2026 Marketing Guide for Home Service Businesses in Northern Ontario
June 3, 2025
Meta Ads are built for targeting local homeowners
Unlike Google Ads (which depend on search keywords), Meta Ads allow you to target people, not just searches.
You can target:
- Homeowners within a 10–20 km radius of your business.
- Specific demographics (age, homeownership status, income).
- Home improvement interests (“DIY renovation,” “HVAC maintenance,” “roof replacement”).
The numbers don’t lie
Recent industry reports show just how powerful paid social can be for trades:
- Meta Ads deliver 2.3x higher ROI for local home service businesses compared to traditional flyers or mailers. (HubSpot Ads Report, 2024)
- 60% of Canadian homeowners say they discovered a local service through Facebook or Instagram. (Meta for Business, 2025)
- Businesses running consistent Meta Ads campaigns generate an average of 23 new leads per month. (Trades Growth Marketing Internal Data, 2025)
If you’re not advertising on Meta in 2026, you’re leaving leads (and money) on the table.
Most Ontario home service business owners—plumbers, roofers, HVAC techs, electricians, cleaners, and painters—know the frustration of slow seasons. The phone stops ringing, word-of-mouth referrals dry up, and you’re left wondering where the next job will come from.
Here’s the truth: Facebook and Instagram (Meta Ads) aren’t just for eCommerce or influencers anymore. In 2026, they’ve become the most powerful local lead generation tool for trades and home service businesses in Ontario.
When done right, Meta Ads can help you get 20+ qualified local leads every single month—homeowners in your service area ready to book an estimate, inspection, or quote.
At Trades Growth Marketing Agency, Ontario’s #1 marketing agency for home service businesses, we’ve helped hundreds of trades across the province generate consistent, predictable leads using data-driven Meta Ads systems.
Let’s break down exactly how it’s done—and what your trade business can do to start getting more calls this month.
Canadians spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on Facebook and Instagram combined.
The 2026 Meta Ads System for Ontario Home Service Businesses
Here’s the proven 5-step system we use at Trades Growth Marketing Agency to help Ontario trades bring in new leads consistently—without wasting money on clicks that don’t convert.
Step 1: Build a Local Homeowner Audience
The first mistake most trade business owners make? They boost posts or run “blanket” ads targeting all of Ontario. That’s like trying to fix every leak in Canada—you’ll waste time and money.
Instead, use Meta’s geo-targeting and audience filters:
- Location: Set a radius around your service area (e.g., “within 20 km of Barrie”).
- Demographics: Target ages 28–65 (most likely homeowners).
- Interests: Target “home improvement,” “HVAC systems,” “roof replacement,” “plumbing repair,” “renovations.”
Pro Tip: Upload your existing customer list and use it to create a “Lookalike Audience”—Meta will find thousands of people who resemble your best customers.
Step 2: Craft a High-Converting Ad Creative
A good ad doesn’t just look nice—it stops the scroll.
The best-performing home service ads follow this simple formula:
- Hook (First 3 Seconds):
“Tired of leaks? We fix them fast—same-day service anywhere in Hamilton.”
- Pain + Promise:
“Most plumbers take days to respond. Our licensed team guarantees service within 24 hours or your inspection is free.”
- Proof:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent service! Booked through Facebook and had my furnace fixed the next day.”
- Call-to-Action (CTA):
“Tap below to get your free quote today!”
Visual Tip:
Use real photos of your team, not stock images. Ads with authentic local imagery convert 38% higher on Meta. (Meta Ad Trends Report, 2025)
Step 3: Build a Landing Page That Converts
Your ad shouldn’t send traffic to your homepage—it should lead to a dedicated landing page designed to capture leads.
That page should include:
- Headline matching your ad (“Need a Roof Repair in Sudbury? Book Today.”)
- A simple form (name, phone, service type).
- Reviews or testimonials.
- Click-to-call button (for mobile).
Stats that matter:
Landing pages built specifically for ad campaigns can convert up to 35% of visitors into leads. (Unbounce, 2024)
At Trades Growth Marketing Agency, we design custom landing pages that integrate directly with your CRM—so every Facebook lead instantly becomes a tracked contact.
Step 4: Automate Your Follow-Up
The #1 killer of Meta Ads ROI? Slow response times.
