Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which is Better for Service Businesses in NZ?

The Great Debate: Google Ads vs Facebook Ads for NZ Service Businesses

“Should I invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads for my service business?”

This is one of the most common questions we hear from plumbers, electricians, builders, and other service providers across New Zealand. With limited marketing budgets and the pressure to generate quality leads, choosing the right platform is crucial.

The truth? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Each platform has distinct strengths and weaknesses that make it more or less suitable depending on your specific business, goals, and target audience.

In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll break down exactly how Google Ads and Facebook Ads perform for New Zealand service businesses in 2025, using real data and case studies from our client campaigns.

Understanding the Fundamental Difference

Before diving into specific metrics and recommendations, it’s essential to understand the core difference between these platforms:

• Google Ads: Intent-based (captures people actively searching for your services)
• Facebook Ads: Interruption-based (puts your services in front of people who might need them)

This fundamental distinction shapes everything from cost structures to conversion rates and lead quality.

Performance Comparison: Key Metrics for NZ Service Businesses

Based on our analysis of over 200 service business campaigns across New Zealand, here’s how the platforms compare on key metrics:

Average Cost Per Lead (CPL)

Industry	Google Ads	Facebook Ads
Plumbing	$45-80	$35-60
Electrical	$40-75	$30-55
Building/Construction	$60-120	$40-80
Landscaping	$35-70	$25-50
Cleaning	$30-60	$20-40

As detailed in our Cost Per Lead for Service Businesses guide, Facebook typically delivers a lower CPL across most service industries in New Zealand.

Lead Quality and Conversion Rates

While Facebook often produces cheaper leads, Google Ads typically generates higher quality prospects:

Metric	Google Ads	Facebook Ads
Lead-to-Quote Conversion	60-75%	30-50%
Quote-to-Job Conversion	40-60%	25-45%
Average Job Value	10-20% higher	10-20% lower

This quality difference means that despite the higher CPL, Google Ads often delivers a better return on investment for many service businesses, as explored in our Facebook vs Google Ads ROI Comparison.

Time to First Lead

Another important consideration is how quickly you can expect results:

• Google Ads: Typically generates first leads within 24-48 hours of campaign launch
• Facebook Ads: Often requires 5-7 days for algorithm optimization before leads flow consistently

For service businesses needing immediate lead flow, Google Ads offers a clear advantage in speed to market.

When Google Ads Outperforms Facebook Ads for NZ Service Businesses

1. Emergency Services

For emergency services like after-hours plumbing, electrical work, or flood restoration, Google Ads is virtually unmatched. When someone has a burst pipe at 10 PM, they’re searching Google, not browsing Facebook.

Case Study: Auckland Emergency Plumbers saw a 320% ROI from Google Ads compared to just 140% from Facebook, with emergency callouts specifically coming almost exclusively through Google campaigns.

2. High-Value Services

For higher-value services with longer consideration periods like home renovations, new builds, or major landscaping projects, Google Ads often performs better because:

• These searches are more intentional
• Clients research extensively before deciding
• The higher average order value justifies the increased acquisition cost

Case Study: A Wellington-based home renovation company found that while Facebook generated more total leads, their Google Ads leads resulted in 2.5x higher average project value ($24,000 vs $9,600).

3. Specialized Trade Services

For specialized trade services like commercial electrical work, custom joinery, or specific construction specialties, Google Ads typically outperforms because:

• Search queries are highly specific
• Competition is often lower for specialized terms
• Conversion intent is extremely high

This aligns with our findings on improving Google Ads quality score for service businesses, where specialized services can achieve excellent quality scores and lower CPCs.

When Facebook Ads Outperforms Google Ads for NZ Service Businesses

1. Visual Services

For services where visual appeal is a major selling point, Facebook Ads often excels:

• Landscaping and garden design
• Deck and outdoor living construction
• Home staging and interior design
• Pool installation and maintenance

Case Study: North Shore Landscapes generated 45 qualified leads at $42 per lead using image carousel ads showcasing before/after transformations, significantly outperforming their Google campaigns.

2. New Businesses with Limited Brand Recognition

New businesses without established online presence often struggle with Google Ads initially due to:

• Lower quality scores affecting ad costs
• Limited reviews and trust signals
• Difficulty competing against established competitors

Facebook allows new businesses to build brand awareness while generating leads, as detailed in our guide to Facebook ad targeting for trade services.

Case Study: A new Auckland cleaning company with no website reviews started with Facebook, generating 32 leads in their first month at $28 per lead, building enough social proof to later succeed with Google Ads.

3. Maintenance and Regular Services

Services that require regular booking or maintenance often perform well on Facebook:

• Regular house cleaning
• Lawn care and garden maintenance
• Pool servicing
• HVAC maintenance

These services benefit from Facebook’s remarketing capabilities to remind customers when it’s time to schedule again.

The Hybrid Approach: Why Most Successful NZ Service Businesses Use Both

While we’ve highlighted when each platform shines, the truth is that the most successful NZ service businesses we work with use both platforms strategically:

The Complementary Strategy

1. Google Ads: Captures active, high-intent leads that need services now
2. Facebook Ads: Builds brand awareness and captures customers earlier in the buying journey

This approach creates a comprehensive marketing funnel as explained in our marketing funnel optimization guide.

