Google, Facebook, and Bing Advertising

Google Search Ads put your business in front of people who are actively searching for a plumber, electrician, HVAC tech, or other service right now. These are high-intent customers typing terms like “water heater repair near me” or “emergency electrician.” By targeting these searches, you show up exactly when the customer needs help, which leads to more service calls and better-quality leads.

Bing still receives millions of searches each day, especially from older homeowners and people using Microsoft devices. Competition is lower, which often means cheaper cost-per-clicks compared to Google. Adding Bing helps you grab additional high-intent lead volume without dramatically increasing your advertising budget.

Facebook lets you reach homeowners before a problem happens. You can educate them, introduce your brand, or highlight seasonal services (like tune-ups or drain cleaning) even when they aren’t actively searching. This builds familiarity so that when something breaks, your company is already top-of-mind.

Search ads (Google/Bing) target customers who are intentionally looking for a service right now. Social ads (Facebook/Instagram) interrupt the feed to build awareness, create demand, or promote offers. Most home service businesses get the best results by combining the two—search for immediate leads, social for brand building and long-term growth.

SEO and GEO are important, but it can take months to see results—and rankings can shift overnight. Google Search Ads are immediate and let you appear at the top of the page even if your organic ranking is low. Paid search also lets you target specific services and service areas quickly, giving you more control and predictability.

Yes, in most cases running both improves overall lead flow because you’re tapping into two separate search ecosystems. Bing often has lower click costs, which can reduce your blended cost per lead. Using both platforms gives you wider coverage and helps ensure you show up consistently when homeowners are searching.

Facebook can do both, but its strength is in building awareness and generating demand before a breakdown happens. Immediate service-call campaigns can work, especially for promotions or urgent messages, but search ads usually win for emergency situations. Facebook is best used to keep your brand in front of homeowners (including your current customers) year-round so they think of you first.

Facebook allows you to target homeowners by location, age, homeownership status, interests, and behavior. You can also retarget people who’ve visited your website, called your business, or engaged with past ads. This ensures your ads are seen by the right people—local homeowners who are most likely to become paying customers.

Keywords determine when your ads appear and help match your business to the customer’s exact search intent. Using the right mix of high-intent keywords (like “AC repair near me”) ensures you attract qualified leads instead of browsers. Strong keyword strategy also reduces wasted spend and improves overall campaign efficiency.

Paid ads let you show up at the top of search results even when dozens of competitors are fighting for attention. You can highlight what makes your business different—reviews, experience, guarantees, or special offers—right in the ad. This creates visibility, builds trust quickly, and helps you win customers before they scroll to a competitor.