How to Advertise Cleaning Services on Facebook (Meta Ads Crash Course)

Looking to book more house cleaning jobs through Facebook? You’re in the right place. In this crash course, we’ll show you how to advertise cleaning services on Facebook effectively – specifically geared for residential cleaning business owners in the U.S. (and equally relevant to our friends in Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand). Facebook (now under the Meta umbrella) remains one of the best platforms to reach local customers for home services, including house cleaning. Even in 2025, Facebook boasts over 3 billion users globally, and your future clients are likely scrolling through their feeds daily.

We’ll cover why Facebook/Meta Ads work for local cleaning companies, then walk you through a step-by-step guide to launching a profitable lead-generation campaign. Along the way, we’ll highlight common mistakes (so you can avoid them) and share pro tips to maximize your return on ad spend. Let’s dive in!

Why Facebook Ads Still Work for Local Cleaning Services

Facebook isn’t just for cute cat videos and keeping up with old classmates – it’s a powerful advertising platform for local service businesses. Here’s why it’s a goldmine for residential cleaning companies:

Unmatched Local Reach: Nearly everyone (and their mother) is on Facebook. The platform’s user base is huge, so you can bet your target homeowners are browsing daily. With the right targeting, even a small cleaning business can reach hundreds of local prospects quickly. Instagram is part of Meta too, so your ads can appear there as well for added reach.
Precise Targeting = Quality Leads: Facebook knows a lot about its users, which sounds creepy but is great for your ads. You can zero in on people by where they live, age, homeownership status, interests, and more. Want to reach homeowners within 10 miles of your city who are interested in home cleaning or busy parent life? No problem. This means your ads show up mostly for people likely to need a house cleaner, not random folks a thousand miles away.
Multiple Ways to Engage: Meta Ads aren’t one-trick ponies. They can generate immediate inquiries (e.g. “Get a Quote” lead forms), drive traffic to your cleaning website, or simply boost your brand awareness in the community. Even if someone doesn’t book right away, seeing your cleaning service ad will make them remember you when they are ready for help. It’s like planting little marketing seeds all over your town.
Measurable Results: Unlike a flyer or newspaper ad, Facebook lets you track exactly how your ads are doing. You’ll see how many people saw the ad, clicked it, and even how many submitted a lead form or booked a job. You can monitor your cost per lead, number of leads, and other metrics in real time – so you know what’s working and can tweak what’s not.
Budget-Friendly: You don’t need a massive budget to start. You set exactly how much you want to spend. Whether it’s $5 a day or $50 a day, Facebook ads can work with it. Start small and ramp up once you see results – a relief for cleaning businesses that need to watch every dollar.

In short, Facebook Ads offer huge reach, precise local targeting, and cost control – a perfect combo for a residential cleaning service looking to get more clients. Now, let’s make sure you use the right tools to create your campaign (and not accidentally waste money on the wrong type of ad).

Boosted Posts vs. Ads Manager: Use the Right Tool

Before we jump into campaign setup, let’s clear up an important point: Boosting a Facebook post is not the same as running a proper ad campaign. Many cleaning business owners hit that tempting “Boost Post” button on their Facebook page because it’s easy – but it has limitations that can hurt your results.

A Boosted Post is basically paying to show one of your Facebook page posts to more people. It’s quick and simple, but boosted posts are mostly meant for engagement (likes, comments, views) and basic local awareness. You get very limited targeting and objectives (mainly just to increase visibility of that post). In contrast, Facebook Ads created through Meta Ads Manager give you full control: you can choose specific campaign objectives (like Lead Generation), define detailed target audiences, select different placements (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, etc.), and optimize for conversions or leads rather than just post engagement.

Which should you use? For a local cleaning business focused on getting leads and bookings, always go with Ads Manager. As marketing experts note, if your goal is to generate leads or drive revenue, Meta Ads Manager is the way to go – it offers objectives like “Leads” and more precise targeting and placement control. Boosted posts are only useful if you have a particular Facebook post you want more people to see (e.g. a hiring announcement or a general “we’re open” post) and you’re okay with just getting likes or reach. But they won’t optimize for conversions like a real ad campaign will. In other words, resist the blue Boost button if you need actual leads; spend that budget in Ads Manager where it can work harder for you.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Facebook Lead Generation Campaign

Ready to roll up your sleeves and set up your first (or next) Facebook ad campaign for leads? Let’s walk through it step by step. We’ll focus on using the Lead Generation objective in Meta Ads Manager, since that’s ideal for collecting inquiries/quote requests for your cleaning services. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain alternatives like traffic or messages too.)

