Google Ads or Meta Ads? Which one a service business should run first

If you're thinking about paid ads for your business, the first question is usually: Google or Facebook and Instagram? They work in completely different ways, so the right answer depends on what you sell and how people buy it.

Google Ads: catch people who are already looking

Google Search ads appear when someone types a search like "emergency plumber" or "patio installers near me". The person has a need right now and is actively looking for someone to solve it.

That makes Google Ads strong for:

• Urgent services: plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, roofers after a storm
• High-intent searches: people comparing quotes, ready to book
• Services people already know they need: carpet cleaning, end-of-tenancy cleans, lawn treatment

You pay when someone clicks. The cost per click depends on your trade and area, and competitive trades in big cities can be expensive. That's why tight targeting matters: the right keywords, the right areas and a long list of searches to exclude.

Meta Ads: create demand with your best work

Facebook and Instagram ads appear while people scroll. They weren't searching for you, so the ad's job is to catch their attention and make them want what you offer.

That makes Meta Ads strong for:

• Visual services: landscaping, garden design, driveways, interiors, beauty treatments
• Things people don't know they want yet: a garden makeover, a skin treatment, a new kitchen
• Seasonal offers: spring garden tidy-ups, pre-Christmas cleans

Before-and-after photos and short videos of finished jobs are usually the best-performing creative for service businesses.

A simple way to decide

Ask yourself: do my customers search for me, or do they need to be shown what's possible?

• If people search when the need arises, start with Google.
• If your work sells itself visually and people buy on impulse or inspiration, start with Meta.
• If both are true, start with whichever matches your busiest service, then add the other.

Tip: Before spending anything, work out what a good enquiry is worth to you. It tells you how much you can afford to pay for each lead.

What both need to work

Whichever you choose, three things make the difference between ads that pay for themselves and ads that burn money.

A page built to convert

Sending ad traffic to a slow homepage wastes most of it. A focused landing page for each service, with clear pricing guidance, proof and an easy way to get in touch, turns far more clicks into enquiries.

Proper tracking

You need to know which ads produce calls, form enquiries and WhatsApp messages, not just clicks. Without conversion tracking you're guessing.

Patience and adjustment

The first few weeks are for learning: which keywords convert, which audiences respond, which images get clicks. Good campaigns are adjusted weekly based on real results.

Before you launch any ads

1. Decide which service and which area to start with
2. Build a landing page just for that service
3. Set up tracking for calls, forms and WhatsApp messages
4. Set a monthly budget you're comfortable testing with
5. Review the results every week and adjust

The short version

Google Ads catches demand that already exists. Meta Ads creates demand by showing your work. Most service businesses benefit from both eventually, but start with the one that matches how your customers buy.

I set up and manage both for service businesses, with tracking that shows exactly what each enquiry costs.