Facebook Ads for Contractors | Beginner Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. How Facebook Ads Are Different From Google Ads

3. Setting Up Your Facebook Business Manager

4. Choosing the Right Campaign Objective

5. Building Your Target Audience

6. Writing Scroll-Stopping Ad Copy

7. Creating High-Converting Visuals

8. Setting Your Budget and Ad Schedule

9. Creating a Landing Page for Facebook Ads?

10. Tracking & Expected Results

11. Troubleshooting Low-Performing Ads

12. Final Tips for Getting More Leads from Facebook Ads

13. Bonus: Want 10 Extra Monthly Leads For Your Business?

1. Introduction: Why Facebook Ads Work for Contractors

If you’re a contractor in 2025 and still relying solely on word-of-mouth or yard signs for new business, you’re leaving serious money on the table. Facebook Ads may not be the newest platform on the block, but when it comes to local advertising, it’s still one of the most powerful tools available.

Why? Because your future customers are already there—scrolling, liking, and engaging multiple times a day. Whether you're a roofer, landscaper, general contractor, or painter, Facebook allows you to target the exact neighborhoods and demographics most likely to hire you.

It’s affordable, highly targeted, and visual—which makes it ideal for showcasing before-and-after projects, testimonials, and special offers. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to launch your first profitable Facebook Ads campaign—from setup to strategy.

2. How Facebook Ads Are Different From Google Ads

Before diving in, let’s quickly explain how Facebook Ads differ from Google Ads—because understanding the difference helps shape your strategy.

Google Ads target users with intent. People search “kitchen renovation near me” or “plumber in Langley,” and you show up if you’ve got the right keywords.

Facebook Ads, on the other hand, are interruption-based. Your ad appears while someone is browsing their feed, not actively searching for services. That means your ad needs to grab attention, create interest, and offer value—even when the viewer wasn’t looking for a contractor that second.

That’s why visual content, trust elements (like reviews), and irresistible offers work better on Facebook than keyword-stuffed headlines.

In short:

• Google Ads = high intent

• Facebook Ads = awareness and demand generation

For most contractors, the best strategy is to use both—Google Ads to capture hot leads, and Facebook Ads to warm up your audience, fill your pipeline, and retarget past visitors.

3. Setting Up Your Facebook Business Manager the Right Way

Before running any ads, you need to get your account set up properly. Here's a quick breakdown:

Step 1: Create a Business Manager Account
Go to business.facebook.com and create an account. This keeps your ads separate from your personal profile and gives you access to tools like analytics and ad tracking.

Step 2: Set Up Your Facebook Page
You can’t run ads without a business page. If you don’t have one, create a clean, professional page with:

• Your logo and contact info

• Services listed

• A few before/after photos

• A pinned post with your current offer or best project

Step 3: Install the Facebook Pixel on Your Website
The pixel tracks who visits your website so you can retarget them later. If you don’t install this, you lose out on one of the most powerful parts of Facebook advertising.

Step 4: Connect Your Payment Method and Ad Account
Make sure your payment is set up correctly and your account is verified. This avoids delays later.

Step 5: Assign Roles (Optional)
If you're working with a marketing team, you can add them under “Business Settings” and assign roles like admin, advertiser, or analyst.

4. Choosing the Right Campaign Objective (Leads, Traffic, Messages)

Once you’re ready to create an ad, Facebook will ask: What’s your objective? For contractors, the top 3 objectives that actually generate leads are:

• Leads – Use Facebook’s built-in forms so people can request a quote without leaving Facebook.

• Messages – Get people to DM your business directly for a quote or more info.

• Traffic – Send people to your landing page or website to learn more and book.

Pro tip: Start with Lead Ads if you don’t have a great website. They convert well and Facebook pre-fills info like name and email for users—making it easy to submit. If your website is strong and you want to qualify leads better, use the Traffic objective to drive clicks to a page with testimonials, a service breakdown, and a contact form.

5. Building Your Target Audience (Location, Demographics & Interests)

This is where Facebook Ads shine. You can be extremely specific with who sees your ad. Here’s how to build a high-converting audience:

• Location: Start with a 10–20 km radius around your service area (e.g., “Nanaimo + 20 km”). If you only work in specific towns or cities, choose those directly.

• Age & Gender: Most contractors target homeowners, so stick with ages 30–65+. In some niches, men may dominate the customer base—adjust accordingly.

• Interests: Target users who’ve shown interest in topics like:

  • “Home renovation”

  • “DIY”

  • “Construction”

  • “Interior design”

  • “Real estate investing”

Custom Audiences:
If you’ve installed the pixel, you can target:

• Website visitors

• People who engaged with your page

• Your email list

Lookalike Audiences:
Facebook can also create an audience similar to your best clients based on your pixel data or lead list. This is extremely effective once you’ve run a few campaigns.

6. Crafting a Great Offer That Gets Clicks

Facebook is a busy place. People are scrolling fast. If your ad doesn’t stop the scroll and give them a reason to click, it won’t matter how great your service is. That’s why your offer is everything. Here’s what works for contractors:

• Free Quotes with a Twist: “Book a free 10-minute quote and get a $100 credit toward your first project.”

• Limited-Time Discounts: “20% off exterior painting – valid this month only!”

• Before & After Galleries: “See how we transformed this backyard in 3 days.”

• Free Upgrades: “Book a fence install and get a free gate (worth $400).”

The key is urgency + value. Make sure your offer feels like it won’t be around forever. Use deadlines, limited slots, or “only 5 spots left this month” to push action.

And always use clear, benefit-focused language—think “Save $500” instead of “We’re affordable.”