Before you start: Make sure you have a Facebook Business Page for your cleaning company and a Meta Ads Manager account set up. Also have a few great cleaning photos ready to use, and an idea of an offer or message for your ad (for example, “Get 20% off your first cleaning” or “Free Estimates for Weekly Cleaning”). Got it? Let’s go!

1. Choose the Right Campaign Objective

When you create a new campaign in Meta Ads Manager, the first thing you’ll pick is an advertising objective, which tells Facebook what end result you want. For cleaning services, the main objectives to consider are Leads, Traffic, or Messages – each has its purpose:

Choosing a campaign objective in Meta Ads Manager.

Leads: This is usually the best choice for local services. The Leads objective lets you collect leads directly on Facebook via an Instant Form, or drive people to start a conversation in Messenger/WhatsApp, or even prompt calls. Use Lead Generation when you want prospects to quickly send you their info for a quote. Facebook will optimize delivery to people likely to fill out a form or contact you. Example: An ad offering “Get a Free Cleaning Quote” that opens a quick form for name/phone/address.
Traffic: This objective sends people to an external website (like a landing page on your cleaning business site). Use this if you have a great website or booking page and you’d rather have users visit there and perhaps fill out a form on your site. Facebook will optimize for link clicks. Example: An ad that says “Learn More About Our Cleaning Packages” and drives to your website’s contact page. Keep in mind, traffic alone doesn’t guarantee conversions – you’ll need a high-converting website to make it worthwhile.
Messages: This prompts people to send you a direct message (via Facebook Messenger or Instagram DM). It’s great if you prefer to chat with prospects one-on-one. For example, your ad might say “Questions? Chat with us now for a quick quote,” and the CTA opens a Messenger conversation. Use this if you or your team are prepared to respond quickly to inquiries via chat.

So which to pick? For most residential cleaners, start with the Leads objective – it’s designed to get you contacts fast. You can capture lead info without the user ever leaving Facebook. On the other hand, if you have a top-notch websitethat converts visitors into inquiries well (and you have the Meta Pixel installed there), you could test a Traffic campaign or even a Conversion campaign (under the Sales objective in newer Ads Manager interface). But those often require more tweaking. Lead gen ads (with Facebook’s own form) tend to yield a higher volume of leads at a lower cost per lead than sending people off-site. And more leads = more chances to close cleaning deals!

Cheeky Tip: If you do have a solid website funnel, you might run two campaigns – one Lead Form ad and one Traffic ad to your site – and see which brings better leads. It’s like a friendly competition to see whether Facebook’s native form or your site landing page wins. May the best funnel triumph!

2. Define Your Target Audience

Now that Facebook knows your goal, you need to tell it who to show the ads to. Getting your audience targeting right is make-or-break for local ad success. The good news: Meta Ads Manager offers robust targeting options to pinpoint your ideal cleaning clients. Here’s how to set it up:

Setting a local radius when targeting your Facebook ad audience.

Location Targeting: Since you offer an in-person service, location is key. In the audience settings, set the location to your service area. You can target by city, ZIP code, or drop a pin and set a radius around it. For example, you might target “People living in or recently in [Your City] + 15 miles.” Facebook’s default radius for a city is often 25 miles, which might be too broad – feel free to shrink it to cover only the areas you serve (the minimum radius for city targeting is usually 10 miles). You can also include or exclude specific ZIP codes or neighborhoods if needed. The goal is to show ads only to people who could actually become your customers (no sense advertising to someone 100 miles away). Make sure the location targeting is set to “People living in or recently in this location,” so you catch locals and not just tourists.

Demographics: Next, consider age, gender, etc. If your typical customers are, say, 30-60 year old homeowners, you might set an age range of 30-65+. Many cleaning companies assume only women will inquire, but don’t make that mistake – plenty of men hire cleaning services too. It’s often wise to start broad (include all genders and ages that make sense) and let Facebook’s algorithm find the best people. You can always narrow later if needed, but don’t arbitrarily cut out a chunk of potential clients without data.

Detailed Targeting (Interests & Behaviors): This is optional but can boost your precision. Facebook allows targeting by interests, behaviors, etc. Be careful here: target interests that hint at someone needing a cleaner, not being a cleaner. For example, targeting people interested in “house cleaning” might sound logical, but it could just attract other cleaning business owners or DIY cleaners sharing tips! Instead, consider interests like “Home improvement,” “Busy mom,” “Parenting,” “Interior design,” or local community interests. These correlate to homeowners or renters who might need help. You could also target life events like “Recently Moved” (new homeowners often look for cleaning services). If you’ve built up a customer email list, you can upload it as a Custom Audience to target those people or find a Lookalike Audience (people similar to your clients) – very powerful, though that’s a bit more advanced.

