Quick answer
Should a tradesperson advertise on Google or Facebook?
Neither is better for everyone. Google Ads suit urgent jobs and services people search for by name. Facebook adverts suit visual work, bigger planned jobs, and getting known locally.
The jargon
The words you'll come across, in plain English.
- Google Ads: paid adverts shown in Google's results when people search.
- Local Services Ads: Google adverts for local trades, shown with a Google Verified badge, where you pay for leads, not clicks.
- Meta: the company behind Facebook and Instagram adverts.
- Click: someone tapping your advert. You often pay for each one.
- Lead: an enquiry from someone who might become a customer.
- Daily budget: the most you want to spend on an advert in an average day.
Compare
How do Google and Facebook adverts compare?
Google Ads
- Starts with: what people search for.
- What to look at: searches, calls and forms.
- Where money gets wasted: searches that aren't relevant.
Facebook and Instagram adverts
- Starts with: who you show it to, and the picture.
- What to look at: reach, clicks, enquiries and jobs booked.
- Where money gets wasted: likes from people who'll never buy.
Google Local Services Ads
For many UK trades, including plumbing, electrics, heating, roofing and handyman work, Google also runs Local Services Ads. They show with a Google Verified badge, and you pay for leads related to your services, not clicks. Check whether your trade and area are covered.
Budget
How much should I spend on adverts?
The budget you set is a limit, not a promise of results. Count the cost of setting it up, the pictures and your time too.
Where it goes
Where should the advert send people?
The advert, the page it opens and how they get in touch should all be about the same job and area. Count calls and forms without collecting more personal details than you need.
A fair first test
How do I run a fair first test?
Pick one job that's worth enough to pay for adverts. Send people to a page about that job and decide what counts as a good enquiry. Set up call or form tracking and test it yourself.
- Exclude areas you don't cover
- Exclude searches you don't want, like “jobs” or “DIY”
- Write a few honest versions of the advert
- Set a total budget and an end date
- Check the searches and enquiries as you go
- Count quotes, jobs won and roughly what you made
Don't let cheap enquiries fool you. Ten enquiries from outside your area are worth less than two good ones.
Is it working?
How do I know if my adverts are working?
Do this
You know what you spent, how many good enquiries you got, the jobs you won, and roughly what you made.
Not this
It's called a success because it got 500 clicks, but nobody checked if any became customers.
Sources
Where this guide comes from.
Checked against these official pages on 27/10/2026. Next check due 27/01/2027. Things can change sooner, so check the official page before an important decision.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions.
Can I do both?
Yes, but on a small budget it's easier to test them one at a time.
How much should I spend?
There's no set minimum. Spend what you can afford to learn with, based on what a job's worth to you.
Do adverts help me rank in the free results?
No. Paying for adverts doesn't get you higher in the free results.
Should I let Google or Facebook choose everything?
Their automatic settings can help, but you decide the goal, the area, the wording, the budget and when to check it.
Do I need a special page for the advert?
Not always, but the page has to clearly match the job, area and next step in the advert.
When should I stop an advert?
Straight away if the wording's wrong, tracking's broken, enquiries are clearly wrong, or you've hit your limit.
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