Meta ads (Facebook + Instagram) are not a replacement for LSA — they are how you stay visible between emergencies, promote seasonal offers, and retarget people who already know your brand.
At a Glance
- Best for: Planned projects, tune-ups, landscaping, roofing inspections, brand awareness
- Typical CPL: $25–$90 (varies widely by creative and offer)
- Geo: 10–25 mile radius around your shop or primary service area — tighter is often better
- Creative rule: Real job photos > stock; video > static when you have 15 sec of proof
- Stack with: GBP posts + Reviews for trust
Campaign Types That Work
| Type | Goal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Local lead gen | Calls and form fills | $79 AC tune-up — [City] homeowners |
| Retargeting | Site visitors who did not convert | Still need a quote? Book this week |
| Video views → leads | Build audience then convert | 20 sec before/after → lead form |
| Seasonal push | Fill slow weeks | Pre-winter furnace check special |
Start with one offer and one service area. Splitting ten services across one ad set dilutes results.
Audience Targeting
- Location: Your service ZIPs or radius; exclude areas you do not serve
- Age: Often 28–65 for homeowners (adjust per trade)
- Interests: Use lightly — home improvement, property management, new homeowners in your ZIP
- Custom audiences: Website visitors (pixel), customer list uploads, engagers with past posts
- Lookalikes: Only after 100+ quality customers in your list
Do not target nationwide. Home services are inherently local.
Creative Checklist
- First 3 seconds show the problem or result (leak, new roof, green lawn)
- On-screen text: city name + offer + phone
- Captions written for sound-off scrolling
- Logo on truck or uniform for brand recognition
- One CTA: Call now, Get quote, or Book online
Pull copy angles from Templates and filming ideas from Video Library.
Budget & Measurement
| Phase | Daily spend | Success signal |
|---|---|---|
| Test | $20–$30 | CPL under $80, >50% leads answer phone |
| Scale | $40–$100+ | Booked-job cost under target 3 weeks straight |
| Cut | Any | CPL 2× target with no improvement after creative refresh |
Tag every lead source in CRM. Meta’s in-platform “leads” are not booked jobs — see Tracking and Metrics.
Do not run Meta without a follow-up system
A $30 lead that nobody calls back within 5 minutes is wasted. Pair ads with Speed-to-Lead before increasing budget.
Quick Launch Sequence
- Install Meta Pixel on your site (or use native lead forms only).
- Pick one offer with clear dates and geography.
- Upload 3–5 creatives (2 images, 1 short video if possible).
- Run lead campaign to 15-mile radius for 14 days.
- Call every lead within 5 minutes; track booked rate.
- Kill losers, duplicate winners into retargeting.
Common Mistakes
- Boosting random posts instead of structured lead campaigns
- Stock photos and no city name in copy
- Sending traffic to a slow homepage with no phone button
- Judging success on likes instead of booked jobs
Quick Win
Film a 15-second vertical video on your next job: pan from problem → finished work → truck logo. Run it as a $15/day lead ad to homeowners within 15 miles with one seasonal offer.
Next Steps
- Google Local Services Ads — capture high-intent search first
- Website & Lead Capture — improve landing experience
- LSA vs Google Ads — allocate paid budget intelligently
- Ultimate Guide — full paid + organic stack
- Weekly metrics checklist — track cost per booked job
- Scorecard — see if Meta fits your current stage