We’ve created this definitive guide to teach you everything you need to know about Facebook Ads for contractors and how to use this platform to grow your business. This short guide will help you create compelling ads that target your ideal customers, set a budget that works for you, and measure and optimize your results. We’ll also share some best practices for getting the most out of your Facebook Ads campaigns.
An Overview Of Facebook Ads For Contractors
As a contractor, you know that advertising can be expensive. You also understand that growing your business is essential and getting in front of as many potential customers as possible is where Facebook ads come in.
Advertising on Facebook is an incredibly cost-effective way to reach a large audience. A contractor can target their ideal customers with laser precision using Facebook, which has over 2 billion active users.
When done correctly, Facebook ads can be a potent tool to help contractors grow their businesses.
The Benefits of Advertising on Facebook
Cost-Effective Advertising
Facebook Ads is a very cost-effective way to advertise your contracting business. You can set a daily budget and only pay when people click on your ad (CPC). The average CPC for Facebook Ads is $0.27, much lower than other forms of advertising such as Google Ads ($2.32) or television ads ($22.00).
Targeted Advertising
Another great benefit of Facebook Ads is targeting your ads to a specific audience. An excellent example of this would be targeting your ads to someone who lives in a particular city, is interested in home improvement, and falls within a target age group. Targeting Ads ensures that your ad reaches the right people and that you’re not wasting money on ads that no one will see.
Increased Visibility
Facebook Ads also allow you to increase the visibility of your contracting business. When people see your ad, they can learn more about your business and what services you offer. As a result, your business will attract new customers and grow more quickly.
Other benefits of advertising on Facebook include:
- You can get started quickly and easily: Setting up a campaign on Facebook is quick and easy – even if you’ve never run an ad before!
- You decide your budget: With Facebook ads, you can set your budget. You can select a daily budget or a lifetime budget. By setting your budget, you can control how much you spend on each campaign and ensure you don’t exceed your budget.
Have A Strategy Of What You Want To Accomplish With Facebook Ads
As a contractor, you should strategize what you want to accomplish with your Facebook ads. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Drive traffic to your website? Generate leads?
Your strategy will determine the ad type you create, your budget, and your targeting options. A clear plan will make it easier to measure your campaign’s success and adjust accordingly.
Some things to consider when creating your strategy:
- What are your goals? (e.g., increased brand awareness, more website traffic, more leads)
- Who is your target audience? (e.g., homeowners in a particular city or zip code)
- What type of ad will be most effective in achieving your goals? (e.g., image, video, carousel)
- What’s your budget for your campaign? (e.g., $100 per day)
To create a successful ad, you must clearly understand your goals and target audience.
The Different Types of Facebook Ads for Contractors.
Boosted Posts
With Boosted Posts, contractors can promote their existing content to a broader audience on Facebook. You can use Boosted Posts to increase the reach of your posts, get more likes and comments, and generate leads.
To create a boosted post, simply create a post on your company’s Facebook page and click the “Boost Post” button. Afterward, you’ll be able to choose your target audience, budget, and ad duration.
Boosted posts are a great way to increase the visibility of your contractor business on Facebook without having to create new ads from scratch. However, keep in mind that boosted posts still follow the 20% text rule—meaning that your ad image can only contain 20% text or less.
Promoted Posts
Promoted posts are similar to boosted posts, but with one key difference: they allow you to promote any post on your page—including those from your personal profile.
To create a promoted post, simply create a post on your contractor’s Facebook page or personal profile and click the “Promote” button. You will then have to decide on the best targeting options for your needs, such as target audience, budget, and ad duration.
Promoted posts are a great way to increase the visibility of your contractor business on Facebook by promoting high-quality content from your page or personal profile. However, keep in mind that promoted posts still follow the 20% text rule—meaning that your ad image can only contain 20% text or less.
Sponsored Stories
The sponsored stories feature on Facebook allows contractors to promote their existing content to their fans’ friends. Sponsored stories can increase your posts’ reach, get more likes and comments, and generate leads.
To create a sponsored story, simply create a post on your business’s Facebook page and click the “Sponsor Story” button. You can then choose your target audience, budget, and ad duration. Sponsored stories are a great way to increase the visibility of your contractor business on Facebook by promoting high-quality content from your page to friends of your fans. However, remember that sponsored stories still follow the 20% text rule—meaning that your ad image can only contain 20% text or less.
