Facebook Ads for Service Businesses: When It Works (And When It's a Waste)
"Should I be advertising on Facebook?"
I hear this question from almost every service business owner I talk to. They see competitors posting. They hear about cheap leads. They wonder if they're missing out.
The honest answer: Facebook can work for service businesses, but not for what you think. And for many, it's a waste of money compared to where that budget could go.
Let me break down when Facebook makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to use it if you do.
The Fundamental Problem with Facebook for Service Businesses
Google Ads catches people actively searching for help. "AC not working" means someone needs an HVAC tech right now.
Facebook catches people scrolling between vacation photos and political arguments. They're not looking for a plumber. They're not thinking about their roof. They're killing time.
This is the fundamental challenge: Facebook is an interruption platform, not an intent platform.
That doesn't mean it can't work. It means it works differently, and for different goals.
When Facebook Actually Works
1. Brand Awareness and Staying Top-of-Mind
You're not going to get emergency calls from Facebook. But you can make sure that when someone DOES need a plumber next month, they remember your name.
This works if: - You're in a market where reputation matters - You're building a brand beyond just "we show up when you call" - You're willing to invest without immediate ROI
Execution: Run low-budget awareness campaigns ($5-10/day) to homeowners in your service area. Focus on content that showcases your work, your team, your values, not hard-sell service ads.
2. Retargeting Website Visitors
Someone visited your website but didn't call. Maybe they got distracted. Maybe they're comparing options. Either way, they've shown intent. Facebook can remind them you exist.
This works if: - You have enough website traffic (1,000+ visitors/month minimum) - You have the tracking set up properly (Facebook Pixel) - You're patient with a longer conversion cycle
Execution: Create a Custom Audience of website visitors. Show them testimonials, reviews, limited-time offers. Much cheaper than cold traffic because they already know who you are.
3. Promoting Seasonal Services
AC tune-ups in spring. Furnace maintenance in fall. Roof inspections before monsoon season. These are low-urgency services that people need to be reminded about.
Facebook can put that reminder in front of them before they're actively searching.
This works if: - You have a specific seasonal offer - You can target the right audience (homeowners, geographic area, income level) - You have a landing page built for the offer
Execution: Run campaigns 4-6 weeks before the season peaks. "Schedule your AC tune-up before the summer rush. $89 this month." Drive to a landing page specific to that offer.
4. Maintenance Plan Sales
Maintenance plans are a hard sell to someone with an active emergency. But to someone whose AC is working fine and who's scrolling Facebook? Different story.
"Never worry about a surprise breakdown. Join our maintenance plan."
This works if: - You have a maintenance plan to sell - You can clearly articulate the value - You're tracking ROI beyond immediate revenue (LTV of plan members)
Execution: Target homeowners who match your ideal customer profile. Lead with peace of mind, not price. Offer a free inspection or discount on first service to get them in the door.
5. Recruiting Technicians
This is the sleeper use case. Finding good techs is brutal. Facebook lets you reach employed technicians who aren't actively job searching.
This works if: - You're actively hiring - You have a compelling reason for someone to switch (pay, culture, benefits) - You can handle the follow-up process for applicants
Execution: Target people in your area who work for competitors (yes, Facebook allows this). Showcase culture, vehicles, pay transparency if you can.
When Facebook Is Usually a Waste
Emergency Services
Nobody scrolling Facebook decides to get their water heater replaced RIGHT NOW because they saw an ad. Emergency intent happens on Google, not Facebook.
If your primary revenue is emergency calls, skip Facebook. Put that money into Google Ads or LSA instead.
Low-Budget Campaigns
Facebook requires volume to optimize. The algorithm needs data (lots of it) to figure out who actually converts for your business.
$200/month on Facebook usually performs poorly. The algorithm never gets enough conversions to learn. You're essentially running blind.
Minimum viable Facebook budget for lead generation: $1,000-1,500/month. Below that, the money is better spent elsewhere.