7. Writing Ad Copy That Converts

Your ad copy needs to do three things fast:

1. Get attention

2. Build trust

3. Get the click

Here’s a simple formula that works great for contractors:

Headline: Ask a question or make a bold claim
“Need Your Driveway Done Before Summer?”
“This Nanaimo Backyard Makeover Is Unreal”

Body Text: Speak to the pain or goal
Tired of flaky contractors who never show up? We’re local, licensed, and finish jobs on time—with 100+ happy reviews to prove it.

Call to Action: Tell them what to do
Click “Learn More” to get your free quote today. No obligation, no pressure.

Pro tip:
Use emojis to break up text and make it feel more human.
Also, try starting your ad with a short testimonial like:
“They showed up on time, cleaned up everything, and gave us a better price than anyone else.” – Mark from Nanaimo

8. Choosing Images & Video That Drive Results

Facebook is a visual platform. The right image or video can be the difference between a dead ad and one that pulls in leads for weeks.

What to use:

• Before & After photos: These are gold. Put them side-by-side or create a simple carousel.

• Short Videos (15–30 seconds): Show progress shots, walkthroughs, or drone footage.

• On-the-job content: A quick clip of you or your crew working builds massive trust.

What not to use:

• Stock images (people can spot them instantly)

• Overly polished designs

• Low-res or poorly lit photos

Pro tip:
Even if it’s shot on your iPhone, authentic content of real projects usually performs 10x better than anything staged. Add a text overlay like “New Project in Surrey” to give it context.

9. Retargeting: Your Secret Weapon for More Leads

Most people won’t click or convert the first time they see your ad—and that’s okay. That’s where retargeting comes in.

With the Facebook Pixel installed on your site (see step #3), you can run ads to:

• People who visited your website but didn’t contact you

• People who watched a certain % of your video ad

• People who clicked on your lead form but didn’t submit

These are warm leads—and they’re way more likely to convert. Your retargeting ads should:

• Show social proof (reviews, testimonials)

• Highlight your best projects

• Remind them what they’re missing

• Include a soft CTA: “Still thinking about redoing your deck? Let’s talk.”

Retargeting is often the highest ROI part of your Facebook strategy.

10. Launching, Budgeting & Knowing What to Expect (Real Numbers)

Here’s how to launch your first campaign without overcomplicating things:

Budgeting:

• Start with $10–$20/day

• Run your campaign for 5–7 days to test performance

• Focus on one audience and one offer at a time

Average Costs (for most contractor niches):

• Cost per lead (CPL): $10–$40

• Click-through rate (CTR): 1–3%

• Cost per click (CPC): $0.80–$2.50

• Conversion rate on landing page: 10–30%

Example: If you spend $300 on ads in a week and generate 15 leads at $20 each, that’s already a good starting point—especially if just one job nets you $1,000+ in profit.

What makes your cost per lead go down?

• Better photos/videos

• Stronger offer

• Faster website

• Good reviews

• Retargeting

11. Troubleshooting Low-Performing Ads

Not getting the results you hoped for? Don’t panic—low-performing ads are part of the learning process, and every contractor goes through this phase. Here’s how to troubleshoot step-by-step:

1. Check your offer
Most ad problems start with a weak offer. If you're just saying "call us today" or "free quotes," that won’t cut it anymore. Add urgency or a unique value—“Get your new deck started in 7 days or less” or “Spring landscaping offer: Book now, get 10% off.”

2. Test new images or videos
Visuals drive engagement. If you're using one generic image, try:

• Before & after shots of your own jobs

• Quick video walkthroughs

• A photo of your crew in action

3. Adjust your audience
Too broad? Too narrow? Not local enough? Try:

• Narrowing by age, location, or homeowner interests

• Creating a Lookalike Audience based on past leads or customers

• Retargeting people who’ve visited your site

4. Improve your landing page
Your ads might be fine, but if the page they land on is slow, ugly, or confusing—you’ll lose them. Make sure:

• It matches the ad message

• The form is easy to fill out

• It works great on mobile

5. Don’t kill ads too early
It’s normal for Facebook’s algorithm to take a few days to optimize. Let ads run 3–5 days before making big changes.

12. Final Tips for Getting More Leads from Facebook Ads

To wrap up the guide, here are a few power user tips that will keep your Facebook campaigns ahead of the curve in 2025:

✅ Use video ads: Even short clips of you or your crew talking about a service can build trust faster than photos.
✅ Run seasonal promotions: Align your offers with the time of year—spring cleanup, winter prep, summer projects.
✅ Automate lead follow-up: Use tools like GoHighLevel or Zapier to send instant texts or emails when someone fills out a form.
✅ Track everything: Leads, cost per lead, close rate. If you don’t know what’s working, you can’t grow.
✅ Test regularly: Test new ad copy, new images, different services. One small change could double your lead flow.

And remember: The goal of Facebook Ads isn’t just clicks. It’s booked jobs.

13. Bonus: Want Done-for-You Facebook Ads for Your Contracting Business?

If you're feeling overwhelmed—or you simply want someone to handle the setup, targeting, testing, and optimization for you—we’ve got your back. At Debut Marketing, we specialize in building lead generation machines for local contractors across Canada.

Here’s what we offer:

• Professionally designed Facebook ad campaigns

• High-converting landing pages tailored to your service area

• Built-in tracking so you see every lead

• Weekly optimization and reporting

• Optional follow-up automation tools

You’ll get consistent leads without chasing jobs or wasting money.

📞 Book a free strategy call with our team
We’ll walk you through what’s working for contractors right now and how we can apply it to your business.

👉 Visit debutmarketing.ca to get started.

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