Google Ads vs Meta Ads for trades: which should you start with?

Start with the kind of job you want.

Neither platform is the automatic winner for every trade. An emergency plumbing enquiry is different from a homeowner researching a garden redesign. Before comparing channels, decide which service you want to promote, where you can deliver it, and the kind of customer you can profitably serve.

Google’s Search Network includes search results and related search placements.^[1] That provides a way to meet people expressing a need. Meta offers placements on Facebook and Instagram, including Reels.^[2] That provides ways to introduce services while people use those apps. These are different starting situations, not a ranking of platform quality.

When Google Search is a useful starting point.

Search can be a sensible test when people already look for a specific service in your area. An electrician might separate emergency call-outs from planned rewiring because the customer’s urgency, potential value and useful landing page are different.

Look at the terms a person would use, the geography you actually serve and the work you want to accept. Sending all terms to one generic page makes the visitor do extra work. Explain the relevant service and show a clear enquiry route.

Search does not guarantee qualified work. Some enquiries will be outside scope, and a crowded market can make a campaign difficult. Check relevant search terms and lead quality, not only the number of clicks.

When Meta is a useful starting point.

Meta can be worth testing when your work benefits from a visual explanation: a before-and-after transformation, a finished project, or a short demonstration. Use genuine work you have permission to show, and explain the service and location clearly.

Short video is an available advertising format, not an obligation to copy every trend. Meta’s Reels resources describe the format and production options.^[2] The practical question is whether you can create material that helps a customer understand your offer.

A homeowner who discovers a refurbishment project may not need to book today. Your landing page and follow-up should suit that stage of interest. A low-cost form completion is not necessarily a valuable enquiry.

Compare the channels against the same commercial outcome.

Define an enquiry, a qualified lead and a booked job before the test. Google supports several conversion measurement approaches, and its qualified-lead guidance describes ways to distinguish later stages in a sales journey.^[3]

Keep a simple record: channel, service requested, location, whether the customer was a fit, quote sent and outcome. Include the time it took to respond. This turns the conversation from “which ad had the cheapest click?” into “which route brought work we could deliver profitably?”

A practical starting decision.

If you have clear local search demand and limited visual material, start by assessing Google Search. If the service is easier to sell by showing the work and you have strong assets, assess Meta. If neither has a clear case, improve the offer and enquiry journey first.

You do not need to start everywhere. Agree one useful hypothesis, a media budget, a qualification rule and a review date. AllVia-AI’s Google package starts from £1,500/month and Meta from £1,000/month, with the website included and advertising spend paid separately. Choose the channel for the business, not the lowest management fee.

Questions people ask