Google Ads vs. Meta Ads in Vancouver
The right first channel depends on how customers find you and what happens after they click.
Start with Google Search if people nearby already search for the specific service you sell. Start with Meta Ads if a photo or short video is the clearest way to show why they should care. For a Richmond landscaper choosing between Google Ads and Meta Ads, here’s how to test the same yard renovation estimate offer and decide where the next dollar goes.
Catch the search that’s already happening
Google describes Search campaigns as a way to reach “people actively searching online for your products and services.”
Google’s Search campaign guide
If homeowners search for “yard renovation Richmond” or “landscaping estimate Richmond BC,” start with those kinds of service terms. A search ad could say “Richmond Yard Renovations” and invite people to request an estimate. Send them to a page with examples of completed projects, the areas you serve, and what happens after they submit the form.
Read the actual search terms and review the first calls or forms. If the campaign attracts people looking for lawn mowing or landscaping jobs, tighten the targeting before increasing spend.
Show the reason to stop scrolling
On Facebook and Instagram, open with the finished yard, show what it looked like before, then give viewers a reason to act. The ad could say “Planning a yard renovation in Richmond? Request an estimate.” Use the same offer and service area as the Search test. Meta’s Leads objective supports website forms and on-platform Instant Forms. Meta’s lead objective reference
Whichever form you use, ask for the municipality, type of project, and preferred start date. Use the same questions across both channels and tell people when they can expect a response.
Give Google Ads vs. Meta Ads a fair test
| If your situation looks like this | Start here | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| You can identify local searches that describe a job you sell | Google Search | Qualified calls or quote requests |
| Customers usually need to see the experience or finished work | Meta | Qualified estimate requests and confirmed jobs |
| Your site or team regularly misses inquiries | Fix the handoff first | Successful submissions and response times |
If you have enough budget to test only one channel, choose one offer and one outcome. Look at the cost and quality of the first inquiries before you widen the audience, add a second offer, or switch channels. When you do test both, use the same definition of a qualified inquiry and keep the offers as comparable as possible.
Compare bookings on the same terms
For the Richmond landscaper, use the same project criteria, estimate offer, service area, and follow-up process on both channels. Count one request per project and give both sets of leads the same amount of time to become jobs.
| What to track | How to count it |
|---|---|
| Qualified requests | The project is in the service area, fits the work you do, and has a workable timeline. |
| Confirmed jobs | The homeowner accepts the estimate and the job is confirmed. |
| Job value | Record the accepted estimate amount for each confirmed job. |
Divide spend by qualified requests and by confirmed jobs for each channel. If one channel produces cheaper requests but the other brings in more valuable jobs at a workable cost, use both figures to decide where the next dollar goes. If neither test produces enough confirmed jobs to compare, keep spending steady while you review lead quality and follow-up.
Share your offer and the types of customers you want to reach. Contact me to choose your first ad channel.