How to Create Facebook Ads for Contractors
Choose Your Goal
Before you create your ad, you need to know what you want to achieve with it. Do you want to generate leads? Get more website visitors? Increase brand awareness?
Depending on your goal, you will need to determine which type of ad you want to run and what budget you have available. For example, if you’re looking to increase brand awareness, you’ll want to choose an ad format that’s less expensive and has a broader reach than one designed to get website clicks.
Select Your Audience
Once you know what you want your ad to accomplish, you can choose your target audience. With various targeting options available on Facebook, you can be as specific or general as you like.
First, identify your ideal customer and what their interests are. Then, use Facebook’s targeting options to narrow your audience by location, age, gender, interests, and more.
For example, let’s say you’re a plumber who wants to generate leads from homeowners in your area. You could target people who live in your city or state and are interested in home improvement projects.
Targeting Specific Locations
Facebook allows you to target people geographically (like cities or states). When creating your ad set, enter the location into the “Location” field.
In addition, you can target people who live near a particular location or have recently visited a specific place (like if they’re traveling for business). Just enter the radius around the area or select the “People Who Live In Or Recently Visited A Place” option under “Detailed Targeting.”
Set Your Budget
Once you’ve selected your audience, it’s time to set your budget. Facebook offers two types of budgets for ads: daily and lifetime.
With a daily budget, you’ll spend an average of your chosen amount each day throughout your ad campaign. For example, if you have a $10 daily budget and run your ad for ten days, your total spend will be $100.
A lifetime budget lets you set how much you’re willing to spend on an ad campaign over its entire duration. So if you have a $ 100-lifetime budget and run your ad for ten days, your average daily spend will be $10.
You can also choose to have Facebook automatically optimize your ad delivery to get the most results for your budget. When creating your ad set, select the “Optimize For” option and choose what you want to optimize for: website clicks, conversions, impressions, or reach.
Create A High Converting Ad
Now that you’ve selected your target audience and set your budget, it’s time to create your ad! Using Facebook Ads manager, click on “Create Ad” to begin.
From there, you’ll need to select an objective for your ad (website clicks, conversions, etc.) and a format (single image, video, carousel). You will then need to enter the text and media for your advertisement. Make sure to include a call-to-action (CTA) so people know what they should do next!
Finally, review everything before you hit “Publish.” Once your ad is live, monitor its performance and adjust when necessary.
Best Practices for Facebook Ads for Contractors.
Keep Your Ads Relevant
The first best practice for Facebook Ads for Contractors is to keep your ads relevant. You should target your ad copy, images, and overall message to your specific audience. For example, if you’re targeting homeowners in a particular area, your ad should focus on the benefits of using your contracting services.
Test, Test, Test
Another best practice for Facebook Ads for Contractors is testing and testing again. You should constantly test different ad copy, images, and targeting options to see what works best for your business. By continually testing, you’ll be able to improve your results over time and get the most out of your Facebook advertising campaign.
Monitor Your Results
In addition to testing, it’s essential to monitor your results regularly. Monitoring your results means tracking your click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, and overall ROI from your Facebook ads. As you monitor your results, you’ll be able to determine what’s working and what’s not so you can make improvements.
Don’t Use Too Much Text On Image Ads
Many contractors make mistakes with their image ads by using too much text. According to Facebook’s guidelines, image ads should have less than 20% text to be approved for use on the platform. Facebook will disapprove any ads with too much text so keep this in mind when making your ads.
Use Videos If Possible
Another best practice for Facebook Ads for Contractors is to use videos whenever possible. In contrast to static images, videos are more engaging and can help capture attention more effectively. In addition, videos can also help convey complex messages more clearly than written text alone.
Retargeting
What Is The Facebook Pixel?
Using the Facebook pixel, you can determine the effectiveness of your advertising by understanding the actions people take on your website.
You can use the Pixel to:
- Ensure you’re spending your money advertising to the right people.
- Show Retargeting Ads to users who have already visited your website.
- Find new customers similar to ones who have already bought from you.
- Measure the results of your ads to get more conversions for your business.
How To Install The Facebook Pixel On Your Website
Installing the Facebook pixel on your website is easy and only takes a few minutes. You just need to add a piece of code to your website that will track the actions of visitors on your site.
Here’s how to do it:
- Log into Facebook Ads Manager and go to the Pixels tab.
- Click on Create a Pixel.
- Choose a name for your Pixel, then click Create Pixel.
