We've run over $2M for trades on both platforms. Honest breakdown of cost per phone call, intent, and what you got back.
Every trades owner asks the same question: Google or Meta? The honest answer, it depends on your service, your ticket size, and how fast people decide.
Google Ads wins on intent. When someone types 'emergency plumber near me,' they have a problem right now. Conversion rates on Google search for trades sit at 8–15%, and cost per phone call runs $35–$120 depending on the trade.
Meta Ads wins on volume and brand awareness. Facebook and Instagram are right for longer-decision work, kitchen remodels, full roof replacements, landscape design. Cost per lead is usually lower ($15–$60), but lead quality is hit-or-miss unless you build a real qualifier into the form.
Here's what we tell most trades under $5M in revenue: start 70/30 on Google Ads, then layer Meta retargeting once your search foundation is steady. Search captures the demand. Meta keeps you in front of the people who didn't book yet.
Whatever you do, track to closed revenue, not just leads. A $40 Meta lead that never closes costs more than a $120 Google call that books a $12,000 job. That's what you got back. That's the number that matters.
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