Facebook Ads for Home Inspectors... Is It Worth it?

There are many ways to gain new clients. From word of mouth and realtors to print advertising, you can find many ways to spend your advertising dollars. But will this help your bottom line and get you more clients?

Not necessarily. There is no one-size-fits-all advertising strategy, but there are some trends you can follow to make the most of your budget. Some people think that using Facebook Ads is a good way to advertise, but is it worth it? Read on to find out.

INTRODUCTION TO FACEBOOK ADS

Most adults are more than familiar with Facebook, and if you are, you have seen the Facebook Ads pop up as you scroll through the media. When you go to advertise your home inspection business, your previous knowledge of and familiarity with Facebook might make it seem like a good idea.

But advertising on Facebook is very different from using Facebook. The hidden agenda behind Facebook Ads is not something that every average person inherently understands. In order to understand it, you need to understand a few marketing terms to start with.

Understanding the difference between query-based marketing and interest-based marketing will help you understand how Facebook Ads work:

• Query-Based Marketing is based on a question, or a query. Think of Google for example. A consumer types a question, and the results they find answer the question. When the customer sees the list of establishments, or answers to their question, they can click and scroll to the company they want. Query-based marketing strives to get your service in the spotlight when people are looking for it and get you at the top of the list.
• Interest-Based Marketing is based on matching up your advertising with peoples’ interests. This type of marketing is more like Facebook Ads. They say that they will be interested in your ad and click on it to see what it is about. But just because people are on Facebook, that does not mean they own a home. And just because people own a home, does not mean that they need a home inspection. With interest-based marketing, the road is much longer to a sale because they may not have been looking for these keywords in the first place.

INTEREST-BASED ADVERTISING: FACEBOOK ADS

Facebook ads use interest-based marketing to help you get new customers. The road from placing a Facebook ad to getting a new customer is a long and bumpy process. All the stars must align in order for it to work, and in the case of home inspections, this does not seem like a good way to spend your advertising budget. Facebook advertising looks something like this:

• You put up a home inspection ad to thousands of people on Facebook.
• Most of these people are not thinking about or needing a home inspection.
• They may or may not click on your ad.
• If they click on it, they may or may not be engaged or interested in the home inspection you are selling.
• If they are interested, they will not necessarily call or create a contract with you for a home inspection.

The funnel from placing a Facebook ad to booking a job is an extremely long road with no guarantee of success. There are too many variables that can get in the way between the time you place an ad and when a consumer calls you to hire you. Since they were just scrolling through Facebook enjoying their friends and weren't looking for your company in the first place, it is less likely that you will be able to make a deal.

QUERY-BASED ADVERTISING: GOOGLE ADS

On the other hand, query-based marketing is the best way to advertise a home inspection business. For example, with Google ads, your advertising budget goes directly where you want it to and you will gain more clients. Google advertising looks something like this:

• A query is a question, and consumers usually start with a question they want answered.
• When people are searching for something and have a question, they generally type it into Google and then search through the results.
• If they are looking for a home inspector and your pay per click advertisement is at the top of the page, then you have a captive audience who goes to your website.
• You only pay if someone clicks, so that your budget is going directly to what will get you more business.

Since the query-based consumer starts with a question they want answered, they are already looking for something. The search is more focused, and your money will be more well spent.

WHY FACEBOOK ADS IS NOT A GOOD OPTION FOR HOME INSPECTORS

Facebook was created in 2004 as a platform for people to connect with friends and share opinions, pictures, and games. Since Facebook is more of a place people go to communicate with friends and see what is happening in their lives, this is not the best vehicle for home inspectors to drive traffic to their site and ultimately get more customers.

Facebook isn’t cheap, and the money you spend doesn’t end up where you think it will. Although you think that everyone who has followed your business would naturally see your advertisements, that is not always the case. You can end up losing a lot of money spending it on people who have no interest in home inspections.

In order to really make connections and money with Facebook ads, you need to have a flashy campaign. Odds are that your small business does not have the resources or time to create appealing videos or other advertising materials that will entice clients to see the home inspections you can offer.

Although, because the landscape of Facebook is ever changing, it is difficult to gain your footing as an advertiser. Just as you get something set up well, it is bound to change.

In conclusion, Facebook Ads are not the ideal way for a home inspection business to gain new customers. The funnel from ad to contract is too long and too fraught with difficulty, and there are simply no guarantees that the expenditure in advertising will result in a new client. There are other ways for home inspectors to advertise that yield a better result, such as Google Ads or one year builder’s home warranty program.