The ultimate guide to paid ads for boiler installation businesses

Paid ads can look like a quick win.

More enquiries.

Faster results.

Work landing in your inbox within days.

But for many boiler installation businesses, paid ads can just as easily become a money pit if they're not approached carefully.

This guide explains what paid ads actually are, when they make sense, and when you might be better off looking elsewhere.

What are paid ads?

Paid ads are a way of paying online platforms to show your business to potential customers.

Instead of waiting for someone to find your website or social profile naturally, you pay to appear in front of them.

This usually happens in two ways:

• When people are actively searching for a service. These are called Search Ads and are run on Google.
• Scrolling through social media and coming across your advert. These are called Social Ads and run on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Should I run paid ads?

Paid ads can work well, but they are not right for everyone.

They tend to suit businesses that:

• Know roughly what a new job is worth
• Can respond to enquiries quickly
• Are prepared to test and improve their ads over time.

They are much riskier if you are already too busy to take calls, don't have a clear follow-up process, or need guaranteed results from day one.

The biggest mistake is treating paid ads as a "set it and forget it" solution. They need regular attention to work properly.

How much do paid ads cost?

This is where expectations often clash with reality.

There are two main costs to think about:

• The money you spend on the ads themselves
• The time or fees involved in managing them.

Typical ranges for trade businesses:

• £300 to £1,500 per month on the ads
• £200 to £800 per month for management

The amount you end up paying is based on the cost per click (CPC). Some clicks can be relatively cheap - around £2. Others can cost over £25, especially for popular services in busy locations.

Average costs for Google ads and Meta ads.

For boiler installation businesses looking to get leads for people looking for new boiler or heating work.

The cost per lead is the sum of how many clicks it takes to generate a lead.

Facebook ad clicks are generally lower quality, so fewer convert to leads. But they are cheaper.

Google ad clicks are usually higher quality and higher intent, this means that you're more likely to get a lead out of each click, but the clicks cost more as a result.

Spending more does not automatically mean better results. Poorly set-up ads can burn through a budget very quickly.

What are the best platforms for paid ads for a boiler installation business?

For most boiler installation businesses, the choice usually comes down to Google or Meta (Facebook and Instagram).

Should I do it myself or get an agency to help?

The biggest factor here is time.

Not just the time setting them up, but time testing, adjusting, making new images etc.

Expect to dedicate at least a day a week certainly in the early stages of running paid ads.

That being said, running ads yourself can make sense if you enjoy learning new tools and are happy to spend time testing what works.

It can also save money early on, as long as you are realistic about mistakes and learning curves.

Using an agency can be helpful if they understand trade businesses and are transparent about what they are doing.

The danger is paying for promises rather than performance, especially if reporting is vague or contracts are restrictive.

If you don't understand where your money is going, that's usually a warning sign.

What are cheaper alternatives to running paid ads?

Paid ads are not the only way to get work, and they are often not the best place to start.

Your trade businesses can get better long-term results from:

• Improving your local visibility with a Google Business profile - including getting positive reviews
• Building trust in your area to generate referrals
• Posting regularly on your social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram
• Writing blogs or informative pages on your website to capture people searching for your services on Google

These approaches tend to cost less, feel more predictable, and don't disappear the moment you stop paying.

So how do I get started?

If you decide to try paid ads, start slowly.

There's a lot of guides on YouTube about how to get started with Facebook or Google ads.

Here's a couple of examples specifically for tradespeople.

• How to Set Up Google Ads for Tradies Step-by-Step (Full 2025 Tutorial)
• How To Actually Run Facebook Ads For Tradies (Step-By-Step)

We're not affiliated with these videos or their creator, we just think they're a good starting point.

Set a small budget, track every inquiry properly, and focus on one platform before trying to do everything at once.

If you are not ready yet, that's fine too. Building consistent demand through other channels can put you in a much stronger position before you ever spend money on ads.

Paid ads can work well for boiler installation businesses, but only when they are part of a wider plan, not a last-ditch attempt to fill the diary.