Google Ads or Facebook ads: which is better for a service business?
Neither is better for every service business, because they reach people at different moments. Google Ads can put your business in front of someone who is searching for the service right now, which often suits urgent jobs. Facebook ads usually reach people who are scrolling and were not looking, which can suit work that sells on looks and trust. Judge both by jobs won, not by clicks.
Searching versus scrolling
Google says its ads are only displayed if it believes they are relevant to the search terms entered, that for most searches it shows no ads at all, and that ads are clearly labeled. Its Ads Help page on how search results differ from ads says Google matches ads to a person's search. So a Google ad usually reaches someone who has already typed what they need.
Facebook's help page on how it decides which ads to show gives examples of things it could use, such as a person's activity on Facebook, details from their profile such as age, gender and location, and, depending on their ad settings, their activity on websites and apps off Facebook. As general advice, not Facebook's: the ad is picked for the person, who usually was not looking for you, so it has to create interest and not only answer a search.
| Google search ads | Facebook ads | |
|---|---|---|
| How it reaches people | Shown when a search fits the ad | Shown to people Facebook's systems pick, using many factors |
| What the person was doing | Searching for help with a need | Usually browsing, not looking for you |
| What the ad has to do | Look like the clear local answer | Earn attention and make the job feel worth doing |
| Where it often fits | Needs people search for when something goes wrong | Work that sells on looks, trust or the time of year |
Which jobs suit each
These are rules of thumb, not findings, and some businesses use both.
- Google Ads often suits urgent or problem-driven work, such as a repair that cannot wait, because the customer is already looking for someone to call.
- Facebook ads often suit work people choose for how it looks or how much they trust you, such as a remodel or a seasonal service. Before-and-after photos can do much of the selling.
- A new or unusual service that few people search for may reach more people through Facebook ads, because the people who would buy it are not typing it into Google yet.
- If few people near you search for your service, a Google ad has few searches to appear on. Try the search on your own phone to see what shows up.
Judge both by jobs won
Clicks and form fills are easy to count but can say little; the related answer on Facebook and Instagram lead ads shows how to log each lead as paid and follow it to won, lost or still open, and the same test works for Google Ads.
Run one platform at a time at first if you can, so you know which one produced the work. The related answer on lead attribution explains how to record where each lead came from. The related answer on paid search against SEO compares ads with free results, and the related answer on Facebook and Instagram lead ads covers one Facebook format, the instant form.
Where to start
Start with the platform that matches how your customers usually find someone. If most call after a problem shows up, start with Google Ads. If your work is chosen on looks and trust, or few people search for it, start with Facebook ads. Whichever you pick, reply to every lead quickly, and call or text a lead only with the person's consent.
Sources
- Google, "Ads on Search" (How Google Search Works)
- Google Ads Help, "How Google search results differ from ads"
- Facebook Help Center, "How Facebook decides which ads to show you"
Related answers
- Is paying for Google ads better than SEO for a small business?
- Are Facebook and Instagram lead ads worth it for a service business?
- What is lead attribution, and why does a small business need it?
Lead generation and lead tracking
A lead that waits a day goes cold, and a lead with no source teaches you nothing. Ascent Vision fixes both.