Meta Ads vs Google Ads for Contractors: Which One Books More Jobs?

Contractors ask us one question more than any other: should I run Google Ads or Facebook and Instagram ads? The answer depends on your trade, your average ticket, and how fast you answer the phone.

How the two platforms differ

Google Ads show up when a homeowner searches. Someone types “AC repair near me” because the AC stopped working today. Intent runs high. Clicks cost more, and you compete with every shop in town bidding on the same words.

Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram) show up while a homeowner scrolls. They were not looking for you. You reach them before they search, with an offer strong enough to make them stop. Leads cost less, but many need follow up before they book.

When Google wins

• Emergency and repair work. Burst pipes, no heat, clogged drains, dead AC. The homeowner needs someone today and searches for help.
• Service calls with a short decision. Low ticket jobs where the first shop to answer wins.
• Markets where you rank in the map pack. Paid ads plus a strong Google Business Profile cover the top of the results page.

When Meta wins

• Planned, big ticket work. Roof replacements, HVAC system swaps, landscaping projects, paving, water heater upgrades. Homeowners think about these for weeks before they search.
• Seasonal offers. Spring AC tune-ups, fall furnace checks, storm damage roof inspections.
• Markets where Google clicks cost too much. A strong Meta offer often produces leads for a fraction of the cost.

Example: Novak HVAC in Northeast Ohio ran a 30 day Meta campaign with PVG Media. $162 in ad spend produced 13 leads and 8 booked jobs. One shop and one run, so treat the result as proof the setup works, not a promise. Read the case study.

Pick by trade

• Plumbing and sewer and drain: start with Google. Emergency intent drives the calls. Plumbing marketing | Sewer and drain marketing
• HVAC: Google for repair, Meta for replacements and tune-up offers. HVAC marketing
• Roofing: Meta for replacements and inspections, Google for leak repair. Roofing marketing
• Landscaping and paving: Meta first. Homeowners plan these projects. Landscaping marketing | Paving marketing

Three rules for either platform

1. Track booked jobs, not clicks. Put call tracking on every ad. Judge each platform by cost per booked job.

2. Answer fast. A Meta lead goes cold in minutes. If nobody calls back within five minutes, you wasted the spend. An AI receptionist closes this gap.

3. Send traffic to a landing page, not your homepage. One offer, one form, one phone number. Homepages leak leads.

Our recommendation

Start on the platform matching your highest profit job. Run one campaign for 30 days. Measure cost per booked job. Add the second platform once the first one pays for itself.

Not sure which one fits your shop? Book a 15 minute call. We look at your trade, your market, and your numbers and tell you where to start.