Three acronyms keep coming up when a contractor wants more customers online: SEO, PPC and Facebook Ads. In short: SEO is free but slow, PPC is fast but stops when you stop paying, and Facebook Ads reaches people who weren't searching yet. The right pick depends on what you sell and when your customer makes the decision.
What each channel really does
| Channel | The customer... | Speed | What it costs | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO | is already searching Google | Months | Your time, no paid clicks | Slow, no guaranteed ranking |
| PPC (Google Ads) | is already searching Google | Immediate | Every click is paid | Stops with the budget, competitive keywords |
| Facebook & Instagram Ads | isn't searching yet | A few days to learn | A daily budget you choose | Needs a good visual and a fast callback |
The first two answer demand that already exists. The third creates demand among people who weren't thinking about it. They do different jobs, so they get different budgets and give different results.
SEO for a contractor: mostly local SEO
You don't have to become an SEO expert. Three things matter most locally:
- A complete Google Business Profile. Trade, service area, hours, phone, photos of your jobs. Google walks through the setup in its official help page.
- Real customer reviews. Ask every happy customer right after the job, and reply to reviews, including the critical ones.
- A clear website. One page per service and city, your phone number visible, and photos. Google's SEO starter guide is still the best place to learn the rules.
Be honest with yourself: SEO takes time, you can't order it, and no one can promise you the top spot. It's a long-term investment, not a way to fill next month's schedule.
PPC (Google Ads): when the customer is in a hurry
Someone whose furnace just died searches, looks at the first results, and calls. For emergency trades (plumbing, locksmith, HVAC repair), being at the top at the right moment is worth the cost of the click. To keep it from burning money:
- target specific searches (service + city) rather than broad keywords;
- exclude searches that aren't for you;
- use a tap-to-call number and answer fast;
- set a daily cap and stick to it.
For a deeper side-by-side with Facebook, read Facebook Ads vs Google Ads for small business and Google Local Services Ads vs Facebook Ads.
Facebook and Instagram: reach the customer before they search
A homeowner thinking about insulation or a new heating system doesn't necessarily search for a contractor yet. With Facebook and Instagram you show your offer to people in your service area, with the right age and type of home, and a form where they leave a name and phone number. It's the channel for planned projects: remodels, roofing, HVAC replacement, solar, and also salons, restaurants and gyms.
Our guide How to get leads from Facebook Ads covers the steps, and how much to spend helps you set your own budget.
Stop buying leads. Generate your own in 2 minutes.
Describe your business: the AI writes the copy, designs the visual, sets the targeting, and publishes your ad. Your leads — exclusive and far cheaper than a bought one — land straight in Leadria with a phone number, ready to call.
Try Leadria freeCalculate your cost per lead → free calculator
7-day free trial — $0 today — cancel anytime
Which channel for which trade
- Emergency repair (plumbing, locksmith, HVAC repair): a polished Google profile + PPC on emergency searches. Facebook on the side for maintenance plans.
- Planned projects (remodeling, insulation, heating, solar): Facebook and Instagram first, because the customer isn't searching yet. SEO builds in the background. See how to get contractor leads.
- Local shops, salons, restaurants: Google profile + Instagram. PPC is rarely the first lever.
Links: what actually matters in SEO
Links play a role in rankings in two ways. Internal links, from one page of your site to another, help Google and your visitors understand your site: link your service pages to each other. Links from other sites (quality directories, partners, local press) show that your business exists and is recommended. A few trustworthy links beat a pile of bought ones: undisclosed paid links go against Google's guidelines and can hurt you.
The mistakes that cost the most
- Launching everything at once. With a small budget, three poorly tracked channels give you three results you can't use. One channel at a time, measured over two weeks.
- Judging SEO after one month. It builds over time: your profile, reviews and pages add up. Don't drop it because it doesn't answer right away.
- Paying Google for demand that doesn't exist. If nobody searches your trade in an emergency, PPC costs a lot for few searches. That's where Facebook and Instagram take over.
- Forgetting the callback. Whatever the channel, a lead left unanswered for two days has often gone to a competitor. Call back the same day.
- Not tracking what each lead costs. Note where every request came from (Google, Facebook, word of mouth) and what it cost you: it's the only way to know where the next dollar should go.
Where to start, concretely
- This week: create or complete your Google Business Profile. It's free.
- This month: pick one paid channel that fits your trade, with a test budget you're willing to lose, and run it for two weeks.
- Ongoing: ask for reviews, post your finished jobs, and let SEO settle in without waiting on it.
For the Facebook and Instagram part, Leadria writes the ad, creates the visual and sets the targeting from a description of your business, publishes the campaign, and leads arrive with their phone number. Leadria does not handle SEO or Google Ads: it takes care of the Facebook and Instagram ads. The trial lasts 7 days and you can cancel anytime. To start very small, see organic vs paid Facebook ads.