Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: which works better for a local service business?
By Capital Growth Studio · Published · 5 min read
Google catches demand. Facebook creates it.
For most local service businesses, start with Google. Search ads and Local Services Ads reach people who are looking for your service right now. Facebook and Instagram ads cost less per lead on average, but they reach people who weren't searching, so they work best for offers, events and reminding past website visitors that you exist.
What's the difference between Google Ads and Facebook Ads?
Google search ads appear when someone searches for what you do, such as "furnace repair Fairfax", and you pay when they click. Facebook and Instagram ads, both run through Meta's ad platform, appear in people's feeds based on who they are and what they do online. Nobody searched for you, so your ad interrupts their feed and must earn their attention.
Which costs less per lead: Google or Facebook?
On average, Facebook. Here are the latest published benchmarks from WordStream by LocaliQ for search ads on Google and Microsoft (April 2025 to March 2026) and for Facebook lead campaigns (published September 2026):
| Industry | Google search ads: avg. cost per lead | Facebook lead campaigns: avg. cost per lead |
|---|---|---|
| All industries | $66.69 | $27.39 |
| Home & home improvement | $90.92 | $42.95 |
| Physicians & surgeons | $40.04 | $32.14 |
| Beauty & personal care | $39.25 | $50.91 |
| Health & fitness | $67.36 | $27.11 |
| Industrial & commercial | $75.19 | $35.87 |
Sources: WordStream Google Ads Benchmarks 2026; LocaliQ Facebook Advertising Benchmarks 2026.
But a "lead" isn't the same thing on each platform. A Facebook lead is often someone who tapped a pre-filled form while scrolling. A search lead usually called you or filled in your form after looking for the service. WordStream itself notes that search conversions "may tend to be more valuable" (WordStream). And Facebook isn't always cheaper: beauty and personal care leads cost less on Google.
The number that settles it is cost per booked job, and only your own tracking can tell you that.
When is Google Ads the better choice?
- Urgent needs: a burst pipe, a broken AC in July.
- Searches that name a service and a place, such as "kitchen remodeler Bethesda".
- Businesses that can answer the phone when it rings.
When do Facebook and Instagram ads make sense?
- Work that photographs well: remodels, landscaping, finished projects.
- Events, seasonal offers and new services that people don't know to search for yet.
- Retargeting: showing ads to people who visited your site but didn't call.
- Hiring: reaching technicians and staff who aren't job-hunting on Google.
Where do Local Services Ads fit?
Local Services Ads are a third option from Google, available in certain business categories. They appear at the top of some local searches with a Google Verified badge, and you pay per lead rather than per click. A lead can be a call you answer, a voicemail, a message or a booking request. Google screens out some invalid leads before charging. It may also credit leads it later judges to be low quality, but not in some categories, such as health care (Google: how leads work, lead credits).
In October 2025, Google replaced the Google Guaranteed and Google Screened badges with the single Google Verified badge. It also ended the money-back guarantee that came with Google Guaranteed (Google, Google help).
How do Google Ads, Local Services Ads and Facebook Ads compare?
| Google search ads | Local Services Ads | Facebook & Instagram ads | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Clicks | Leads (calls, messages, bookings) | Reaching your chosen audience |
| How ready they are | Looking now | Looking now | Not looking yet |
| Best fit | Urgent and planned services, named searches | Eligible service categories that answer the phone | Visual work, offers, events, retargeting |
| Watch out for | Wasted clicks (see Google Ads mistakes) | Category eligibility and verification | Lower-intent leads; data limits for health businesses |
Which should you start with?
For most service businesses in the DC area, this is the order we recommend:
- Google search ads, plus Local Services Ads if your category is eligible.
- Facebook or Instagram retargeting once your site gets steady traffic, to reach people who visited but didn't call.
- Track cost per lead and cost per booked job on each, every month, and move budget to whichever books jobs for less.
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical practice or med spa advertise on Facebook?
Yes, but expect limits. Meta doesn't permit businesses to send health information (Meta). For some website categories, it also restricts which conversion events, such as form fills, you can share (Meta). That makes it harder to optimize for leads. Check your site's category in Meta Events Manager first.
Do I need a Google Ads account to run Local Services Ads?
Billing for Local Services Ads runs through Google Ads, and Google says a suspension of your Google Ads account also suspends your Local Services Ads. You manage the ads themselves, and your leads, in the separate Local Services Ads inbox.
Should I run Google and Facebook ads at the same time?
If your budget allows, yes, with different jobs. Let Google search catch people looking now, and use Facebook or Instagram to remind past visitors and promote offers.
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