Should I run Google Ads or Meta Ads first?

Different jobs. Google Ads catches people who already know what they need (water heater repair, roof leak, AC tune-up). The intent is high and the lead is closer to ready. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) build awareness, retarget visitors, run seasonal offers, fill recruiting funnels, and show before-and-after proof to your community. Service businesses with an emergency or replacement angle usually start with Google. Businesses leaning on brand, retargeting, or recruiting start with Meta. Many run both once the funnel is healthy.

How much ad spend do I need?

Ad spend is separate from management fees and is paid directly to Google or Meta. There is no universal floor, but most service businesses see real signal at $1,500 to $3,000 a month of ad spend on a single platform. Lower budgets can work in a tight geography with a narrow service. Higher budgets are common in competitive metros. We will give you a realistic minimum for your service, geography, and competition before you commit.

Do you build landing pages for ads?

Landing-page work is handled through the Website Design & Build service or a dedicated landing-page scope, not included in the ads management fee itself. Ads pointed at a weak landing page waste money. If your site is not ready, we will say so and quote the landing page or website work alongside the ads setup so the funnel is whole before you spend.

Is conversion tracking included?

Yes. Conversion tracking, call tracking, and form tracking are part of every ads setup. Without them you are guessing which keywords, ads, and audiences are producing booked work, and you will overspend on what feels right instead of what is working. Tracking is the difference between marketing and gambling.

How fast will ads start working?

Google Ads typically produces lead volume in the first two to four weeks once campaigns, tracking, and landing pages are in place. Meta Ads usually need three to six weeks to find the right audience and creative angle. The first 30 to 60 days are about gathering signal and tightening. Real performance shows up after the platform has enough conversion data to optimize on, which is why monthly management matters more than a one-time setup.

Can ads replace SEO and Google Business Profile work?

No. Ads are rented attention. The day you turn them off, the leads stop. SEO and Google Business Profile build owned visibility that compounds. The best mix for most service businesses is ads for fast lead flow and SEO plus GBP for long-term ranking. That is the logic behind the Full Marketing Machine bundle.

What if my website is not ready for ads?

We tell you. Pointing paid traffic at a slow, unclear, or untracked site is the fastest way to burn a budget. If the site is the problem, we recommend fixing the site (or building a focused landing page) before spending on ads. We would rather delay the spend by a few weeks than watch you waste it.

ADS MANAGEMENT FOR SERVICE BUSINESSES

Ads management for service businesses

Ads amplify your funnel. They do not fix it. Google Ads and Meta Ads can fill your calendar fast when the landing page, offer, tracking, and follow-up are in place. They will burn money just as fast when any of those pieces are weak. PointWake builds the whole funnel before turning the spigot on, so paid traffic becomes booked work instead of an expensive lesson.

Start Ads Setup Book a Growth Plan First

Ads are not magic

The dirty truth of paid media is that ads expose everything weak about your business. A bad landing page becomes obvious in the bounce rate. A vague offer becomes obvious in the conversion rate. Missing tracking becomes obvious when you cannot tell which campaigns are booking work. Slow follow-up becomes obvious when leads ghost you.

That is why a "we just need to run ads" project usually fails. Ads do not fix the funnel. They light it up. We make sure the funnel is worth lighting up first.

Google Ads: high-intent, ready-to-buy

Google Ads catches people at the exact moment they need a service business. The keyword tells you the intent. Someone Googling "water heater leaking" is not browsing. They are calling whoever shows up first and answers. PPC for home services is built on those moments.

Emergency service: water heater leak, roof leak, no AC, no heat, no power
Near-me intent: "plumber near me", "HVAC near me", "roofer near me"
Quote intent: "get a quote", "free estimate", "how much does X cost"
Repair vs replacement: ready-to-buy comparison searches
Branded protection: defending your own name from competitor bids
Local Services Ads (LSAs) where eligible, integrated alongside Search

Meta Ads: awareness, retargeting, proof

Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) are not where most people are searching for a plumber. They are where people are scrolling, watching, and remembering. Facebook ads for contractors do their best work as awareness, retargeting, seasonal offers, recruiting, and proof. Done right, Meta builds a brand your service area knows before they ever Google your category.

