The short answer
For a first test, think about how customers find your service. Google search ads can reach people already looking for help. Facebook ads can introduce an offer while people browse. Neither is automatically better. Your service, area, budget and follow-up all matter.
Are people looking now, or do they need an idea?
Someone with a broken hot water system may search for help straight away. Someone scrolling Facebook might notice a garden makeover and start thinking about a project.
That’s a useful starting point, not a hard rule. Both platforms have different ad options. Be wary of anyone who says one always works for every small business.
Get the enquiry path ready first
Before paying for visitors, check the page they’ll land on. Does it match the advert? Can they see the service, area and next step?
An advert for one service shouldn’t make people hunt through the whole website to find it. Test the phone link, form and booking process on your mobile.
Then decide who answers enquiries and how quickly. A missed call is still a missed opportunity, even if the advert did its job.
Two ways to reach a potential customer
Ask for the full cost
Ad spend and management fees are different things. The ad spend goes to the platform. Management pays someone to set up and look after the campaign.
- How much goes to Google or Meta?
- What are the setup and ongoing management fees?
- Are images, copy and a suitable website page included?
- Who checks that calls and forms are being measured?
- What is the agreed budget limit and review date?
Start with one sensible test
A small budget spread across five services and two platforms can be hard to learn from. Start with one clear offer, the area you can serve and a budget you can sustain while testing.
Count suitable enquiries, not just clicks or likes. Keep a simple note of which enquiries turned into quotes and which turned into jobs. Share that with the person running the ads.
Agree what would make you continue, change direction or pause. Results vary by competition, season and the offer itself. A good first month isn’t a guarantee that every month will look the same.
Common questions
Which is cheaper: Google Ads or Facebook ads?
There isn’t one answer for every business. A cheaper click can still lead to an expensive customer. Compare the full cost of getting suitable enquiries and winning work.
Does the management fee include my ad spend?
Not always. Ask for ad spend, management and any setup or creative costs separately so you know the total commitment.
Should I advertise on both at once?
You can, but a small business may learn more from one focused test first. Add another channel when you have enough budget, follow-up capacity and information to judge it.
What should I measure?
Start with spend, suitable enquiries, quotes and jobs won. Clicks tell you people visited; they don’t tell you whether those visitors became useful customers.
ONE THING TO TRY
Start here.
Write down one service you want to promote, the area you can cover and who will reply to enquiries. Use that as the starting brief for a campaign.
If you’d like to read more
Official guidance behind this guide. The examples and practical suggestions are ours.