If you don’t contact a new lead within 5 minutes, your conversion chance drops by 80%. (InsideSales, 2024)
That’s why our clients use automation tools like GoHighLevel to:
- Send an instant text: “Thanks for your inquiry! We’ll call you shortly.”
- Trigger an email with your company info.
- Schedule follow-ups automatically if no response within 24 hours.
Case Study:
A Sudbury HVAC business partnered with Trades Growth Marketing Agency to install an automated lead system. Within 90 days, they went from 6–8 monthly leads to 27 qualified appointments—without increasing their ad spend.
Step 5: Track, Test, and Scale
What gets measured gets improved.
Review your campaigns weekly and check:
- Cost per lead (CPL) — aim for under $30–$50 depending on service.
- Click-through rate (CTR) — aim for 1.5%+ on cold ads.
- Booking rate — 30–40% of leads should convert to jobs.
Once your ad works, scale it.
Increase your budget by 20% weekly while maintaining performance.
Trades Growth Marketing Agency manages ad testing, creative refreshes, and retargeting for our trade clients—so your campaigns stay profitable long-term.
The Meta Ads Retargeting Advantage
Most homeowners won’t book the first time they see your ad—but with retargeting, you stay top-of-mind until they do.
You can show follow-up ads to people who:
- Visited your site but didn’t fill out a form.
- Engaged with your previous Facebook ad.
- Clicked your call-to-action but didn’t complete booking.
Example:
“Still need your furnace repaired? Book today and get 10% off this week!”
Retargeting can lower your cost per lead by up to 60%. (AdEspresso, 2025)
Budget Breakdown — How Much Should You Spend on Meta Ads?
If you’re new to paid ads, start small but strategic.
|
Business Size |
Monthly Ad Budget |
Expected Leads/Month |
|
Solo Operator |
$500–$800 |
10–15 |
|
Small Team (3–5 techs) |
$1,000–$1,500 |
20–30 |
|
Established Company |
$2,000+ |
40–60+ |
Remember: consistency beats volume.
It’s better to run steady campaigns at $30/day than to blast $1,000 for one weekend and stop.
ROI Snapshot:
The average home service job in Ontario is worth $350–$1,200.
If just 5 of your 20 monthly leads book, that’s $1,750–$6,000 in revenue—off a few hundred dollars in ad spend.
That’s a 5–10x return.
Common Meta Ads Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
❌ Mistake #1: Boosting Posts Instead of Running Campaigns
Boosting posts wastes money. Always use Meta Ads Manager to control targeting, objectives, and lead forms.
❌ Mistake #2: Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
Always direct traffic to a landing page or instant form—not your generic website.
❌ Mistake #3: Ignoring Leads for Too Long
Respond within minutes. Automate follow-ups to close more deals.
❌ Mistake #4: Giving Up Too Early
Ads need at least 7–10 days of data before judging results. Optimize, don’t panic.
Real Results — How Ontario Trades Are Winning with Meta Ads
Case Study 1 — Sudbury Plumbing Co.
Before: Relied only on referrals.
After: Launched Meta lead campaign targeting “Homeowners 30+ within 25km.”
Result: $1,200 ad spend → 34 leads → 14 booked jobs ($12,600 revenue).
Case Study 2 — Thunder Bay Roofing Company
Before: Seasonal downtime.
After: Ran winter “Free Roof Inspection” campaign.
Result: Tripled call volume and booked $18K in off-season repairs.
Case Study 3 — Ottawa HVAC Contractor
Before: Only ran Google Ads.
After: Added Facebook retargeting campaigns.
Result: 40% more repeat leads at half the cost.
These trades all used the same strategy we implement at Trades Growth Marketing Agency—proven creative, precise targeting, and automation that follows up faster than your competitors can.
Why Work With Trades Growth Marketing Agency
At Trades Growth Marketing Agency, we specialize exclusively in marketing for home service trades across Ontario—from plumbers and roofers to electricians and HVAC companies.
We handle everything from:
· Meta Ads strategy and setup
· Copywriting and ad creative
· Landing page design and automation
· CRM integration and call tracking
· Ongoing optimization and reporting
Our average Ontario client sees a 200–400% ROI on Meta Ads within the first 90 days.
We don’t do theory—we build campaigns that get phones ringing.
Ready to turn web traffic into booked jobs?
📞 Book a Free Strategy Call with Trades Growth Marketing Agency today and discover how a custom Meta Ads system can get your trade business 20+ new local leads every month in 2026.