Audience Size: As a local business, your audience will naturally be smaller than a national ad – that’s fine. You want to reach neighbors, not the whole country. Aim for an audience size that isn’t too tiny (a few thousand at least) but not so large that it’s unfocused. For a city-wide cleaning service, an audience of 50,000 to 200,000 people might be normal, depending on your metro area. If you include multiple towns, it could be more. Don’t stress if it’s smaller; with a specific service area, quality matters more than quantity.

Pro Tip: Use retargeting to maximize conversions. By installing the Meta Pixel on your website, you can later retarget people on Facebook who visited your site but didn’t contact you. You can also retarget folks who engaged with your Facebook page or past ads. An example retargeting ad might say, “🎁 Still need help cleaning? Here’s 10% off your first clean – offer ends soon!” and show it only to people who clicked your first ad or visited your site earlier. This is a killer strategy to gently nudge warm prospects into converting, and it often lowers your cost per booked job.

In summary, paint a picture of your ideal customer with the targeting tools: Where do they live? How old are they? What might they be interested in? Facebook will handle the heavy lifting of finding them. Just avoid targeting toonarrowly at first – let the algorithm learn who responds, then refine if needed.

3. Create Compelling Ad Creative (Image, Copy, and Headline)

Your audience targeting sets the stage, but your ad creative is the star of the show. This is what people actually see in their feed – the image or video, the headline, and the text that will convince someone to click “Get Quote” (or whichever CTA you use). For a cleaning service, you want your ad to stop the scroll and instantly communicate the value of a clean home. Let’s break down the elements:

Example of a Facebook ad creative for a cleaning service, featuring a bright design and a “15% off” offer to entice new customers.

Images: Aim for high-quality, eye-catching visuals that convey cleanliness or relief. Great options include “before-and-after” photos (messy room vs. spotless room), a sparkling clean kitchen or living space, or your team in uniform smiling (to humanize your service). Before-and-after shots are especially powerful – they immediately show the transformation you can deliver. If using before/after, ensure you have permission and they look real. Avoid cheesy clipart or overly fake stock photos. Authenticity works: a real photo of a shiny sink you cleaned can beat a generic stock image. If you have no original images yet, consider using stock images that feel relatable (e.g., a happy family in a clean home) rather than something that screams “ad.” Also, bright colors (or a bold text overlay with your offer) can draw attention – as in the example image above, which highlights a 15% off promo in red to grab the eye.
Ad Copy (Text): Keep your primary text short and benefit-focused. You only have a sentence or two before someone has to click “See more.” Lead with a hook that speaks to the customer’s pain point or desire. For example: “Tired of coming home to a messy house? 🏠✨ Let us give you back your free time!” This identifies a problem (messy house, no free time) and hints at a benefit (we’ll solve it, you relax). Another approach is an offer upfront: “👉 New Client Special: Get 20% off your first home cleaning! Claim your discount now.” Use a friendly, conversational tone (you’re a helpful neighbor, not a stuffy corporation). Feel free to inject a bit of personality or a cheeky line if it fits your brand – e.g., “Warning: Our cleaning might spoil you rotten (you’ll never want to scrub a toilet again 😉).” Just make sure the value is clear. Why should someone hire you? Emphasize things like trusted & vetted cleaners, 100% satisfaction guarantee, eco-friendly products, 5-star reviews, or whatever sets you apart.
Headline and Description: The headline is the bold text that appears below your image (on some placements). Use it to reinforce your offer or call-to-action. For example: “Free Quote for Home Cleaning”, “Seattle’s Top-Rated Maid Service”, or “$50 Off Deep Cleaning – This Week Only!”. Keep it punchy and clear. The description (smaller text) is optional; it could add a short phrase like “Professional, reliable cleaning services for your home.” But often the headline + main text are enough to convey the message.
Call-to-Action Button: Facebook lets you choose a button like “Learn More,” “Get Quote,” “Book Now,” “Contact Us,” etc. For a lead form ad offering a quote/estimate, “Get Quote” or “Learn More” are popular and set the expectation that the user will provide their info. For a Messenger ad, “Send Message” will be used; for a website, “Learn More” or “Book Now” could fit. The example image above shows a “Book Now” CTA, which is another good choice if you’re directing to a booking page. The important thing is that the button text aligns with what you want them to do. Don’t use something like “Shop Now” (confusing for a service) or “Sign Up” (unless you’re literally signing them up for something).

