As a contractor, you know the importance of social media as a revenue generator for your business. With over 2 billion monthly active users on Facebook, the potential to gain new business is overwhelming. While the potential leads are numerous, they tend to be softer leads (aka people that aren’t as ready to buy). That’s why it’s important to understand and implement different advertising strategies on Facebook. So, what are the different types of Facebook Ads and which are beneficial to your home service business? Let’s discuss:

Want to learn how to gain leads through Facebook? Download our “Home Services Industry Guide to Generating Leads on Facebook.” 

Types of Facebook Ads

Photo Ads. The most popular type of Facebook ad, the photo ad allows you to upload an image that’s linked to a page on your site. You can write 90 characters worth of text, as well as a headline and link description. For contractors, using a high-quality photo of a past project will grab a browser’s attention, enticing them to click on your ad and explore more. It’s also the most straightforward type of ad, making it a great way to start Facebook advertising.

Video Ads. Video ads are neat because they offer more engaging content and thus, are more likely to catch a user’s eye compared to other ad types. That being said, this type is more ambitious, and unless you can create high-quality videos, it’s best to stick to other methods of advertisements. Our advice if you do plan to advertise using video—keep it short, and clearly display the product or service you’re trying to sell.

Carousel Ads. This feature allows you to showcase multiple products, blog posts, website pages, and much more in a single ad. A user can “swipe” through to the different pages you display. Think of it as a Lazy Susan for online ads.

Carousel ads provide contractors a wealth of opportunity to showcase different opportunities—product discounts, an event you’re hosting, newsletter subscriptions—while getting more bang for your buck.

Lead Ads. Facebook’s Leads Ads eliminate the need for users to fill out a form on a website landing page. Found on a user’s newsfeed, this ad type uses the pre-populated data already found on their Facebook profile to fill out a sweepstakes entry, email subscription, discount offer, and much more. As a contractor, you’ll capture lead information, and your lead won’t ever have to leave Facebook to get connected with your company.

Boosted Posts. Unlike the other ad types, a boosted post is an organic Facebook post on your company’s Facebook page that’s given a “boost” with advertising money. By allocating as little as $5, your content post will reach a designated number of users. The difference is this type of advertising isn’t a traditional ad, so you’re limited in who you can target and how you can price your ad. The benefit is that there’s no word limit, and you can include a link in your copy. We recommend boosting a great blog post, so your organic content is seen by your current followers and their Facebook friends. Establishing yourself as a source of industry knowledge is a great way to drive engagement to your Facebook page and users to your site.

Generating Leads on Facebook

You know the important types of Ads that Facebook offers, but how can you use them to generate leads? Download our guide to Generating Leads on Facebook, and learn the steps you need to take for social media success.