Every tradesperson running paid marketing eventually asks the same question: should I use Google Ads or Facebook Ads? The honest answer is that they serve fundamentally different purposes, and the right choice depends entirely on what type of work you do. This guide cuts through the confusion and tells you exactly what each platform is good for, what it costs, and which one — or both — you should be using.
The Fundamental Difference: Intent vs Interruption
Google Ads captures demand — someone actively searching 'plumber near me' is ready to hire now. You are answering a question they already have. Facebook Ads creates demand — you are interrupting someone scrolling through photos of their mate's holiday to show them your kitchen renovation work. One is 'I need this today' versus 'I did not know I wanted this until I saw it.'
This distinction matters enormously for your budget allocation. For emergency and urgent services (plumbing, locksmith, roofing repairs), Google wins every time. Nobody scrolls Facebook looking for an emergency plumber. But for considered purchases — kitchen renovations, garden redesigns, loft conversions — Facebook's visual format and targeting can generate leads at a lower cost than Google.
Google Ads for Trades: The Numbers
Average cost per click for trade keywords ranges from £3-8 (plumber near me, electrician in a specific area) to £15-25 for competitive terms in London. At a typical 5-10% landing page conversion rate, you are looking at £30-160 per lead. But these are hot leads — people actively searching right now. Conversion from lead to job is typically 30-50% for Google Ads leads.
Best results for Google Ads come from:
► Emergency services and repairs — boiler breakdowns, burst pipes, electrical faults, lockouts
► High-intent local searches — 'plumber near me', 'electrician in [area]'
► Minimum budget: £500-1,000/mo to generate consistent leads in most areas
The key to making Google Ads work is landing page quality. Your ad spend is wasted if people click through to a slow, unpersuasive website. The ad gets them to your door; your website needs to make them knock.
Facebook Ads for Trades: The Numbers
Facebook leads are cheaper — typically £5-20 per lead for trades. But they are colder. Someone who fills in a 'Get a free kitchen design' form on Facebook is interested but not urgent. They might not be ready for 3-6 months. Lead-to-job conversion is lower: 10-20% typically. The maths can still work beautifully for high-value projects where one conversion pays for months of ads.
Facebook works best for:
► Visual trades where before-and-after photos are compelling — landscaping, kitchens, bathrooms, extensions
► Building a pipeline of considered purchases — work that people plan months in advance
► Retargeting people who have visited your website but not called
► Minimum budget: £300-500/mo for testing, £1,000+/mo for consistent lead flow
The Facebook Creative Challenge
Facebook requires better creative than Google. A Google ad is just text. A Facebook ad needs a compelling image or video that stops someone mid-scroll. The good news: your best marketing material already exists on your phone. Before-and-after photos of your best jobs are the highest-converting Facebook creative for trades — authentic, visual proof of your work.
Short videos of projects being completed also perform extremely well. A 30-second timelapse of a garden transformation, or a walkthrough of a completed bathroom, regularly outperforms polished studio photography because it feels real and believable.
The Right Answer: Both (Probably)
The best-performing trades we work with run both platforms. Google captures today's demand (someone searching right now). Facebook builds tomorrow's pipeline (someone who sees your extension work and starts dreaming about their own). If you can only choose one and you do urgent or repair work, start with Google. If you do high-value projects, start with Facebook. When budget allows, run both.
A sensible starting allocation for a tradesperson with a £1,000/mo advertising budget: £600 on Google Ads (immediate, high-intent demand) and £400 on Facebook Ads (pipeline building). Track every lead and every won job by source. After 3 months, you will have real data to optimise your allocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly will I see results from Google Ads?
Google Ads can generate leads within 24-48 hours of a campaign going live. The first few weeks involve optimisation as you identify which keywords and ads perform best. Most tradespeople start seeing a consistent cost per lead within the first month.
Can I manage Google or Facebook Ads myself?
Both platforms have self-serve interfaces, but they are easy to waste money on without experience. A poorly managed Google Ads campaign will burn through budget on irrelevant clicks. Consider professional management at least initially, and ensure whoever runs your ads reports on leads and won jobs — not just impressions and clicks.
What is the minimum budget to start seeing results?
For Google Ads, £500/mo in ad spend is a realistic minimum for most areas outside London. Below that, you may not get enough data to optimise effectively. For Facebook, £300/mo is workable for testing. London and other highly competitive markets require higher budgets.
Should I use Google Local Services Ads as well?
Yes, if they are available in your trade and area. Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) appear above regular Google Ads and are pay-per-lead rather than pay-per-click. They include a 'Google Guaranteed' badge which significantly increases conversion rates. Running LSAs alongside regular Google Ads gives you maximum visibility at the top of search results.