Creative Best Practices: Make sure your image follows Facebook’s ad guidelines (e.g. not too much text overlay – although Meta is more flexible about the 20% text rule now, ads with cleaner visuals still tend to perform better). Check that it looks good on mobile (most people will see it on their phone). Use realistic, welcoming language – you want to sound like a friendly, professional service, not a scammy infomercial. For instance, “Experienced team, licensed & insured. We treat your home like our own!” builds trust. And always include a clear value proposition or offer: people scroll fast, so they should grasp in seconds what you’re offering and why it’s appealing (e.g. a discount, a benefit like “stress-free cleaning”, etc.).

Oh, and one more thing: Test, test, test! Don’t be afraid to make a couple of different ads to see what works best. You could run one ad with a family-in-clean-home photo and another with a before/after photo. Or test two different headlines. Facebook even allows A/B testing tools, or you can just run two ads in one ad set. You might be surprised which creative resonates more. Keep an eye on the results (we’ll talk metrics soon) and be ready to switch out images or text after a couple weeks if they get stale (ad fatigue is real – people start ignoring the same ad after they’ve seen it many times). Refreshing your creative every month or so with new visuals or a new angle (“Spring Cleaning Special!”, “Holiday Prep Cleaning!” etc.) can keep things fresh and maintain engagement.

4. Set a Realistic Budget and Schedule

Budgeting for Facebook ads can feel like a guessing game for newbies. How much should you spend? How long should the ad run? Here’s how to approach it strategically for a local cleaning campaign:

Daily Budget: When setting up your campaign budget, you can choose daily or lifetime. A daily budget is usually simplest – it’s the average you’ll spend per day. For local lead gen, a good starting point might be $10-20 per day. At $10/day, for example, you might generate a few leads per day depending on your targeting and ad quality. At $20/day, you double the potential reach. You can start lower (even $5/day), but keep in mind with very low budgets it could take longer to get meaningful results. Meta suggests allowing at least a few dollars per result you want; if leads in your industry average ~$10 each, a $5 daily budget may only get you one lead every two days on average. Many cleaning businesses allocate $300-$500 a month on starter Facebook campaigns, then scale up if it’s profitable – find what you’re comfortable investing to test the waters.
Timeline: Facebook ads aren’t instant magic – they need some runtime to gain traction and “learn” who to show to. Plan to run your campaign for at least 1-2 weeks initially. In fact, Facebook’s algorithm enters a “learning phase” for about 7 days or ~50 optimization events (like 50 leads) where it’s figuring out the best way to deliver your ad. During this time, results might fluctuate. Don’t panic and shut off your ad after 48 hours just because you don’t have a flood of leads yet. Give it a solid week, review performance, and then decide on tweaks. Generally, we recommend committing a set budget for a week or two (e.g. $15/day for 14 days = ~$210) as a test. This should be enough to yield some leads that you can evaluate for quality.
Schedule: You can let ads run continuously or set an end date. For a first test, you might let it run continuously and just monitor it, or set a defined end date after e.g. 2-4 weeks. Continuous is fine as long as you remember to pause it if needed. If your cleaning business only wants leads during certain seasons (spring cleaning push, holidays, etc.), you could schedule accordingly. But typically, house cleaning is an ongoing need, so an always-on approach works, with periodic creative refreshes. One strategy is to rotate offers each month or quarter to keep it interesting (e.g., “Back-to-School Cleaning Special” in September, “Holiday Cleaning – Book Now!” in Nov/Dec).
Ad Placement and Optimization: By default, Facebook will show your ads across various placements (Facebook news feed, Instagram feed, Stories, etc.) unless you choose manual placements. For most beginners, Advantage+ placements (automatic) is okay – the algorithm will allocate budget to where performance is best. Just ensure your creative looks good in the main ones (feed and story). Also, you’ll optimize for Leads if using the lead gen objective, meaning Facebook will try to get you the most leads for your budget. You can set a bid strategy or cost cap if you have a specific target CPL (cost per lead), but that’s advanced – to start, trust the algorithm and just keep an eye on cost per result.
Budget Adjustments: If you’re getting great results (e.g. leads coming in at a cost that makes you money), you might want to increase budget. Feel free to bump it up gradually – like 20% increase per day – rather than a massive jump, to not shock the learning phase. Conversely, if CPL is too high, you could dial back or pause to reassess targeting or creative. Another option is Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) where you set a total budget at the campaign level and let FB distribute among ad sets – useful if you have multiple audiences/ad sets. But for one audience one ad, it doesn’t matter much.

