Spend first on the places customers already look when something breaks: your Google Business Profile, your reviews and Google's Local Services Ads. Then add Facebook and video once the phone is ringing and you are answering it.
Here is the order we would follow for an HVAC, plumbing or roofing company, and why.
1. Fix your Google Business Profile (free)
A homeowner with a dead furnace searches "HVAC repair near me" and picks from what Google shows. According to Google's own guidance, local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and complete, accurate profiles are more likely to show up. Google also says you cannot pay for a better local ranking.
- Verify the profile and pick the right main category.
- Fill in your hours, phone number and the towns you serve.
- Add photos of real jobs and your real trucks and crews.
- Reply to every review, good or bad.
2. Ask for reviews after every job
Google lists review count as part of prominence. Reviews also matter for paid listings. Google says pre-badge Local Services Ads require reviews, subject to category requirements. Ask at the end of each job while the customer is happy, and send the review link by text.
3. Turn on Local Services Ads
These are the listings at the very top of Google for service searches. Google says you pay for valid leads, not clicks. A call you answer, a text, a voicemail or a booking request counts. Invalid or low-quality leads are not charged, and repeat contacts from the same person within 15 days are not charged again.
Before you can run them, Google requires your license or business registration, review requirements for your category and billing set up. Start early, because screening takes time.
Lead prices vary a lot. The Media Captain, an agency, reports averages from over 100 of its clients: $162 per lead for roofing, $80 for HVAC and $69 for plumbing. That is one agency's data from 2025, and it will not match every market. Your cost in the Chicago area may be different.
| Trade | Average cost per lead (one agency's clients) |
|---|---|
| Roofing | $162 |
| HVAC | $80 |
| Plumbing | $69 |
One change to know about
Google is moving Local Services Ads into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals. Google says you still pay only for valid leads, and ads stay on Search and Maps. Budgets and lead replies move into Google Ads. The first phase started in August 2026 for select U.S. home and storefront service advertisers, with broader groups later in 2026. Google emails the account administrator 14 days before your account moves.
4. Answer every lead fast
None of the spending above works if calls go to voicemail. Pick who answers, set a rule to call back within the hour, and make sure missed calls are returned. Under Google's rules, a missed call only counts as a lead if the caller stays on the line past 20 seconds, so a missed call can still cost you money.
5. Then add Facebook and video
Google catches people who need help today. Facebook and Instagram reach homeowners before something breaks. That makes them a good fit for tune-ups, maintenance plans, water heater replacements and roof inspections. Short videos of real crews at work build trust. Add these after the basics above are working.
A simple order of spending
- Week 1: Clean up your Google Business Profile and start asking for reviews.
- Weeks 2 to 4: Apply for Local Services Ads and fix how you answer the phone.
- Month 2 and on: Review your cost per booked job, then test Facebook ads and video.
Track booked jobs, not just leads. A roofing lead that costs more can still pay off if one job is worth thousands.
NexWealthMedia runs paid social and search campaigns for local businesses around Chicago. See our work or get in touch.