Facebook and Instagram ads for removals companies: what to get right

Where Meta fits in the buying journey

Search ads answer someone already looking for a removals quote. Facebook and Instagram can introduce your firm while they're planning a move, before they search or send a comparison form. That means some people won't know their exact date yet. Record the expected move date and keep in touch with those who aren't ready to book immediately.

Start with the jobs your crews want

Decide your workable radius, minimum job size and whether you can take packing, storage or long-distance work. Write the advert around those jobs. If you're after full-house moves, show the service and care involved rather than leading with the lowest price. Don't assume Meta can identify a person who's about to move; use the message and enquiry questions to establish fit.

Show the real operation

• Use clear photos of your own team, vans or completed work with permission. Avoid photos that could be anyone's business.
• Say where you operate and what sort of moves you take on. If you offer packing, make it clear whether it's optional.
• Use one obvious next step: request a quote or ask for a call. Don't ask people to visit a generic home page and hunt for a number.
• Don't advertise an instant fixed quote if the job needs a survey. Set the right expectation before the form.

Ask just enough to know whether to call

• Collection and delivery areas (town or postcode is enough to start)
• Home size or a short description of what needs moving
• Approximate move date, with a 'not sure yet' option
• Packing, storage or access issues if they affect whether you can help
• A phone number and a name so you can respond

Ask for a detailed inventory during the survey, not in the first form. Make sure someone can see new requests while they're fresh, and record whether each one was reached, surveyed, quoted and booked.

The hand-off matters as much as the advert

Decide who takes calls when the office is busy. If you miss an enquiry, call back as soon as you reasonably can during working hours, then follow up with a short message saying who you are. If a customer has no completion date, agree when to check in again rather than marking the lead dead.

What to look at after launch