One more consideration: What’s a lead worth to you? If an average cleaning job is $150 and, say, 1 in 3 leads books a job, that’s $150 revenue per 3 leads. So if those 3 leads cost you $90 total ($30 each), you’d break even on the first cleaning – and if the client repeats service, you profit. Knowing this can help define a comfortable cost per lead. Many residential cleaners aim for $5-20 per lead on Facebook. During your campaign, check your Cost per Lead in Ads Manager. If it’s, say, $12 and your closing rate and job values make that profitable, you’re in good shape. If it’s $50 per lead, you may need to optimize more or consider increasing the value of your offer.

(Oh, and don’t worry about paying “up front” – Facebook will bill your linked card periodically as ads run. Just set the budget and monitor; you can stop anytime.)

5. Capture Leads: Facebook Lead Form vs. Website Landing Page

Earlier, we discussed campaign objectives (Lead form ads vs. sending traffic to your site). Now let’s talk about the pros and cons of each approach to capture leads, and some best practices whether you use Facebook’s Instant Forms or an external landing page on your website.

Facebook Lead Forms (Instant Forms) – These are built-in forms that pop up when someone clicks your ad, pre-filled with their contact info pulled from Facebook (like name, email, phone). It’s seamless and fast. Pros: It’s easy for the user(tap, tap, done – less friction means more people will complete it). You’ll likely get a higher volume of leads at a lower cost per lead using Instant Forms compared to sending people off-site. Also, you can add custom questions (e.g. “What type of cleaning do you need? (standard/deep/move-out)” which can help pre-qualify or get info upfront). Cons: The ease can produce casual leads – some people may fill it out just because it was so simple, even if they aren’t super serious. Lead form leads sometimes have slightly lower contact or conversion rates versus someone who went through your whole website. Also, with a form you miss the chance to show them more about your business (on your site they’d see your branding, testimonials, etc.). Best Practices for Lead Forms: Keep the form short – usually Name, Phone, Email is enough. Every extra question can reduce completions (though a qualifying question can weed out truly unfit leads, so it’s a balance). Include an intro or context: the form allows a headline and description – use it to remind them of your offer (“Get your free cleaning quote by filling out this quick form. We’ll contact you within 1 business day!”). This sets expectation and filters out tire-kickers. Finally, respond to lead form submissions quickly! Facebook will collect them for you (accessible in your Page’s Lead Center or via email if you set up notifications). It’s wise to integrate your lead forms with a CRM or at least get them emailed to you instantly, so you can call/email new leads within minutes. The faster your follow-up, the higher your booking rate – people will be impressed by a prompt response.

Website Landing Page – This means your ad click sends people to a page on your website (or a special landing page) where they can learn more and hopefully fill out a contact form or booking request there. Pros: You can educate and persuade more on a well-designed page – show your customer testimonials, explain your services, display trust badges or before/after gallery, etc. This can attract more motivated leads because they took the time to browse. You also fully own the experience and can track it with analytics. Cons: More steps = more drop-off. Every click to a website risks people getting distracted, the page failing to load, or them deciding not to fill out the form. Mobile experience is crucial: if your site isn’t mobile-optimized and fast, many visitors will bounce. Also, if you don’t have a clear contact form or CTA on the page, users might get lost. Website leads may cost more per lead since not everyone who clicks will submit their info (Facebook might even charge you per click in a traffic campaign, not per actual lead). Best Practices for Landing Pages: If you go this route, create a dedicated landing page for your ad campaign (don’t send people to a generic home page). The landing page should match the ad’s offer/message. For example, if your ad says “Get 50% off a Deep Cleaning”, the landing page should prominently say that offer and have a simple form to “Redeem your 50% Off – Request a Quote.” Remove distractions on that page (minimal links or navigation). Include a few selling points: what you offer, why choose you, maybe a couple of 5-star review snippets, and an enticing image of a clean home. And of course, a contact form that’s easy to fill on a phone – typically name, address, email, phone, plus maybe “How can we help?” textbox. Also, use the Meta Pixel on that page so Facebook can track conversions (you’d set up a custom conversion event for form submissions) and optimize the ads if you choose a Conversion objective later.

Which one is better? There’s no one-size-fits-all. Many cleaning businesses start with Facebook Instant Forms because of the low friction and simplicity. If you’re not confident in your website or just want quick results, try forms. If you have a decent website that has converted visitors before, you can test sending traffic there. In fact, you can even mix strategies: run one ad that uses an Instant Form, and another ad (or sequential retargeting ad) that drives to your site for those who might want to “learn more” in depth. Some businesses use lead forms to get volume, then send those leads to a thank-you page on their site or follow-up email with more info (combining approaches). Ultimately, let cost-per-lead and conversion rates tell you what works. It may turn out that your $15 Facebook lead form leads convert to customers at 20%, whereas your $30 website leads convert at 50% – meaning both are viable. Test and measure.

