The verdict in three sentences
A Dublin firm renting conference staging, sound and LED screens to event agencies and corporate teams should budget its paid campaigns in three tiers, from EUR 900 to 6,500 a month in management fees as a 2026 market ballpark, plus a media budget of EUR 1,500 to 12,000. Google Ads captures active searches such as LED wall hire Dublin or conference AV rental, while LinkedIn Ads reaches agency producers and in house event managers before they send out a brief. With a cost per qualified lead of EUR 70 to 260, the middle tier gives the best return for a firm of 10 to 40 staff.
The three tiers for 2026
| Tier | Management fee (2026 market ballpark) | Recommended media budget | Channels | Initial setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | EUR 900 to 1,600 per month | EUR 1,500 to 3,000 per month | Google Ads Search on 30 to 60 keywords | EUR 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Growth | EUR 1,600 to 3,200 per month | EUR 3,000 to 7,000 per month | Google Ads Search and remarketing, LinkedIn Ads targeting event agencies and corporate events teams in Ireland and the UK | EUR 2,500 to 4,000 |
| Advanced | EUR 3,200 to 6,500 per month | EUR 7,000 to 12,000 per month | Growth plus agency email campaigns, dedicated landing pages per event type, A/B testing | EUR 4,000 to 5,000 |
Media spend is paid straight to the platforms and should never be bundled into fees. Insist that ad accounts are opened in your company's name with admin access.
Exactly what each tier includes
| Element | Essential | Growth | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keywords and exclusions | 30 to 60 keywords, exclusion list (weddings, home parties if off target) | 60 to 150 keywords by equipment type | 150 plus, by venue and city |
| LinkedIn targeting | No | Job titles such as producer, event manager, head of events in Ireland and the UK | Growth plus uploaded target account lists |
| Landing pages | Existing site pages | 2 to 3 dedicated pages | 6 to 10 pages by event type (conference, product launch, awards night) |
| Conversion tracking | Forms | Forms, calls and quote requests by channel | Growth plus matching with signed quotes |
| Agency email campaigns | No | No | 1 to 2 sends a month to an opt in list, compliant with GDPR and Irish ePrivacy rules |
| Reporting | Regular check ins | Weekly dashboard | Weekly dashboard and quarterly review |
| Seasonality | Flat budget | Budget raised from February to June and September to November | Calendar aligned with Dublin trade fairs and conference season |
What a qualified lead costs
| Metric | Essential | Growth | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total monthly cost (fee + media), median assumption | 1,200 + 2,200 = EUR 3,400 | 2,400 + 5,000 = EUR 7,400 | 4,800 + 9,500 = EUR 14,300 |
| Cost per qualified lead (2026 ballpark) | EUR 160 to 260 | EUR 100 to 170 | EUR 70 to 130 |
| Qualified leads per month | 8 to 14 | 29 to 50 | 73 to 135 |
| Indicative close rate | 15 to 25 % | 15 to 25 % | 15 to 25 % |
| Estimated jobs per month | 1 to 3 | 4 to 12 | 11 to 33 |
Cost per lead drops at the Advanced tier thanks to dedicated pages and remarketing, but only if your sales team can handle 70 or more briefs a month. For comparison, Kolonell's campaign setup price is EUR 152 (100,000 FCFA), excluding media spend and management.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Ciara is sales manager at a 25 person staging and AV rental firm in Dublin and chooses the Growth tier: EUR 2,400 in fees and EUR 5,000 in media, EUR 7,400 a month. At an average of EUR 130 per qualified lead she gets about 38 leads a month. Closing 20 % gives 8 jobs averaging EUR 8,500 at a 40 % margin, about EUR 27,200 of monthly margin. Even halving that result, the campaigns return more than twice their cost, and a EUR 3,000 setup is recovered in the first peak season month.
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FAQ
What total budget should a Dublin staging firm plan for Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads?
As a 2026 ballpark, plan EUR 2,400 to 18,500 a month including fees and media, depending on the tier. The Growth tier sits around EUR 7,400 a month.
Is LinkedIn Ads worth it for an equipment rental firm?
Yes for reaching agency producers and corporate event managers, even though clicks cost more than on Google. Give it 30 to 40 % of media spend at the Growth tier.
Should we pause campaigns in quiet months?
No, cut the budget by 40 to 60 % instead of pausing, to keep campaign history. Agencies plan autumn conferences from the spring.
What does setup cost?
EUR 1,500 to 5,000 as a 2026 ballpark, depending on the number of campaigns and landing pages. It includes conversion tracking, without which no cost per lead can be measured.
Can we reduce our reliance on paid ads?
Yes, by working on organic Google search in parallel for queries like stage hire Dublin. Over time, part of your 29 to 50 monthly leads can arrive with no cost per click.
Get found by the clients who are looking for you. Start with a visibility audit at 100,000 FCFA (about EUR 152, deducted from setup if you start within 30 days), then switch on the Traffic Engine plan that fits your market to get more quote requests from event agencies, with a weekly report on your Google results. Traffic Engine. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
