Google Ads
What counts as a good cost per lead
A good cost per lead is one that fits the value of the work it brings in. The figure only means something once you know what a new client is worth to the business.
The only comparison that matters
A lead that costs fifty dollars is excellent for a service worth thousands and poor for a single low-value purchase. Before reading any cost per lead figure, write down what a typical piece of work is worth and how many enquiries become paying jobs.
That pair of numbers turns an abstract marketing figure into something the business can actually decide on.
Why the number moves around
Cost per lead shifts with the season, with what competitors are doing and with how much of the market you are trying to buy. A quiet month is not automatically a failure and a strong month is not automatically a promise.
The useful view is a trend across several months rather than a single figure on a single day.
How to bring it down honestly
The lever with the most effect is usually the page and the offer rather than the ads. Clearer pages convert more of the traffic already being bought, which lowers the cost per enquiry without cutting the volume.
The second lever is removing the searches that never produce work. Negative keyword work is unglamorous and effective.
Questions buyers ask
What is a good cost per lead for a service business
Whatever leaves room for the value of the work after the cost of delivering it. The right figure is different for every business.
Why did my cost per lead double this month
Seasonality, competitor activity or a change in what the account is targeting are the usual causes. Look at each before changing anything.
Should I compare my cost per lead to industry averages
Treat averages as background rather than as a target. Your margins and market decide what is workable.
Where this fits
Where Monolith Media fits
Monolith Media runs Google Ads as one managed marketing service for established Australian businesses, measured to the enquiries it produces. The free check names the part worth fixing first before anything is quoted.
More on Google Ads
Why your cost per click is high and enquiries are zero
High click costs and no enquiries usually mean the wrong traffic. What to check before you spend another dollar.
Why paid traffic needs its own landing page
Why sending ad traffic to a dedicated landing page converts better than a home page, and what that page needs.
Google Ads mistakes that waste budget early
The early account mistakes that burn budget, and what to set up properly before the first month of spend.