Tip: If you use Instant Forms, consider using Facebook’s “Higher Intent” option – it adds a review step where users confirm their info, which can improve quality slightly (though it may lower quantity a bit). For many, the default “More Volume” is fine to start. Also, ensure you comply with privacy rules: include a link to your privacy policy in the form (Facebook will prompt for that).

Tracking Leads and Measuring Success

Once your ads are up and running, don’t just set it and forget it! Monitoring performance is crucial. You’ll want to track how many leads you’re getting and whether those leads turn into paying customers. Here’s how to stay on top of it:

Watch Key Metrics in Ads Manager: In your Meta Ads Manager dashboard, pay attention to the Results (number of leads form submissions or link clicks), Cost Per Result (cost per lead), Clicks (CTR), and Reach. For a lead gen campaign, Cost Per Lead is king – it tells you how efficiently your budget is producing inquiries. For example, if you spent $100 and got 10 leads, that’s $10 per lead. Compare this to your target or expected CPL. Also look at Click-Through Rate (CTR) on the ad (how many people seeing it actually click). A low CTR (say under 1%) might mean your ad creative isn’t compelling enough or targeting might be off. Ads Manager provides a wealth of data – from age/gender of people clicking, to which placements yield leads. Use this data to optimize: if you see most leads are coming from Instagram vs Facebook, or from a certain age bracket, you can adjust targeting or budgets accordingly.
Use the Meta Pixel (if driving to website): The Pixel code on your site will report back events like form submissions, so you can see in Ads Manager not just clicks but actual conversions. If you set up a custom conversion (e.g. “Contact Form Submitted” = lead), you can track conversion rate and cost per conversion accurately. This helps in measuring true ROI of a Traffic or Conversion campaign.
Leads Management: If you use Facebook lead forms, set up a system to handle those leads. You can manually download them or get notified via email, but ideally, connect the forms to your CRM or even a Google Sheet via an integration. Responding promptly is part of measuring success – a lead is only as good as your follow-up. Track each lead’s outcome: did they answer your call? Did you provide a quote? Did they book a service? This moves us into beyond Facebook tracking.
Quote-to-Booked Ratio: One of the most important business metrics is how many of your leads turn into customers. Say you got 20 leads from Facebook this month. How many ended up scheduling a cleaning? If 5 of them did, that’s a 25% conversion (booking) rate from lead to customer. Now, look at how much you spent. If you spent $200 on ads for 20 leads, that’s $10/lead. With 5 customers, effectively you paid $40 per acquired customer. Is that profitable? If a typical customer brings you $150 on their first cleaning and possibly recurring revenue after, $40 per new customer might be great. But if your booking rate was only 5% (1 out of 20), that’d be $200 cost per customer – likely too high. The goal is to optimize both the cost per lead and your conversion rate. Sometimes a minor tweak – like contacting leads faster, or improving your sales pitch – can boost that conversion rate and dramatically improve ROI. Keep an eye on that quote/booking ratio. If it’s low, ask why: Are the leads unqualified (maybe targeting is off or ad messaging unclear)? Are many leads ghosting you (maybe try a faster or different follow-up approach, such as texting)? Are you providing quotes but not closing them (perhaps adjust your pricing or how you communicate value)?
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Ultimately, a metric many marketers use is CPA – cost per acquired customer. This accounts for that conversion rate. In the above example, CPA was $40 (since $200 spend / 5 customers). Track this over time. If your CPA is lower than the profit you make from a customer’s lifetime value, you’re in a good spot. If not, you need to refine something. The beauty is Facebook provides the data to calculate these – you just need to combine it with your internal booking info.
Using Analytics: If you have Google Analytics on your site and are sending traffic there, check your bounce rate and time on site for the ad traffic. If lots of people click the ad but leave immediately, the landing page might not be doing its job. You can also set up goals in GA for form completions, etc., as a backup to Facebook data.
Iterate and Improve: Treat your first month of Facebook ads as a learning phase. Identify any weaknesses. For instance, if you notice that leads from a particular neighborhood never convert to jobs, perhaps exclude that area going forward. Or if your ad offering a “10% off” isn’t enticing enough (low conversion), test a stronger offer like “50% off 1st clean” or a fixed price package. The data might show that one version of your ad creative got twice as many clicks – study it and apply those insights. Facebook marketing is iterative; even the pros continually A/B test images, text, audiences, and budgets to find the sweet spot.

