As a marketing agency for home service businesses, we specialize in connecting our clients with their ideal customers on Google and its network of sites. However, we still get asked about Facebook all the time, so here’s our position.
Google & Facebook can be great ways to promote your business, but they work in very different ways.
Facebook Ads work off a cost per click model, similar to Google Ads. You set a daily budget and the audience you want to reach, and Facebook will do its best to spend your daily budget within those parameters.
Agencies that sell Facebook advertising will tell you that the cost per click is much less expensive than Google. This is true. The cost per click on both Facebook and Google has been rising steadily, but the cost per click on Facebook is a fraction of what one would pay on Google.
However, as you may have experienced trying out different types of online advertising, not all clicks have the same value.
Those who click on Facebook Ads are in an entirely different stage of their buying process. If you’re on Facebook yourself for personal use, you know what I’m talking about. Your customers aren’t going to Facebook to find a flooring contractor to install new hardwoods. They’re messaging friends, watching videos in their newsfeed, participating in Groups, and God knows what else!
When you advertise on Facebook, you’re hoping to interrupt or draw somebody’s attention away from what brought them to Facebook to begin with. It’s clickbait like “win a free furnace,” extreme discounts, and bait & switch offers that get people to stop what they’re doing and click on your ad. You need to ask yourself if these are the types of customers you want to grow your business with.
Let’s compare that to Google, where your ad is only showing up for people actively searching for exactly what you do because why else would somebody search for a “kitchen remodeler in Denver”. It’s not to watch a crazy cat video, that’s for sure!
Google provides an entirely different type of buyer, who is motivated to do business with you. I would gladly pay more per click for that type of person, wouldn’t you?
Besides, focusing on cost per click is the wrong way to look at your advertising. It’s all about cost per acquisition. For example, if it takes 10 clicks at $10/click to get a new customer that spends $5,000 on new hardwoods with you, your CPA is $100. Would you pay $100 for a $5,000 job? I’ll make that deal all day long.
If you’re selling a low-ticket item, or have a product customers can order directly on your website, Facebook Ads may be a great addition to your marketing & advertising strategy.
Our general advice to our home service clients is to build out your Facebook Page so it looks professional with a nice cover image and complete all your important information (hours of operation, contact information, etc.). Invite your employees, friends, family to Like your page. When you have a spare moment, post photos of recent projects, showcase some great customer reviews, post a video at a job site showing people your crew in action.
Facebook doesn’t directly help your website’s Google rankings, however you’ll find your Facebook Page appear in the rankings when people are searching your business by name, so it’s important to have an updated professional appearance for anybody researching you.
Consider Facebook Ads if you’re selling an inexpensive service, or a low-ticket product someone can buy directly off your website.
If you’re a home service business selling high ticket items like deck construction, furnaces, kitchen remodels, basement finishing, hardwood floor installation, etc., Google is still the king of local search and the most reliable source of new customer leads.