Budget Allocation for the Hybrid Approach

For most service businesses, we recommend:

• New businesses: 40% Google Ads / 60% Facebook Ads
• Established businesses: 60% Google Ads / 40% Facebook Ads
• Emergency services: 80% Google Ads / 20% Facebook Ads

These ratios can be adjusted based on your specific service offerings, seasonality, and competitive landscape.

Platform-Specific Optimization Strategies for NZ Service Businesses

Google Ads Success Factors

1. Local Service Ads: If available for your industry, Local Service Ads should be your first priority due to their prominent placement and trust signals. See our guide to Google Local Service Ads vs Google Ads.
2. Negative Keywords: Rigorous negative keyword implementation to prevent wasted spend on non-converting terms. This is particularly important for service businesses to filter out DIY searches and price shoppers.
3. Location Targeting: Sophisticated location targeting as covered in our advanced location targeting guide can significantly improve ROI for service businesses with defined service areas.
4. Call Tracking: Implementing proper phone call tracking is essential since 60-70% of service business leads often come via phone rather than form submissions. Learn more in our phone call lead tracking setup guide.

Facebook Ads Success Factors

1. Lead Form Optimization: Facebook lead forms need careful optimization to reduce spam leads, as detailed in our guide to reducing spam leads in Facebook campaigns.
2. Rapid Follow-up: Facebook leads require rapid follow-up (within 10 minutes) for optimal conversion, which we cover in our article why you need to reply to leads within 10 minutes.
3. Creative Refreshment: Facebook ad creative fatigue happens faster than Google fatigue, requiring more frequent creative updates.
4. Retargeting: Implementing robust retargeting strategies significantly improves Facebook ad performance, as explained in our power of Meta retargeting guide.

A Decision Framework for Your Business

To help you decide which platform to prioritize, answer these questions:

1. Do customers actively search for your specific service when they need it?
   • Yes (strongly) → Google Ads advantage
   • Sometimes → Balanced approach
   • Rarely → Facebook Ads advantage
2. Is your service visually compelling or demonstrable?
   • Yes (strongly) → Facebook Ads advantage
   • Somewhat → Balanced approach
   • Not really → Google Ads advantage
3. What’s your average job value?
   • High ($5,000+) → Google Ads advantage
   • Medium ($1,000-$5,000) → Balanced approach
   • Lower (<$1,000) → Facebook Ads advantage
4. How important is lead quality vs. lead quantity?
   • Quality critical → Google Ads advantage
   • Balance needed → Hybrid approach
   • Volume priority → Facebook Ads advantage
5. How established is your brand/business?
   • Well-established → Google Ads advantage
   • Growing → Balanced approach
   • New → Facebook Ads advantage

Measuring True Performance: Beyond CPL

It’s crucial to look beyond simple cost per lead when comparing platforms. We recommend tracking:

1. Cost Per Qualified Lead: Not just leads, but qualified opportunities
2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The total cost to acquire a paying customer
3. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Revenue generated relative to ad spend
4. Customer Lifetime Value to CAC Ratio: Especially important for services with repeat business potential

Our guide on lead generation metrics that matter explores these in depth.

The Lucid Leads TAP System: Maximizing Results Across Both Platforms

At Lucid Leads, we use our proven TAP System to maximize results regardless of platform:

Target

We identify the most valuable customer segments on each platform, ensuring your budget targets those most likely to convert to paying customers.

Attract

We create platform-specific messaging that aligns with user intent and platform behavior patterns.

Present

We design conversion-optimized landing pages and lead capture systems tailored to each platform’s traffic characteristics.

Ready for a Customized Platform Strategy?

Choosing between Google Ads and Facebook Ads—or determining the right mix of both—requires careful analysis of your specific business needs, competitive landscape, and growth goals.

Book Your Free Performance Marketing Audit

We’ll analyze:

• Your current ad performance (if any)
• Your competitor strategies across both platforms
• Your specific service offerings and visual assets
• Your target customer profiles and buying journey

From this analysis, we’ll create a customized platform strategy showing exactly where to invest for maximum ROI.

During this no-obligation session, you’ll receive:

• Competitive analysis revealing how others in your industry are using both platforms
• Platform recommendation based on your specific business model
• Projected performance metrics at different budget allocations
• Swipe files of high-performing ads from both platforms in your industry

Book Your Free Performance Marketing Audit Today

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run both Google Ads and Facebook Ads with a small budget?

Yes, but we generally recommend focusing on one platform until you have at least $1,500-$2,000 per month to allocate to digital advertising. Starting with inadequate budgets on both platforms often leads to suboptimal results.

Do Facebook Ads work for emergency services at all?

While Google Ads dominates for immediate emergency needs, Facebook can play a supplementary role by building brand awareness so people remember your company when emergencies occur.

How long should I test each platform before deciding?

We recommend a minimum 3-month test period with professional management to get statistically significant data. Both platforms have learning phases and optimization periods.

Should the messaging be different on each platform?

Absolutely. Google Ads should focus on solving the specific problem the searcher has expressed, while Facebook Ads typically work better with problem-awareness messaging and visual demonstrations of your service quality.

Does Meta Ads include Instagram for service businesses?

Yes, and for some visually-oriented services like landscaping or deck building, Instagram can outperform Facebook proper. Our article on Facebook vs Instagram ads ROI explores this in depth.

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This article was written by the team at Lucid Leads, New Zealand’s premier lead generation agency for service businesses. We specialise in creating customised lead generation strategies that deliver measurable results for plumbers, electricians, builders, landscapers, and other service-based businesses across NZ.

Last updated: March 27, 2025