Finally, remember to factor in the value of brand exposure. Not every result is captured in the click or lead metrics. Someone might see your ad, not click, but remember your name and Google you later. Or they might mention to a friend, “I keep seeing ads for XYZ Cleaning.” This is soft impact that’s hard to measure but builds your brand locally. Over time, running ads consistently can make your company “famous” in your area. So even as you track direct leads, know that there’s a broader awareness benefit accruing (as long as your ads are professional and positive).

Avoid These Common Facebook Ad Mistakes (Cleaning Biz Edition)

Even savvy cleaning business owners can stumble when first advertising on Facebook. Let’s make sure you don’t waste money on rookie mistakes. Here are some common Facebook ad mistakes in the cleaning industry – and how to avoid them:

Mistake 1: Unclear (or No) Offer – The ad just says “We offer house cleaning” with a nice photo. That’s not enough! In a sea of ads, an unclear or bland message won’t spur action. Fix: Always include a compelling offer or headline. For example, “Get 2 Hours Free on Your First Cleaning”, or “$30 off Deep Cleaning – This Month Only”. Make it obvious what the benefit is for clicking your ad. Also, ensure your call-to-action is clear: e.g. “Book a free estimate now.” If users aren’t sure what you’re offering or what to do next, they’ll scroll past.
Mistake 2: Bad Targeting – This could mean targeting too broad or too narrow, or just the wrong demographics. Some owners either leave the targeting wide open (wasting budget on people far outside their service area or unlikely to be interested), or they over-constrain it based on assumptions (e.g. targeting only 35-45 year-old women who like “Martha Stewart Living”). Fix: Base your targeting on real customer insights and start broad enough for Facebook to optimize. Use that radius targeting to only cover your service area – we’ve seen people accidentally target the whole country (oops!). Also, avoid interest traps – as mentioned, targeting “cleaning” as an interest might just attract other cleaners. Target homeowners or renters in your area with interests that imply they’d hire help (busy professionals, parents, etc.), and use Facebook’s optimization to hone in. And don’t forget to leverage custom/lookalike audiences if you have them. If ads aren’t bringing the right kinds of inquiries, revisit your targeting criteria or ad copy (it should pre-qualify by mentioning what you do and where).
Mistake 3: Poor Visuals – Using low-quality or inappropriate images will hurt your ad’s performance. This includes dark or blurry photos, images unrelated to cleaning, or the notorious “smiling woman with a mop” stock photo that every other franchise used in 2010. If your visuals don’t stand out or seem authentic, people will scroll by (or worse, think your ad is spammy). Fix: Use bright, attractive images that showcase results (shiny countertops, tidy rooms) or evoke the relief of a clean home (happy family relaxing). If you don’t have your own photos yet, invest a little time to get some – even smartphone pics of your work can outperform generic stock. If you must use stock images, choose ones that feel modern and real (no awkward posed shots). Also ensure any text on the image is minimal and readable on mobile. Pro tip: Adding a simple graphic element like a logo or a seal (“100% Satisfaction Guaranteed”) can add credibility, but keep it subtle.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the Facebook Pixel and Retargeting – Many small businesses skip setting up the Meta Pixel on their website or don’t use the data it provides. That’s leaving money on the table. Without the pixel, you can’t effectively run conversion campaigns or retarget site visitors with follow-up ads. Fix: Install the Facebook Pixel on day one (it’s a snippet of code on your site). It will start building a custom audience of anyone who visits your site from any source, which you can later use for retargeting. Even if you’re only using lead forms now, have the pixel ready for future campaigns. And consider running a retargeting ad for those who clicked your site or engaged with your page – these warm prospects often convert at a higher rate for a lower cost. Example: a retarget ad saying “Still looking for a reliable cleaner? Get 10% off your first service – limited spots available!” aimed at people who visited your booking page but didn’t submit a form.
Mistake 5: Relying Only on Boosted Posts – As discussed earlier, just boosting Facebook posts without using Ads Manager is a common pitfall. Boosted posts have limited optimization (usually just for engagement or simple reach) and lack the robust targeting and creative options of full ads. Many cleaning businesses burn money boosting posts that get likes or random comments, but no actual client inquiries. Fix: Use Meta Ads Manager for the bulk of your advertising. Think of boosted posts as a very occasional supplement (if you have a post that went semi-viral organically and you want a bit more reach, for example). But for lead generation, stick to proper ad campaigns. You’ll get better results and more insights into performance.
Mistake 6: No Landing Page or Poor Landing Page – If you send people to your website, make sure it’s set up to convert. A mistake is dumping ad traffic on a generic homepage or a site that isn’t mobile-friendly, causing potential customers to bounce. Fix: Create a dedicated, mobile-optimized landing page that mirrors your ad’s message and has a clear call-to-action (like a quick contact form). Ensure fast loading speed. Consider using a simple landing page builder if your main site is clunky. Remember, you paid for that click – don’t waste it by sending folks to a maze of a website.
Mistake 7: Weak Follow-Up – Facebook might deliver you leads on a silver platter, but if you don’t follow up effectively, the money is wasted. We’ve seen owners let lead forms sit for days or respond once via email and then give up. These hot leads can go cold fast. Fix: Strike while the iron is hot. Call new leads as soon as possible (within 15-30 minutes is ideal, during business hours). If they don’t answer, shoot a friendly text or email: “Hi, this is Sarah from SparkleClean. Saw you requested a quote for home cleaning – I’d love to help! When’s a good time to chat?” Have a process: multiple contact attempts (without being pushy), and then perhaps a “last try” message. Also, nurture the leads that don’t convert immediately. For example, if someone inquires but isn’t ready yet, add them to an email list for tips or follow up in a month with an exclusive offer. Successful ad campaigns often rely on solid sales follow-through as much as the ad itself.
Mistake 8: Giving Up Too Early (or Not Adjusting) – Running ads is a bit of an art and science. A common mistake is throwing in the towel after a short run because “Facebook ads don’t work for me,” or conversely, letting a mediocre ad run for months without changes. Fix: Set expectations that you’ll need to optimize over a few weeks. If after a reasonable test period you’re not seeing results, analyze why rather than just quitting. Is the targeting off? Is the ad unappealing? Seek advice, experiment with a new image or a stronger offer. On the flip side, if an ad is performing okay but not great, don’t settle – try to improve it. Sometimes a small tweak (like changing the headline or switching out the image) can double your click-through rate or cut your cost per lead significantly. Continual improvement is the name of the game in digital ads.

