Use Google Ads when customers are already searching for what you do. Use Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) when you need to put a service in front of people who are not searching yet. Most local service businesses should start with Google and add Meta second.
Meta Ads vs Google Ads: the real difference is intent
On Google, the customer starts. They type "blocked drain near me" and your ad answers a need they already have. On Meta, you start. Your ad interrupts someone scrolling, so it has to create the interest.
That one difference explains almost everything else.
Where Google Ads wins
- Emergency and urgent work: leaks, lockouts, pests, breakdowns.
- Services people search for by name: boiler installation, resin driveways, house clearance.
- Businesses that need calls this week.
Clicks cost more than on Meta, but a larger share of them turn into enquiries because the person was already looking.
Where Meta Ads wins
- Visual work with before and after photos: landscaping, driveways, garage floors, car detailing.
- Planned, considered purchases where people need to see the result first: solar, garden rooms.
- Retargeting people who visited your site and did not enquire.
- Local awareness in a tight area when you are new.
Meta leads are cheaper and usually colder. Expect to chase them: call quickly, and follow up more than once.
Lead quality and follow-up
Meta's instant forms fill in a person's details for them, so it takes two taps to enquire. That raises volume and lowers commitment. Add one or two qualifying questions, such as postcode and the job they want, to filter out idle taps.
Google leads tend to phone. If nobody answers, they call the next result.
How to split a small budget
A simple starting point for a trade with one main service:
- Put most of the budget into Google Search for your highest-value service in your core area.
- Keep a small part for Meta retargeting, so people who visited your site see your work again.
- Add Meta prospecting once Google is producing leads at a cost you can live with.
Measure both on the same thing: cost per booked job, not cost per click or cost per lead.
Tracking matters on both
Set up conversion tracking for calls and forms before you compare the two. On Meta, add the Conversions API beside the pixel so that fewer conversions go missing when browsers block tracking.
Common questions
Which is cheaper? Meta usually has cheaper clicks and leads. Google usually has a lower cost per booked job for urgent services. Check your own numbers.
Can I run both with one landing page? You can, but Meta traffic needs more proof on the page, such as photos and reviews, because the visitor did not come looking.
Related guides
- Google Ads Not Converting: 9 Causes and How to Fix Each One
- How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Google in the UK?
- Google Local Services Ads UK: What They Are, Who They Suit and What They Cost
Next step
AdsFlair runs Google Ads for UK trades and local service businesses. Ask for a free Google Ads audit and we will show you where your budget is going and what to fix first. There is no cost and no obligation. See our page on Meta Ads management for how we work.