I’ve run Facebook ads for multiple pest control companies. I’m talking about real campaigns with real budgets, generating real leads every single day. And the question I get asked more than any other is: what type of Facebook ad campaign should I run?
I’m Jake Sheldon, co-owner of Pest Control Millionaires. I own several pest control companies and serve as CMO for a bunch of others. Today I want to break down exactly which Facebook ad campaign objectives work best for pest control, what ad formats to use, and how much you need to spend to actually see results.
Lead Ads Are the Clear Winner for Pest Control
When it comes to campaign objectives for Facebook ads, there are two main options: lead ads and conversion ads.
Lead ads are my favorite by far for Facebook advertising for pest control companies. Here’s why: Facebook actually helps you get better results when you run lead ads because you’re not leaving Facebook.
Think about it from Facebook’s perspective. They want you to stay on their platform because they want you scrolling. The longer you’re on their platform, the more money they can make from advertising. So when you run lead ads that keep people on Facebook instead of sending them to your website, Facebook rewards you with better reach and lower costs.
You can get all the same information you would get from a website or a funnel. For pest control, that’s typically name, phone number, email, zip code, and what type of pest issue they’re dealing with. You grab all that information right inside Facebook.
Conversion ads are different. That’s when you create a one page landing page and drive people there. You’re grabbing the same information, but now you’re sending people off Facebook to do it.
The Controversy Around Lead Ads vs Landing Pages
There’s so much controversy around which one to do. Should you drive people to a landing page on your website? Or should you use the lead form through Facebook?
For service based businesses, especially pest control or lawn care, I definitely prefer the lead ad side of things. Facebook is going to favor you above the competition because they want you to stay on Facebook.
When you’re generating Facebook leads for pest control, quality matters. And here’s the pushback I always hear: “Well, it sounds great, but you’re not going to have the highest close rate. Lead ads don’t have the best leads.”
And they’re right. If you send people through your landing page, it does seem like it converts a little bit higher because it’s a more qualified lead. Someone who takes the time to click through to your website and fill out a form there is showing more intent.
But here’s what you need to understand about Facebook ads.
Facebook Ads Have Lower Conversion Rates Than Google
The first thing I want to mention is that Facebook is definitely going to have a lower conversion rate than Google. It’s not intent based.
One big misconception is that people will start Facebook ads and they’re like, “Oh my gosh, what’s going on? I’m only closing 25% or 30%. I know I should be closing 80%.”
No. Actually on Facebook, 25% to 30% close rate is really good.
But here’s the trade off: your lead cost is less than a third of what you’d pay on Google. I’ve seen lead costs on Facebook as low as a couple bucks. You can’t touch that with Google Ads.
That’s why lead ads work so well. You can have a cheap cost per lead, you can get your branding out there, and you’re still generating real business. If you’re going to run pest control and lawn care ads, I would definitely go the lead ads route.
What Ad Formats Work Best
People also ask me what ad formats perform best for attracting pest control leads.
When we talk about format, we’re talking about the creative itself. The picture or the video. You have options: carousel ads, still pictures, video. They all work.
I prefer still images. They’re easier to create, faster to produce, and way easier to replace immediately. You can switch those creatives out on the fly.
But here’s the catch. Ever since working with Jonas and Dan, I’ve seen videos work really well too. Jonas is a master at video content, so there’s definitely value there.
Here’s my advice: if you aren’t making a lot of content, you don’t know video psychology, you don’t know how to get people’s attention, you haven’t studied video or taken a class on it, definitely don’t start with video. It’s probably not going to work for you if you haven’t learned anything about how to capture attention on video.
But even just having a technician doing a service and creating a time lapse, something like that can work too.
For beginners, start with images. It’s so much easier and faster. And honestly, if you’re just starting out, copy our templates. That’s going to be the easiest way to do it.
As time goes on though, video is getting really, really good. Especially with some of the new AI tools available. But we’ll get into that later.
Short Term vs Continuous Campaigns
Should pest control companies run short term or continuous campaigns?
This is an interesting question because it depends. It depends on your area, the time of year, and even the specific campaign you’re running.
Let’s say you’re in an area where there’s only 15,000 people. That’s going to be a short term campaign whether you like it or not. You’re going to hit what they call ad saturation very, very quickly. You learn very quickly that everyone in your area is going to see your ad fast.
So that’s going to be short term whether you like it or not.
Now if you’re in a bigger area, let’s say you’re in Dallas, Texas, you could run that campaign for a really long time and not have to worry about changing the ad, especially if it’s working.
If your ad’s not working, of course it’s going to be short term. You need to change it up. So it depends on your area and it depends on if the campaign is actually performing or not.
The only long term ads I’ll ever run on Facebook are ones that are really, really crushing it and haven’t hit ad saturation yet. If it’s working and you have the population to support it, keep it running.
You Need to Spend at Least $600 Per Month
Here’s where a lot of pest control companies mess up. They don’t spend enough money to see real results.
Facebook has a threshold. Their threshold is at $600 a month. So you want to spend at least $600 a month if you’re going to run a lead ad campaign. You’re going to rank higher in the auction.
Even when you go to build an ad, you’ll actually see it says you can pick the auction section. Facebook works just like an auction. You’re bidding. It’s a bidding strategy.
You’re bidding against all other competition. And here’s something important: it’s not just pest control or lawn care or whatever service you offer. You’re bidding against everyone for eyeballs, for attention.
If you don’t spend enough money on the platform, Facebook isn’t going to see you as more valuable than someone who spends $20,000 per month. They’re obviously going to get more eyeballs and more attention on their ads.
We see the threshold right at $20 a day. As long as you’re spending $20 a day, you’re going to get pretty optimal results. Anything less than that, Facebook is going to rank you lower in the auction and there won’t be enough eyeballs seeing your ads.
Stop Wasting Money on Tiny Budgets
I’ve heard this so many times: “Man, I spent $400 on Facebook and got nothing.” Or “I spent $300 and didn’t get a single lead.”
Honestly, you just didn’t spend enough. Not enough eyeballs saw your ads yet.
Or worse, they do that $300 on boosted posts and nothing happens. Don’t do boosted posts, everyone. Seriously. That’s not the way to run Facebook ads.
If you’re going to invest in Facebook advertising, commit to at least $600 a month, which works out to $20 per day. That’s the minimum to get into the game and see real results.
Start With Lead Ads and Proven Formats
Here’s my recommendation if you’re just getting started with Facebook ads for your pest control company:
Run lead ads, not conversion ads. Keep people on Facebook and let the platform work in your favor.
Start with still image ads, not video. Use proven templates and formats that have already been tested.
Commit to at least $600 per month, $20 per day minimum. Anything less and you’re not giving it a fair shot.
Understand that a 25% to 30% close rate is actually really good for Facebook leads. Don’t compare it to Google Ads where intent is higher.
And if you’re in a small market, know that you’ll hit ad saturation quickly. Plan to refresh your creative more often.
Keep Learning and Scaling
Want to connect with over 2,000 pest control business owners who are running profitable Facebook ad campaigns? Join our free Facebook group, Pest Control Millionaires. We share what’s working, break down campaigns, and help each other scale.
And if you want the complete playbook for building a pest control marketing system that generates consistent leads, check out Zip Code Kings. It’s packed with strategies that actually work, including detailed breakdowns of Facebook ad campaigns that are crushing it right now.
Now go set up those lead ads and start generating leads.