By avoiding these pitfalls, you’ll save yourself money and frustration. Remember, every cleaning business is a bit different – what works for one market or season may need tweaking for another. Stay curious and don’t be afraid to test new ideas. You’ll get better and better at sensing what your audience responds to. And when in doubt, refer back to this guide (or schedule that strategy session below 😉).

Ready to Get More Cleaning Clients from Facebook?

Facebook advertising can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but by now you should have a clear roadmap to follow. When done right, it’s like having a 24/7 digital salesperson finding homeowners who need cleaning and inviting them to contact you. With a strategic campaign objective, smart targeting, compelling ads, and solid follow-up, you can turn Facebook scrolls into booked cleaning appointments.

If your past campaigns underperformed, now you know how to fix them – and avoid the common traps that snag many cleaning business owners. And if you haven’t tried Facebook (Meta) Ads yet, it’s time to take the plunge and outshine your local competition. Your future customers are on social media right now, likely procrastinating on that housework… Show them an ad that makes them think, “Yes, I deserve a break – I’m calling these cleaners!” 😉

Next Steps – Let’s Talk Strategy: Want some help creating thumb-stopping ads or tightening up your targeting? Or maybe you’d rather hand off the whole task to experts so you can focus on running your business. Schedule a Paid Ads Strategy Session with Wiggle’s marketing team today! We’ll review your goals, audit any current ads, and craft a custom game plan to get you more leads at a lower cost. It’s like a spring cleaning for your marketing strategy – we’ll dust off what’s not working and polish up a new approach that shines. 🚀 Book your strategy session now and let’s fill your calendar with new cleaning clients!

Alternative SEO-Friendly Titles:

How to Advertise Cleaning Services on Facebook: The Ultimate Guide for Residential Cleaners
Facebook Ads for Cleaning Services – How to Get More House Cleaning Clients
Meta Ads 101: How to Advertise Your Cleaning Service on Facebook for Maximum Leads
How to Promote Your Cleaning Business on Facebook (and Actually Get Leads)
From Boosted Posts to Booked Jobs: How to Advertise Cleaning Services on Facebook Effectively

Internal Links Recommendations:

Get More Leads: Check out our guide on Google Ads for Cleaning Services to diversify your lead generation efforts.
High-Converting Websites: Learn about creating a high-converting cleaning service website that turns ad clicks into customers.
Local SEO Tips: Don’t miss our post on local SEO for cleaning businesses to boost your visibility on Google (so clients find you organically, too).
Lead Generation Strategies: Read our resources on lead generation for home services for more ideas to keep your pipeline full year-round.