Facebook Ads for Home Service Businesses: Should You Use Lead Forms or Landing Pages?

As the owner of a marketing agency that specializes in helping services businesses grow, I’ve seen firsthand how Facebook can be a powerful lead-generation channel—but not without its challenges.

My team and I have had our fair share of trial-by-fire moments, learning what works (and what doesn’t) through real-world experience. From managing campaigns that brought in unqualified leads to fine-tuning strategies that now deliver high-quality prospects, we’ve been through it all.

That’s why I decided it was time to share what’s working now—not just theory, but proven tactics and practical advice you can use to make Facebook Ads a reliable lead-generation tool for your business.

With Facebook Ads, you have two primary options for capturing leads: sending traffic to Facebook lead forms or directing users to a landing page on your website. Each approach has its pros and cons, and finding the right one for your business can make a significant impact on your lead quality, conversion rates, and overall return on investment (ROI).

Option 1: Facebook Lead Forms

Why Use Them? Facebook lead forms are embedded within the platform, making it easy for users to fill them out. Information such as name, email, and phone number can be autofilled by Facebook, reducing friction and encouraging more submissions—especially on mobile.

Advantages:

• Quick and Simple: The autofill feature lowers barriers, making it easy for potential customers to submit their information.
• Lower Cost Per Lead: Because of the simplicity, you often get a higher volume of leads at a lower cost.
• Automation-Friendly: Pairing lead forms with automated follow-up tools (e.g., AI-powered text or email sequences) helps you engage and qualify leads instantly.

Challenges:

• Lower Lead Quality: Autofill can result in unintentional submissions from users who didn’t genuinely intend to engage with your service.
• Unqualified Leads: Without proper qualifying questions, you may attract leads that don’t fit your ideal customer profile, wasting time and resources.
• Burnout for Your Team: Sorting through unqualified leads can frustrate your sales and admin teams.

Best Practices:

1. Ask Key Questions: Include qualifying questions to help filter out irrelevant leads (e.g., "What’s your budget?" or "What service do you need?").
2. Automate Follow-Ups: Use AI or automated tools to immediately reach out, qualify, and schedule appointments with leads.
3. Keep Forms Simple: Focus on collecting essential information (name, phone, email) to reduce friction and keep your cost per lead low.

Option 2: Landing Pages

Why Use Them? Landing pages provide a more intentional and controlled experience. Potential customers must take an additional step by clicking on your ad and visiting your website, which often results in better-qualified leads.

Advantages:

• Higher Lead Quality: The extra step ensures users are genuinely interested in your services.
• Domain Authority: Driving traffic to your website helps improve your SEO and builds domain authority over time.
• Retargeting Opportunities: Even if users don’t convert immediately, you can use retargeting ads to re-engage them later.
• Custom Experience: Landing pages allow you to design a tailored experience with compelling content, images, and calls to action.

Challenges:

• Higher Cost Per Lead: Because of the added step, fewer people complete the process, resulting in a higher cost per lead.
• Mobile Friction: Slow-loading pages or poorly optimized mobile experiences can lead to drop-offs.

Best Practices:

1. Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your landing page loads quickly and is easy to navigate on mobile devices.
2. Split Test: Test different designs, headlines, and calls to action to find the highest-performing version.
3. Use Retargeting: Set up Facebook retargeting ads to re-engage users who visited your page but didn’t convert.

Which One Is Right for Your Home Service Business?

When to Use Lead Forms:

• If your goal is to generate a high volume of leads at a lower cost.
• If you have an automated system to engage and qualify leads quickly.
• If your service offerings are broad and require minimal upfront qualification (e.g., general inquiries about cleaning or lawn care).

When to Use Landing Pages:

• If you’re targeting high-ticket customers who require more education and commitment (e.g., remodeling or HVAC installations).
• If you want better-qualified leads and are willing to pay more for them.
• If you aim to build long-term SEO value and retargeting opportunities.

The Hybrid Approach: Test and Optimize

I recommend running both types of campaigns simultaneously to see what works best for your audience. For instance:

• Use lead forms for volume and initial engagement.
• Use landing pages for retargeting or to educate prospects further.

Facebook’s algorithm can also help optimize ad delivery based on performance. By testing both approaches, you can gather valuable data on what drives the best ROI for your specific services.

Speed to Lead: The Critical Factor

Regardless of the approach you choose, speed to lead is essential. Studies show that responding to leads within minutes significantly increases your chances of conversion. Whether you use a lead form or a landing page:

• Implement automated follow-ups via text or email.
• Train your team to respond quickly to inquiries.
• Use tools like AI to qualify leads before your team engages with them.

Expert Advice

• Qualify Leads Early: Ask qualifying questions on forms or landing pages to filter out unfit leads.
• Automate Follow-Up: Use AI or CRM tools to engage leads instantly.
• Test Continuously: Split-test lead forms and landing pages to find the best-performing strategy.
• Measure Results: Track metrics like cost per lead, lead quality, and conversion rates to optimize your campaigns.

Final Thoughts

For home service businesses, Facebook Ads can be a game-changer for generating leads, but choosing between lead forms and landing pages depends on your goals. While lead forms offer simplicity and lower costs, landing pages provide better-qualified leads and long-term benefits like SEO and retargeting.

Experiment with both approaches, automate your follow-up process, and always prioritize quick responses. By doing so, you’ll maximize the value of your Facebook Ads and turn clicks into loyal customers.