Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
This is the #1 question contractors ask.
The honest answer: for home services, Google Ads wins 80% of the time.
But there are situations where Facebook Ads make sense.
Here’s the complete comparison.
The Fundamental Difference
Google Ads: Pull Marketing
- Person searches “plumber near me”
- High intent = they NEED a plumber NOW
- Your ad appears
- They click and call
Facebook Ads: Push Marketing
- Person scrolls Facebook
- They see your ad about plumbing
- They might remember you later
- Low intent = maybe they’ll call eventually
For home services, PULL marketing beats PUSH marketing.
Homeowners don’t scroll Facebook looking for plumbers. They search Google when they have a problem.
The Cost Comparison
Google Ads Costs (Home Services)
| Service | Avg CPC | Avg CPL | Cost Per Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | $30-45 | $90-150 | $300-500 |
| Plumbing | $25-40 | $80-130 | $250-450 |
| Electrical | $20-35 | $70-120 | $200-400 |
| Roofing | $25-50 | $100-200 | $400-800 |
| Cleaning | $6-12 | $20-50 | $60-200 |
Average: $80-150 cost per lead
Facebook Ads Costs (Home Services)
| Service | Avg CPC | Avg CPL | Cost Per Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | $2-5 | $150-300 | $500-1000 |
| Plumbing | $1.50-4 | $120-250 | $400-800 |
| Electrical | $1-3 | $100-200 | $300-600 |
| Roofing | $2-6 | $180-400 | $600-1200 |
| Cleaning | $0.50-2 | $100-200 | $300-600 |
Average: $150-300 cost per lead
Translation: Facebook ads cost 2-3x more per lead than Google Ads for home services.
The Conversion Rate Comparison
Google Ads Conversion Rates
- Click-to-lead: 15-25%
- Lead-to-job: 25-40%
- Overall: 4-10% (click to job)
Facebook Ads Conversion Rates
- Click-to-lead: 2-5%
- Lead-to-job: 15-25% (lower quality leads)
- Overall: 0.3-1.25% (click to job)
Google leads are 3-8x more likely to convert to jobs.
When Google Ads Wins
Use Google Ads when:
-
You need immediate leads (HVAC, plumbing, roofing)
- People search when they have a problem
- High intent
- Book immediately
-
You have limited budget (under $3K/month)
- Google Ads efficiency beats Facebook
- Better ROI with same budget
-
You’re service-based (trades, not e-commerce)
- Service businesses = high intent
- Google dominates for services
-
You want predictable results (40% of clicks become leads)
- Google Ads scaling is predictable
- Facebook Ads quality declines as you scale
-
You’re in competitive market (big city)
- Facebook costs rise in competitive areas too
- Google still more efficient
When Facebook Ads Win
Use Facebook Ads when:
-
You’re building brand awareness (not immediate leads)
- Example: New contractor in town
- Goal: “People know who we are”
- Facebook shows your business repeatedly
-
You’re retargeting (people who visited your website)
- Person came to your site
- Forgot to book
- Facebook reminds them
- 3-4x higher conversion than cold Facebook
- Cost per lead: $20-50 (better than Google!)
-
You have large budget ($10K+/month)
- Can afford higher cost per lead
- Can test broad audiences
- Can build brand while generating leads
-
You’re offering a unique service (rare/unfamiliar)
- Need to EDUCATE before people understand
- Facebook video ads explain your service
- Then people search for you on Google
-
Local awareness matters (community presence)
- Sponsor youth sports, events
- Want to be “the local guy”
- Facebook reaches local community
The Real-World Comparison
Scenario: HVAC company with $2,000/month budget
Option A: Google Ads Only
- Leads per month: 25-30
- Cost per lead: $65-80
- Jobs from leads: 8-10 (at 30% close rate)
- Revenue: $40,000-50,000 (at $5K per job)
- Profit: $38,000-48,000 after ad spend
Option B: Facebook Ads Only
- Leads per month: 8-12
- Cost per lead: $160-250
- Jobs from leads: 2-3 (at 20% close rate)
- Revenue: $10,000-15,000
- Profit: $8,000-13,000 after ad spend
Option C: 70% Google / 30% Facebook Retargeting
- Google Ads: $1,400/month → 22 leads → 7 jobs
- Facebook Retargeting: $600/month → 6 leads → 2 jobs
- Total jobs: 9
- Total revenue: $45,000
- Better than Google alone because retargeting is efficient
Winner: Google Ads for cold traffic, Google + Facebook retargeting for best results
The Budget Allocation Strategy
Recommended allocation for home services:
- Primary: Google Ads (60%)
- Secondary: Facebook Retargeting (20%)
- Testing: Other (20%)
Example $5K/month budget:
- Google Ads: $3,000 (60%)
- Facebook Retargeting: $1,000 (20%)
- Local SEO / Organic: $500 (10%)
- Testing new channels: $500 (10%)
This strategy:
- Dominates Google (where intent is high)
- Reminds people on Facebook (high ROI)
- Tests new channels
- Delivers 40-60 leads per month
The Mistakes Contractors Make
Mistake 1: Choosing Facebook because CPL is lower “Facebook CPL is $1, Google is $5!”
Wrong. Facebook CPL seems lower because cost per LEAD is lower, but cost per JOB is higher. That’s what matters.
Mistake 2: Only testing one platform Test both. See which ROI is better FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
Mistake 3: Comparing total budgets across platforms “I spent $2K on Google and got 30 leads. I spent $2K on Facebook and got 10 leads.”
Of course Facebook lost. It’s not the platform’s fault. It’s home services buyers searching Google.
Mistake 4: Running cold Facebook Ads Cold Facebook Ads don’t work. Retargeting does. If you try Facebook, do retargeting.
Mistake 5: Not tracking properly You don’t know which leads came from which platform. Can’t compare ROI.
Your Decision Tree
Do you need leads THIS MONTH?
- Yes → Google Ads
- No → Build brand with Facebook, supplement with Google
Do you have a website with traffic?
- Yes → Add Facebook Retargeting
- No → Start with Google Ads, build traffic, then retarget
Is your business new/unknown in market?
- Yes → Do both (Google for leads, Facebook for awareness)
- No → Google Ads only
Do you have $5K+/month budget?
- Yes → Google Ads (primary) + Facebook Retargeting (secondary)
- No → Google Ads only
Your Action Plan
If starting: Go all-in on Google Ads for 30 days. $2-3K budget. Track results: leads, close rate, revenue.
If you already have Google Ads running: Add $500/month Facebook retargeting. Track difference in cost per lead and conversion rate.
If budget is limited: 100% Google Ads. Full stop.
If budget is large: 70% Google Ads, 20% Facebook Retargeting, 10% testing.
For home services, Google Ads is the base. Facebook Ads is the supplement for retargeting.
Don’t split your budget between them equally. That’s a losing strategy.
Want to see what ad platforms your competitors are actually using? We’ll break down their likely Google Ads spend, Facebook strategy, and channel mix. Free competitor analysis.