- Copy the code that appears under InstallPixelCode and paste it into the header code of your website between the tags. If you’re using WordPress, you can install a plugin like Header and Footer Scripts to easily add code to your header without having to edit any theme files.
- Once you’ve added the code, click Continue at the bottom of the page and then Test Events at the top to ensure everything is working correctly.
- You can also install the Facebook Pixel Helper Chrome extension to ensure your Pixel is working correctly.
Retargeting Facebook Ads For Contractors
Retargeting is a great way to get past visitors to your website and convert them into customers.
Here is how to set up retargeting Facebook ads for contractors:
- Step 1: Start by creating an audience of people who visited your website. In Facebook Ads manager, you can create Custom Audiences of people who previously visited your website. If you don’t have visitors, you can create one using a pixel or by remarketing with Dynamic Product Ads (DPA).
- Step 2: Create an ad that will remind your leads why they came to your site initially. You can do this by showing them something from your site that interests them or even just mentioning a problem they have that you can solve with your services or products.
- Step 3: Set up some landing pages for different types of clients so that when people click on the ad, they go directly to the page where they can find out more about your business and what you offer.
- Step 4: Run the retargeting campaigns and monitor them to check which campaigns run best. Also, ensure that your Pixel is installed correctly on your website, giving you accurate data to make decisions.
Have Your Website Ready To Receive Traffic
As a contractor, you’re always looking for ways to get more leads and grow your business. When prepared, Facebook can be a valuable tool for gaining new leads. This section will discuss ensuring your website is ready to receive traffic from your Facebook ads campaign.
Make Sure Your Website Loads Fast
Firstly, ensure your website loads quickly. The average person is impatient, so if your website takes too long to load, they will click away and find another site. Here are some tips to improve your website speed:
- Use a content delivery network (CDN)
- Optimize your images
- Minimize HTTP requests
- Use caching
- Make your CSS and JavaScript files smaller.
Make Your Website Simple And Professional
Your website should be simple and professional looking. A professional website will help instill confidence in potential customers that you’re a reputable contractor they can trust. Here are some tips to make your website look more professional:
- Use high-quality images
- Have a modern design
- Use easy-to-read fonts
- Include testimonials or reviews
- Showcase your work with photos or videos
Add CTA’s To Your Website Landing Page
The whole point of driving traffic from Facebook ads to your website is that people will take action, whether contacting you for more information or hiring you for a job. That’s why it’s crucial to have clear call-to-actions (CTA’s) on your website landing page. Here are some tips to make your CTA’s more effective:
- Use strong verbs like “contact us now” or “get a free quote.”
- Include a form or contact information so people can easily get in touch with you
- Use an eye-catching color or button, so it stands out
- Make the CTA visible above the fold so people won’t have to scroll down to find it
These tips will help you prepare your website for traffic from your Facebook ads campaign and convert that traffic into leads.
Daily Budget And Scaling
Start With A Realistic Daily Budget
When starting with Facebook Ads for Contractors, it’s essential to have a realistic daily budget. Do not overspend and get into a hole you cannot escape. You should start with a daily budget of 10% of your ad spend. So, if you’re planning on spending $100 on ads, your daily budget should be $10.
Scaling Your Campaigns If They Are Profitable
Once you’ve found a winning campaign, it’s time to scale it up. Making money while maintaining a positive return on investment (ROI) is the goal. To do this, you’ll need to increase your daily budget or your bid amount. But be careful not to overdo it – if you start losing money, cut back immediately.
Optimize Your Campaign For Higher Profitability
Customer Life Time Value(LTV)
Optimizing your campaigns for higher profitability is one of the most important things you can do as a contractor. One way to do this is to focus on customer lifetime value (LTV).
A customer’s lifetime value (LTV) measures the total money a customer spends with your company. Three things are necessary to calculate LTV:
1. The average purchase value
2. The average number of purchases per year
3. The average customer lifespan
For example, let’s say that the average purchase value for your company is $100, the average number of purchases per year is 2, and the average customer lifespan is five years. This means that the LTV for each customer would be $1,000 (($100 x 2) x 5).
If you can increase any of these three factors, you’ll be able to increase your LTV. For example, if you can get customers to make three purchases per year instead of 2, you’ll be able to increase their LTV by 50%. Or, if you can get them to stick around for six years instead of 5, you’ll be able to increase their LTV by 20%.