Without Proper Tracking
Facebook optimization only works if Facebook knows what a conversion looks like. That means: - Facebook Pixel installed on your site - Conversion events set up (form submissions, calls) - Ideally, offline conversion tracking for closed jobs
Without this, you're paying for impressions with no ability to optimize for results.
Generic "We Do Plumbing" Messaging
Facebook rewards engaging content. A generic "ABC Plumbing - Call Us For All Your Plumbing Needs" ad will get ignored.
If you're not willing to invest in creative (videos, before/after photos, customer stories) Facebook will underperform.
The Facebook vs. Google Question
For most service businesses, this is the real question: where should my ad dollars go?
Put money into Google first when: - You're just starting with paid advertising - Your budget is under $2,000/month total - You depend on emergency/urgent service calls - You don't have tracking infrastructure set up
Add Facebook when: - Google is already working and you have budget to expand - You're selling maintenance plans or seasonal services - You have good creative assets (photos, videos, testimonials) - You want to build brand recognition for long-term growth
The typical budget split for a service business doing $1M+: - 60-70% Google (search + LSA) - 20-30% Facebook (retargeting + seasonal) - 10% Testing other channels
Setting Up Facebook That Doesn't Suck
If you've decided Facebook makes sense, here's how to not waste money:
Audience Setup
Who to target: - Homeowners (filter by homeownership) - Your service area (geographic targeting) - Age 30+ (younger renters aren't your customer) - Optional: Income targeting if you serve premium market
Who NOT to target: - Everyone in Phoenix (too broad) - Renters (can't authorize repairs) - People who already follow you (use retargeting instead)
Campaign Types That Work
Retargeting (start here): - Audience: Website visitors, 7-30 days - Budget: $300-500/month - Creative: Testimonials, trust signals, soft CTAs - Goal: Stay top-of-mind, capture undecided visitors
Seasonal promotion: - Audience: Homeowners, service area - Budget: $500-1,000/month during season - Creative: Specific offer, urgency, clear CTA - Goal: Generate leads for specific service
Brand awareness: - Audience: Broad homeowner targeting - Budget: $200-500/month ongoing - Creative: Team photos, project spotlights, community involvement - Goal: Recognition, not immediate leads
Creative That Converts
What performs on Facebook for service businesses:
- . Before/after photos: Transformation gets engagement
- . Team/tech spotlights: "Meet John, 15 years experience" humanizes
- . Customer video testimonials: Real people, real results
- . Educational content: "3 signs your water heater is failing"
- . Behind-the-scenes: Day in the life, job in progress
What doesn't work: - Stock photos of wrenches - Generic "call us" messaging - Long text blocks - Anything that looks like every other contractor
Realistic Expectations
Facebook lead quality is typically lower than Google. The person wasn't actively searching. They were interrupted.
Typical metrics: - Cost per lead: $20-60 (varies by market and service) - Lead-to-appointment rate: 30-50% (vs 50-70% for Google) - Close rate: Similar to Google once you're in the home
The math: Google: $75 per lead × 60% close = $125 cost per job Facebook: $40 per lead × 40% close = $100 cost per job
Facebook can have lower cost per job even with lower quality because the leads are cheaper. But you'll spend more time on follow-up with unqualified leads.
The Bottom Line
Facebook can work for service businesses. But it's not a replacement for Google. It's a complement.
Start with Google. Get that working. Then layer in Facebook for: - Retargeting your website visitors - Promoting seasonal services - Building long-term brand awareness - Selling maintenance plans
If you're spending less than $1,500/month on advertising total, don't split it. Put it all on Google/LSA until that's maxed out.
If someone tells you Facebook is magic for service businesses and you should put your whole budget there, they're either selling Facebook management or they don't understand your business.
Wondering where your ad budget should actually go? [Let's map out the right channel mix](/contact) for your market and goals.