“We’ll run your Facebook ads” can mean anything from boosting a post once a week to a full monthly system of testing, tracking and reporting. Before you hire someone, it helps to know what the work actually involves and how pricing usually works.
What Meta ads management should include
Strategy and offer
Good ads start with a clear offer and a clear audience: which service you want more of, in which area, for which kind of customer. A manager should ask about your margins and capacity, because the goal is jobs you want, not just clicks.
Account and tracking setup
That means a Business Manager and ad account you own, the Meta Pixel and conversion tracking set up correctly, and a way to tell which leads turned into booked jobs. Without tracking, nobody can say whether the ads are working.
Ad copy and creative
Images, carousels and sometimes video, with copy written for your customers. Many managers build creative from your own job photos, which tend to feel more trustworthy than stock images for local service businesses.
Audience targeting and campaign structure
Choosing locations, audiences and campaign types, and setting budgets so spend goes where it performs.
Lead forms or landing pages
Where people go after they click matters as much as the ad. That might be an instant form inside Facebook or a landing page built to turn visits into calls and bookings.
Ongoing testing and optimisation
Ads wear out. Management means regularly testing new creative and audiences, pausing what isn’t working and shifting budget to what is.
Reporting you can understand
At least monthly, in plain language: what was spent, how many leads came in, what each lead cost, and ideally how many became customers.
How agencies usually charge
Pricing varies a lot, but most arrangements fall into one of these models:
- Flat monthly fee. A set price for management, regardless of ad spend. Easy to budget for.
- Percentage of ad spend. The fee rises as your budget rises. Common with larger budgets.
- Setup fee plus monthly. A one-time charge for building the account, tracking and first campaigns, then a monthly fee.
- Pay per lead. You pay for each lead delivered. Check who owns the ad account and the data with this model.
Whatever the model, remember that ad spend is separate from the management fee. Your budget is paid to Meta; the agency’s fee pays for the work.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Who owns the ad account? It should be yours, so you keep your data and history if you ever leave.
- Is ad creative included? Some managers only run campaigns and expect you to supply images and copy.
- How will you track leads and jobs? Ask how they will show which ads produce paying customers.
- What happens to leads when they come in? Slow follow-up wastes good ads. Ask whether they help with instant replies and follow-up, or whether that’s on you.
- What is the minimum commitment? Ads need time to test and settle, so short minimums are normal. Get the terms in writing.
How we do it
Our Meta ads management includes strategy, ad copy and creative from your photos or stock, targeting, lead forms or landing pages, and monthly reporting. You own the ad account and your ad spend is paid directly to Meta. Services start at $1,295, with a 3-month minimum and then month-to-month.