A search lead costs more. Answer it first.
By Ty Stevens, founder of To The Max Media · Updated
Search leads cost more than Facebook leads, but the searcher has already typed a project and a town. What loses the job is a slow reply.
- Start with search, where buyers are already pricing
- Ask budget and start month before the site visit
- Reply while they are still on your page
Search comes first. A landscaping search lead cost $117.92 in LocaliQ's 2025 benchmark, more than Facebook, but small next to a $15,000 to $50,000 backyard (HomeAdvisor, 2026). The searcher typed a project and a town, so they are ready to talk. After that, speed decides who gets the consult.
Why the dearer lead is the better start
Facebook lead ads for landscaping run about $25 to $60 (Pipeline On, 2026), cheaper than search. But a form filled in while scrolling is often an early idea, while a searcher typed "backyard remodel companies near me." At LocaliQ's price, one $15,000 yard costs as much as about 127 search leads. Judge both channels by signed builds.
What happens after the form arrives
78% of customers go with the first contractor to respond, by ServiceTitan's count as quoted by Pipeline On (2026). So the reply comes first, and it does three things:
- Reaches them by call or text while they are still on your site
- Asks the project, the budget band and the start month
- Books a design consult on that first call
Real work you can check
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What clients say
“Ty has been absolutely amazing! He's helped me out with everything from GoHighLevel and Facebook to building a custom app for my business. Since working with him, my business has been bringing in a ton of high-quality leads. I've worked with several different people in the past, but Ty is on a completely different level. He knows his stuff, gets things done, and actually delivers results. This dude is awesome! I highly recommend him to anyone looking to grow their business.”
A few things you might be wondering
Should the form ask for a budget?
Yes, as three or four bands rather than a blank box. It is the quickest way to tell a full backyard from a small repair, and it tells you who should call back. Someone who skips it still gets a call, just with a different first question.
What if they want a price on the first call?
Give a range from your own jobs and say what moves it, such as grading, drainage or a kitchen. Then book the consult. A French drain alone runs $1,650 to $12,250 in one price guide (LawnStarter, 2026), so a single number on the phone is a guess.
Can we see which leads became builds?
Yes, if every lead keeps its source. Tracked numbers and tagged forms carry the channel into your records, so a signed yard can be traced to the search or ad that started it. That is how the budget moves toward what actually builds yards.
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Google first. The numbers behind the verdict.
- Why it comes first
- Google first. Somebody stands in their backyard in April, decides this is the year, and types the cost into their phone. Meta comes later in patio season, showing the before and after of a yard you just finished.
- Google Ads, cost per click
- $8.14 ('landscapers near me') to $11.79 (hardscaping) in Jan to Jul 2026; landscaping search cost per click $8.76 in LocaliQ's Apr 2024 to Mar 2025 sample. Cost per lead: $54 blended across 1,928 landscaping leads, $108 for hardscaping (99calls, Jan to Jul 2026); $117.92 for landscaping search (LocaliQ, 2025)99calls.com and localiq.com, 2026
- Meta, cost per lead
- $25 to $60 for Facebook lead ads (general landscaping); $45 to $80 in Arizona in 2026; lower intent for hardscape than Google searchpipelineon.com, 2026
- Local Services Ads
- Landscaper is a category on Google's list, separate from Lawn care, and Google describes it as design, installation and upkeep of gardens and landscapes. Its screening can include background, insurance and license checks, so apply early.
- Second channel
- Facebook puts the finished yard in front of people who were not searching yet. Use it to get back in front of site visitors, reach people who just moved in, and sell design consults before spring.