30 September 2026 · 6 min read · Oscar Markham
Where garage conversion ad budget actually goes
The word garage does an enormous amount of work in Irish search and almost none of it relates to conversions. Car repairs, MOT and NCT, storage units, garage doors, sheds and self-build queries all sit on the same terms, which makes this one of the easiest categories in which to spend a budget on nothing at all.
The motor trade is the biggest collision
'Garage near me' overwhelmingly means somebody whose car needs fixing. If you are bidding on broad or phrase matches containing 'garage', you are buying that traffic.
This alone can consume a small budget in days and it is the first thing to block.
- car, mechanic, service, nct, tyres, repair, motor, parts, exhaust
- bodyshop, clutch, brakes, battery, servicing near me
Doors, storage and buildings
'Garage doors', 'garage storage', 'prefab garage', 'build a garage', 'garage shelving'. All commercial, none of them a conversion.
'Build a garage' is the notable one — it looks adjacent and is the exact opposite of what you sell.
- door, doors, roller, sectional, remote, opener
- storage, shelving, units, kit, prefab, build a, erect, concrete
DIY and planning research
'Convert garage yourself', 'garage conversion diy', 'planning permission garage conversion' — the last one is arguable.
People researching planning are early but genuinely in the market, and if you have a proper planning page they are worth having. If you do not, they will bounce and you should block them.
- diy, yourself, how to, cost calculator, regulations pdf, drawings
Bid on the use instead of the trade
The generic conversion terms are contested and expensive. The use-led ones are cheaper, more specific and closer to the actual problem.
'Home office conversion [town]', 'downstairs bedroom [town]', 'convert garage to room [county]', 'granny flat conversion [town]'.
Then read the search terms report
In this category it is always worse than expected, because of how much motor-trade traffic slips through even a careful setup.
Weekly for the first month. It will pay for itself in the first fortnight.
Written by Oscar Markham, founder of Dublin Growth Digital. We run lead generation for Irish estate agents and trades, reported every Friday in enquiries and booked work.