Awareness in your service area so your brand is familiar before they Google
Retargeting visitors who saw a service page but did not call
Seasonal offers (spring tune-ups, pre-storm inspections, end-of-year financing)
Recruiting funnels for technicians, installers, and crew
Before and after proof, job-site photos, and short video that builds trust
Community presence in the cities and ZIPs you actually want to serve

Tracking and landing-page requirements

Paid ads for local service businesses only work when the funnel underneath them works. Every piece on this list has to be in place before the spend starts:

Google Ads conversion tracking wired to the actual booked outcomes you care about
Call tracking with dynamic number insertion so phone leads are attributed correctly
Form tracking on every contact, quote, and booking form on the site
Landing page structure that matches the ad: same offer, same headline, same intent
Offer clarity (free quote, same-day service, financing, seasonal tune-up) above the fold
Speed-to-lead follow-up automation so a fresh lead does not sit in an inbox
CRM routing that drops leads into the right pipeline, with the right tags, automatically
Monthly reporting tied to booked work, not just clicks and impressions

What's included

Full campaign build (Google Ads or Meta Ads, or both)
Keyword research and audience targeting matched to your services and geography
Ad copy, creative direction, and platform-native creative production
Conversion, call, and form tracking wired end to end
Landing-page alignment review (build quoted separately if needed)
Monthly optimization on what is actually booking work
CRM routing and speed-to-lead follow-up integration
Transparent monthly reporting tied to outcomes, not vanity metrics
Managed by our certified ad partner under the PointWake agreement

Who it's for. Who it's not for.

Who it's for

Service businesses with a real offer and a website that converts
Owners ready to spend at least $1,500 to $3,000/mo on actual ad spend
Contractors and home services with emergency, replacement, or seasonal angles
Businesses that already have (or will fix) tracking and follow-up

Who it's not for

Owners hoping ads will rescue a broken website or unanswered phone
Anyone unwilling to commit to a real ad-spend floor
Businesses with no clear offer or differentiator
Brands chasing impressions and likes instead of booked work

Pricing

Same prices as the full catalog on /pricing. Ad spend is paid directly to Google or Meta and is separate from the management fees below. Both engagements are managed by our certified ad partner under the PointWake agreement.

Google Ads Management

High-intent search, LSAs where eligible, conversion tracking end to end.

$1,597 setup

+ $597/mo management (plus your ad spend)

Start Google Ads

Meta Ads Management

Facebook and Instagram for awareness, retargeting, seasonal offers, and recruiting.

$997 setup

+ $597/mo management (plus your ad spend)

Start Meta Ads

Ad spend is separate. Most service businesses see real signal at $1,500 to $3,000/mo of ad spend on a single platform. We will give you a realistic minimum for your service and geography before you commit.

See full pricing Book a Growth Plan First

FAQ

Should I run Google Ads or Meta Ads first?: Different jobs. Google Ads catches people who already know what they need (water heater repair, roof leak, AC tune-up). The intent is high and the lead is closer to ready. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) build awareness, retarget visitors, run seasonal offers, fill recruiting funnels, and show before-and-after proof to your community. Service businesses with an emergency or replacement angle usually start with Google. Businesses leaning on brand, retargeting, or recruiting start with Meta. Many run both once the funnel is healthy.
How much ad spend do I need?: Ad spend is separate from management fees and is paid directly to Google or Meta. There is no universal floor, but most service businesses see real signal at $1,500 to $3,000 a month of ad spend on a single platform. Lower budgets can work in a tight geography with a narrow service. Higher budgets are common in competitive metros. We will give you a realistic minimum for your service, geography, and competition before you commit.
Do you build landing pages for ads?: Landing-page work is handled through the Website Design & Build service or a dedicated landing-page scope, not included in the ads management fee itself. Ads pointed at a weak landing page waste money. If your site is not ready, we will say so and quote the landing page or website work alongside the ads setup so the funnel is whole before you spend.
Is conversion tracking included?: Yes. Conversion tracking, call tracking, and form tracking are part of every ads setup. Without them you are guessing which keywords, ads, and audiences are producing booked work, and you will overspend on what feels right instead of what is working. Tracking is the difference between marketing and gambling.
How fast will ads start working?: Google Ads typically produces lead volume in the first two to four weeks once campaigns, tracking, and landing pages are in place. Meta Ads usually need three to six weeks to find the right audience and creative angle. The first 30 to 60 days are about gathering signal and tightening. Real performance shows up after the platform has enough conversion data to optimize on, which is why monthly management matters more than a one-time setup.
Can ads replace SEO and Google Business Profile work?: No. Ads are rented attention. The day you turn them off, the leads stop. SEO and Google Business Profile build owned visibility that compounds. The best mix for most service businesses is ads for fast lead flow and SEO plus GBP for long-term ranking. That is the logic behind the Full Marketing Machine bundle.
What if my website is not ready for ads?: We tell you. Pointing paid traffic at a slow, unclear, or untracked site is the fastest way to burn a budget. If the site is the problem, we recommend fixing the site (or building a focused landing page) before spending on ads. We would rather delay the spend by a few weeks than watch you waste it.

Ready to spend ad dollars that book work?

Start the ads setup, or book a Growth Plan first so we can confirm the funnel is ready for the spend.