more clicks into actual enquiries.
This is the bit everyone wants to know. Results vary depending on your trade, your area, and your offer — but here's a real example from one of our clients.
We ran a targeted Facebook ad campaign for Connery Electrical, a licensed electrician on the Northern Beaches. In just 11 days, with only $69.90 in ad spend, the campaign generated four converted leads at $17.48 per lead. That's real enquiries from people who needed an electrician — not just likes or clicks.
For context, even one of those jobs could easily be worth $300 to $1,000+. So a $69.90 investment turning into potentially thousands in revenue is a pretty solid return.
Most of our clients start seeing enquiries within two to four weeks of their ads going live. The first week or two is a learning phase where Facebook's algorithm works out who responds best to your ads. After that, results typically improve month on month as we optimise based on real data.
Here's a simple way to think about it:
What's a single job worth to you?
If the average job in your trade is worth $800, and you're getting leads at $20 each, you only need to convert one in 40 leads to break even. In reality, most tradies convert much better than that — especially when the leads are coming from people actively looking for your services in your area.
The maths usually works out strongly in your favour. Even if your conversion rate is modest — say one in five leads turns into a paying job — you're looking at $100 in ad spend to win an $800 job. That's an eight-to-one return.
If you want everything handled under one roof — ads, Google Business, SEO, reporting, and strategy — our Monthly Growth Retainer is the best-value option. Get in touch for pricing.
We see these all the time, and they're easy to avoid:
Hitting that "Boost Post" button on Facebook is tempting because it's easy. But boosted posts give you almost no control over targeting, placements, or optimisation. Running ads through Ads Manager (which is what we do) lets you target specific suburbs, age groups, interests, and behaviours — and it consistently outperforms boosting for lead generation.
If you're an electrician on the Northern Beaches, you don't need to show your ads to people in Parramatta. Tight geographic targeting means your budget goes further and your leads are more likely to actually book a job.
If you're not tracking which ads are generating enquiries, you're flying blind. We set up proper tracking on every campaign so we can see exactly which ads are working, which aren't, and where to put more budget. Without this, you're essentially guessing — and guessing gets expensive.
Facebook ads aren't a magic switch. The algorithm needs data to learn what works, and that takes a bit of time. We typically recommend giving a campaign at least four to six weeks before judging results. Pulling the plug after one week because you haven't got 10 leads yet is like planting a seed and digging it up after two days to check if it's growing.
If you're a tradie in Sydney and you've been thinking about Facebook ads but weren't sure what it would cost or whether it's worth it — hopefully this gives you a clearer picture.
The best way to get an accurate quote for your specific trade and area is to have a quick chat. We'll have a look at your current online presence, give you an honest assessment, and put together a plan with clear pricing. No lock-in contracts, no jargon, no pressure.
Tell us a bit about your business and we'll put together a tailored Facebook ads plan with clear pricing — no obligations.
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