Same budget can bring drastically different outcomes. To scale trade business you have to know which one and when to use.
Ad Channels Comparison
| Channel | Best For | Lead Intent | Est. Cost* | Main Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google LSA | Emergency repairs & callouts | Active Search (High) | £20 - £60 / Lead | Rank drops if calls are missed |
| Google Ads (PPC) | Installs & service bookings | Active Search (High) | £3 - £15 / Click | Can be expensive if generic website |
| Meta Ads | Off-season & Installs | Passive Scroll (Medium) | £30 - £200 / Lead | Needs to be constantly managed |
| Directories | Shared lead scraps & low-margin work | Low Search (Shared) | £5 - £30+ / Lead + Fees | Race to the bottom, Pay to Win |
*Estimated cost depends heavily on your local area competition, setup, optimization, your brand, reviews, and more. Directory leads are shared between competitors, while search/social ads are 100% exclusive.
💡 Core Rule: Google targets active searchers looking for immediate help. Meta interrupts passive scrolling and requires a stronger offer with tight filtering. Cheap leads are rarely good leads.
In this guide
Google Local Services Ads (LSA)
LSAs sit at the absolute top of search results. You operate on a pay-per-lead basis, meaning you only pay when a customer actually calls or texts your business.
How They Rank: Driven entirely by phone responsiveness. Google track how fast you answer, record calls and if you miss a call, Google can drop your rank.
LSA Guide
If you let calls go to voicemail, Google downgrades your visibility. Qualify the lead within the first few seconds. If you cannot service them, end the call fast so you don't pay for a non-converter.
Manage your LSA regurarly. Send feedback to Google on every caller to train the algorithm. You can dispute charges directly in the dashboard to get refunds for spam or out-of-area calls.
Google Ads (PPC)
Google Ads allow you to target active searchers who are currently searching for service. From emergency to installs, similar as Meta but here is intentional search. You pay for every visitor who clicks your ad.
How They Work: You bid on specific keywords. Your ad position depends on your Quality Score (ad relevance, click rate, and page experience) and your bid—a highly relevant page can win cheaper clicks than a competitor bidding more.
Google Ads Guide
Guide traffic to a fast-loading landing page that makes calling or quote friction less. Too many menus or distractions will cause visitors to leave instantly, wasting your click budget.
Unlike LSA, Google does not refund bad clicks - you pay for the traffic regardless of whether they call. Protect your budget by using Phrase and Exact Match keywords instead of Broad Match, aggressively adding negative keywords daily, and avoiding competitor name bidding if you have a tight budget.
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
Meta targets users who are passively scrolling social media. Instead of capturing active search intent, you are generating demand.
Passive Scroll: Because users aren't actively searching for a trade, emergency or generic "What services we do" won't work. Instead we target "I don't need right now but I'm thinking of changing my boiler".
Campaign Setup
Social traffic is almost entirely mobile. Your landing page must load instantly, be interactive and format perfectly on phone screens.
Use clean photos with minimal text, raw visuals in good quality are best. Keep ads hyper-focused on a single service (e.g. installs only, not a generic service list) and test multiple creatives constantly to find the top performer.
Run ads for at least 7 to 14 days without editing them to let Meta's algorithm exit the learning phase.
Target specific areas and exclude areas you cannot service.
Test different CTA buttons (like "Learn More" vs "Get Quote") to match your ad's specific offer.
⚠️ Big Mistake: Running Meta ads without Meta Pixel on your website means zero conversion tracking. The algorithm stays blind, your optimization fails, and cost stays the same.
⚠️ Agency Warning: Do not hire a generic agency. Local trades have many unique niuances. Hire an employee or agency which deals with trade specifically.
Common Mistakes That Burn Ad Budget
- ✗ Homepage Trap: Sending paid traffic to a generic homepage instead of a high-converting landing page.
- ✗ Speed (Meta): Letting social leads sit. When a user fills out a Facebook form, you must call them in under 5 minutes (ideally under 60 seconds) before they scroll away and forget.
- ✗ Not answering calls (LSA): Letting calls go to voicemail, which instantly tanks your Google visibility and ranking.
- ✗ Missing Pixel (Meta): Running social campaigns without tracking, leaving the algorithm unable to optimize.
- ✗ Broad Area: Bidding on massive regions or postcodes your team cannot service efficiently, wasting budget on unserviceable leads.
Which Channel is Best for You?
Before investing in paid ads, you need to match your marketing channel to your business goals. Choosing the wrong platform will burn your budget on leads you cannot convert.
Best for emergency/callouts and immediate local calls once approved. You must be ready to answer live within 3 rings.
Best if you want to target intent (from emergency callouts to new installs) immediately. Requires a highly optimized landing page to prevent wasted spend.
Best for generating demand for larger, planned jobs (like installations, upgrades, or servicing) using finance offers or low-friction packages.
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