There are a few different ways that you can increase LTV:
- Increase the average purchase value: You can do this by upselling and cross-selling products and services to your customers. For example, if a customer wants to change their vehicle’s oil, see if they’re interested in getting their tires rotated. Or, if someone comes in for a consultation, see if they’re interested in signing up for your design services.
- Increase the frequency of purchases: To encourage customers to return more often, you can create loyalty programs or subscription services. For example, offer a discount for customers who come in every month or every other month. Or create a subscription service where people can automatically sign up to have their oil changed every three to six months.
- Increase the customer lifespan: By providing excellent customer service and building relationships with your customers, you can keep them coming back. For example, send follow-up emails after each purchase or service appointment to check in and ensure everything went well. Or invite them to events or meetups you’re hosting, so they get to know you personally.
Set Realistic Expectations When Using Facebook Ads For Contractors
When using Facebook Ads for Contractors, it is crucial to set realistic expectations. Even though Facebook Ads are a powerful way to reach new customers and grow your business, they aren’t a miracle cure. Keep the following in mind when using Facebook Ads:
- Facebook Ads are not free. While they may be more cost-effective than other forms of advertising, you will still need to invest money to see results.
- Facebook Ads are not instant. Developing and implementing an effective campaign takes time, and seeing results may take even longer. Patience is vital when using Facebook Ads.
- Facebook Ads are not always successful. Planning and executing a campaign well doesn’t guarantee success. However, by setting realistic expectations, you can minimize the risk of disappointment and maximize your chances of success.
How To Make Sure You’re Successful With Using Facebook Ads For Contractors
Facebook Ads for contractors aren’t a magic bullet. Despite this, there are certain things you can do to increase your chances of success. Here are some tips:
- Decide what you want your Facebook Ads to accomplish. What are your goals? Who is your target audience? What is your budget? Creating effective ad campaigns begins with answering these questions.
- Keep testing and trying different ad formats- Try different ad types and strategies to see what works best for your business. Monitor your results closely so you can adjust your campaigns as needed.
- Keep your ads relevant and targeted to your audience. Relevant ads generate a higher CTR(Click-Through-Rate) and more engagement.
- Use videos in your ads whenever possible. Videos are more engaging than images, and we recommend using videos whenever possible.
- Ensure your website is ready to receive traffic from your Facebook Ads campaigns, which means having a fast-loading website with a professional design and clear call-to-actions (CTAs).
Wrapping Up.
As a contractor, you must know the different types of Facebook ads and how they can benefit your business. Having a clear strategy and understanding of creating high-converting ads, you can use Facebook advertising to reach new heights in your industry.
Here’s what we’ve covered in this guide:
- An overview of Facebook ads for contractors and what they can do for your business.
- The benefits of Facebook advertising for contractors include increased visibility and targeted advertising.
- The different types of Facebook ads for contractors include Boosted Posts, Promoted Posts, Sponsored Stories, and Facebook Ads.
- How to create Facebook ads for contractors, including choosing your goal, selecting your audience, setting your budget, and creating a high-converting ad.
- Best practices for Facebook ads for contractors include keeping your ads relevant, testing different versions of your ad, monitoring your results, and using videos in your ads.
- What retargeting is and how to set up retargeting Facebook ads for contractors.
Conclusion
If you’re a contractor looking to get more business, using Facebook ads is a great way to reach your target audience. You can create effective ads by following the tips in this guide. Remember to keep your ads relevant, test different versions, and monitor your results to optimize your campaigns for higher profitability.
FAQ’s
1. What is the Facebook pixel?
You can use the Facebook Pixel to track conversions, remarket to visitors, and build lookalike audiences from previous visitors of your website.
2. How do I install the Facebook pixel on my website?
You can install the Facebook pixel by adding a few lines of code to your website header. If you’re using a WordPress site, some plugins can help you with this.
3. How do I set up retargeting Facebook ads for contractors?
To set up retargeting ads, you’ll need to create a custom audience of people who have visited your website. Then, you can create an ad campaign targeting this audience with relevant ads.
4. What’s the best way to use Facebook Ads for contractors?
The best way to use Facebook Ads will vary depending on your business goals and target audience. However, some tips for using Facebook Ads effectively include keeping your ads relevant, testing different ad campaigns, and monitoring your results regularly.
5. What are some common mistakes contractors make with Facebook Ads?
Some common mistakes that contractors make with Facebook Ads include using too much text in image ads, not monitoring their results regularly, and not having a clear strategy for what they want to accomplish with their ad campaigns.