Migration Agent Directory Listing vs Google Ads: Cost and ROI Comparison

Directory listings place your profile on a platform where potential clients browse and compare migration agents. Visitors to a directory have already decided they need an agent — they're comparing options. Your profile, reviews, specialisations, and responsiveness determine whether they contact you.

On the Migration Agent Directory, every MARA-registered agent has a profile. Free profiles show basic information. Claimed and upgraded profiles include photos, detailed bios, specialisations, languages, and priority placement — making them significantly more visible.

Google Ads place your advertisement at the top of Google search results when someone searches for relevant keywords (e.g., "migration agent Sydney" or "partner visa help"). You pay each time someone clicks your ad, regardless of whether they become a client. The cost per click varies based on competition and keyword demand.

Let's compare the real costs using typical Australian figures:

Directory Listing Costs: - Free claimed profile: $0/month - Professional tier: $49/month - Premium tier: $99/month - Firm listing: $199-$399/month - Annual cost range: $0-$4,788

See our full pricing breakdown for feature details.

Google Ads Costs: - Average cost per click (migration keywords): $8-$25 - Competitive keywords ("migration agent Sydney"): $15-$30 per click - Less competitive keywords ("parent visa agent Perth"): $5-$12 per click - Minimum viable monthly budget: $1,000-$1,500 - Typical monthly budget for meaningful results: $2,000-$5,000 - Annual cost range: $12,000-$60,000

The cost gap is significant. Even the most expensive directory listing costs less per year than one month of a moderate Google Ads campaign. The question isn't just cost, though — it's what you get for that spend.

Cost per lead (CPL) — the amount you spend to generate one genuine enquiry — is where the comparison gets interesting.

Directory listing CPL:

A Professional listing at $49/month that generates 3-5 enquiries per month produces a CPL of $10-$16. Even a Premium listing at $99/month generating 5-10 enquiries delivers a CPL of $10-$20. Free profiles with complete information can generate 1-3 enquiries per month at zero cost.

Google Ads CPL:

With an average click cost of $15 and a typical landing page conversion rate of 5-10%, your CPL works out to $150-$300. Even well-optimised campaigns with strong landing pages rarely achieve CPL below $100 for migration-related keywords.

In pure CPL terms, directory listings typically cost 5-15 times less per lead than Google Ads.

However, raw CPL doesn't tell the whole story. You also need to consider lead quality, conversion rates, and scalability.

Directory lead quality:

Directory leads tend to be high quality because visitors have already: - Decided they need a migration agent - Browsed multiple profiles to compare options - Filtered by location, visa type, or language - Read your bio, specialisations, and reviews

By the time someone contacts you through a directory, they're pre-qualified. Typical conversion rates from directory enquiry to paying client: 15-25%.

Google Ads lead quality:

Google Ads leads are more variable. Some searchers are ready to hire an agent immediately, while others are just researching. The keyword matters enormously: - "Migration agent near me" — high intent, better quality - "Do I need a migration agent" — lower intent, more tyre-kickers - "Partner visa requirements" — informational, may not need an agent yet

Typical conversion rates from Google Ads enquiry to paying client: 8-15%.

When you factor in conversion rates, the cost-per-client gap widens further.

Directory listing cost per client: $40-$130 Google Ads cost per client: $600-$3,000+

Here's where Google Ads has a genuine advantage: scalability.

A directory listing generates a relatively fixed number of enquiries based on the directory's traffic and your profile position. You can improve results by completing your profile, collecting reviews, and upgrading your listing tier, but there's a ceiling.

Google Ads, by contrast, scales with your budget. Spend more, get more clicks, get more enquiries. There's no practical upper limit until you've saturated your target market. For agents who need a large volume of leads — perhaps a multi-agent firm processing dozens of cases per month — Google Ads provides the volume that directories can't match alone.

The practical takeaway: Use directory listings as your cost-effective baseline, and layer Google Ads on top when you need additional volume.

Directory listings: - Setup time: 15-30 minutes to claim and complete your profile - Ongoing effort: 30 minutes/month to update your profile and respond to enquiries - Expertise needed: None — it's straightforward

Google Ads: - Setup time: 2-5 hours for proper campaign structure, keyword research, and ad copywriting - Ongoing effort: 3-5 hours/week for monitoring, bid adjustments, and optimisation - Expertise needed: Significant — poorly managed campaigns waste money rapidly

Many agents either manage Google Ads themselves (often poorly, wasting budget) or hire an agency (adding 15-25% management fees). Directory listings require virtually no ongoing management.

If you value your time, the effort-to-return ratio strongly favours directory listings. An agent spending 30 minutes per month on their directory profile versus 15+ hours per month managing Google Ads is making very different time investments.

This is a crucial difference that many agents overlook.

When you stop paying for Google Ads, your leads stop immediately. There's no residual benefit. Every lead is rented, not owned. The moment your budget runs out or you pause your campaign, you disappear from search results.

When you stop paying for a premium directory listing, your profile doesn't vanish. It reverts to the free tier with basic information still visible. You'll receive fewer enquiries, but you maintain a presence. The reviews you've collected, your verification status, and your profile content remain.

Directory listings build a degree of lasting value. Google Ads builds none.

We run a migration agent directory, so we have an obvious interest here. In the spirit of transparency, here's our genuinely honest recommendation:

Every migration agent should: 1. Claim their free directory profile — there's zero downside 2. Optimise their Google My Business listing (free) 3. Collect and respond to reviews everywhere

Agents with a marketing budget should: 1. Start with a Professional or Premium directory listing ($49-$99/month) for cost-effective, low-maintenance lead generation 2. Add Google Ads ($1,000-$3,000/month) only after their directory profile and website are optimised 3. Track cost per client across both channels and adjust allocation based on real data

Agents who should prioritise Google Ads: - Multi-agent firms needing high lead volume - Agents in very competitive markets (Sydney CBD, Melbourne CBD) - Agents launching a new practice who need immediate visibility - Agents with a dedicated marketing person or agency managing campaigns

Agents who should prioritise directory listings: - Solo practitioners watching their budget - Regional agents (less Google Ads competition anyway) - Agents who don't have time to manage ad campaigns - Agents looking for the best cost-per-client ratio

The best strategy for most agents is both — use directory listings as your cost-effective foundation and add Google Ads for additional volume when needed.

Can I just use a free directory listing and skip Google Ads entirely? Absolutely. A free claimed profile on the Migration Agent Directory generates enquiries at zero cost. Many agents — particularly those in regional areas or with a strong referral network — find that a directory listing combined with Google My Business provides sufficient lead flow without any paid advertising.

How do I know if Google Ads is working for me? Track three numbers: cost per click, cost per enquiry, and cost per client. If your cost per client exceeds 20% of your average fee, your campaign likely needs optimisation or may not be cost-effective for your practice. Compare this to your directory listing cost per client.

Will a directory listing help my Google ranking? Yes. A listing on a reputable, high-authority directory provides a quality backlink to your website, which is a positive ranking factor. It also creates an additional search result for your name, helping you dominate search results for your personal brand.

How many enquiries can I expect from a directory listing? This varies based on your location, specialisation, profile completeness, reviews, and listing tier. Agents with complete profiles in metro areas typically receive 3-10 enquiries per month. Regional agents may receive 1-5. Premium listings with priority placement receive more. The quality of these leads tends to be high, as directory visitors are actively comparing agents.

Should I use the same landing page for directory traffic and Google Ads? Ideally, no. Google Ads traffic should go to a dedicated landing page optimised for conversion — minimal navigation, strong call to action, relevant to the specific ad. Directory traffic goes directly to your profile, which serves as its own landing page. If a directory visitor clicks through to your website, make sure it reinforces the professionalism of your directory profile.