Water Filtration Marketing: Should You Use Facebook Ads or Google Ads?

Nov 14, 2025
5 min read

The water filtration industry is a tough industry to market in. You have homeowners who don’t realize their water has issues, people who are already looking for a system, and a large group stuck in the middle, comparing different filtration options.

One of the biggest questions I hear from water filtration business owners is, “Should I be using Facebook Ads or Google Ads to get more customers?”

Both platforms can work great, but they each come with their own strengths and weaknesses depending on your market, your offer, and how homeowners actually make decisions.

That’s why choosing the right one is not as simple as “Facebook vs Google.” The real answer depends on a few things most filtration business owners don't think about, and that's what this blog post is going to break down.

What Type Of Audience Does Each Platform Reach?

Before choosing between Facebook Ads or Google Ads, it is important to understand the type of audience each platform reaches and where they sit in the buying journey.

Google Ads will reach homeowners who are already close to purchasing a water filtration system. These people are actively searching, comparing local brands, and looking for installers near them. They often submit a lead form or call the business to check prices or compare options, which is why Google sometimes gets a reputation for attracting quote hunters. Even so, these leads are still the highest intent group because they are already thinking about buying.

Facebook reaches a different but equally important segment of the market. These homeowners may have been putting off getting a system, or they know their water has issues, but have not started searching yet. You still get high intent buyers on Facebook, but you usually need a little more clarity, reassurance, and convincing in your ad copy compared to what you would put on a simple Google landing page.

These leads often need a bit more confidence or explanation before they convert, but once they do, they tend to turn into strong opportunities.

Pros Of Using Google Ads To Market A Water Filtration Company

High Intent Buyers

When someone searches for water filtration or reverse osmosis systems on Google, they’re usually close to buying. These homeowners already know they need a solution, so Google naturally brings in the highest-intent leads. Another bonus is that these leads are easier to follow up with. If they submit a form, they are expecting a call and will normally answer.

Easier To Close

Since these homeowners already believe they need a system, your sales reps spend less time educating them about their water and more time explaining why your system is the better choice. For teams with strong customer service and consistent follow-up, Google can perform extremely well.

Cons Of Using Google Ads To Market A Water Filtration Company

Higher Ad Spend

In cities where multiple water filtration companies are bidding on the same keywords, costs rise fast. This can push cost per lead up, which is tough if your budget is small.

Harder To Stand Out

If several companies in your area all run Google Ads, many of the landing pages and offers start to look the same. Most homeowners compare 2–4 companies before choosing one. To win on Google, you need a clear difference between your system and every other option in your city.

Slow Follow-Up Will Kill Your Campaign

Google leads expect fast responses. If your team isn’t answering calls right away or calling form submissions back within minutes, you’ll lose these leads to another company. Since they’re high-intent, they usually contact multiple companies at once. Studies show that 78% of people buy from the first company that responds.

Pros Of Using Facebook Ads To Market A Water Filtration Company

Lower Cost Per Lead

Facebook usually delivers more affordable leads than Google, especially in local home service markets. You can bring in a higher volume of leads without needing a massive budget, which is ideal for companies that don't want to spend three thousand or more per month on ads.

Facebook Rewards Strong Creative

One thing I really like about Facebook Ads is that if your creative performs well, Facebook rewards you with lower CPMs. Strong ads get shown to more people for less money, which means your budget stretches further and your reach increases without raising your spend.

The Ability To Retarget Engagers

Another major advantage is Facebook’s retargeting. You can show ads to people who clicked on your ad, opened your form, or visited your site but did not submit their info. A lot of homeowners are interested, but hesitation hits when they see the price or worry about the commitment. Retargeting lets you bring them back with ads that answer objections, highlight deals, or build more confidence. The best part is you do not need a big budget for it. Even two or three dollars a day can be enough depending on your audience size.

Cons Of Using Facebook Ads To Market A Water Filtration Company

Ad Fatigue Over Time

One challenge with Facebook Ads in local markets is that your creative will eventually wear out. Once people in your city have seen the same ad multiple times, performance drops and the ad begins to fatigue. To stay ahead of this, you need multiple creatives ready to rotate so your ads always feel fresh to homeowners.

Harder Follow Ups

Facebook brings in a strong volume of leads, but it can be harder to follow up with them. You need a dependable follow up system in place if you want consistent bookings. That means calling them within 5 minutes, instant text follow ups, and persistent calling to get a hold of them.

Platform Volatility

A big drawback with Facebook Ads is how unpredictable the platform can be. There have been outages, reporting glitches, and unexpected performance swings throughout this year. When the platform has issues, your results can dip even if your ads and targeting are perfect.

So What Platform Is Best?

Both platforms are great, however at Rift Marketing I strongly prefer using Facebook Ads for my clients.

The ability to generate leads without needing a massive budget makes Facebook far more accessible and scalable than Google. You can test new creatives, angles, and audiences without spending thousands each month, which is important for local markets where every dollar counts.

Yes, Facebook has its drawbacks, but most of them are easy to fix with the right creative rotation and a strong follow up system.

Google, on the other hand, becomes expensive quickly. In competitive cities, cost per lead can climb fast, and if you are not answering the phone immediately or your sales process is not airtight, you'll end up losing leads to competitors.

This is why Facebook tends to be the better option for water filtration companies. You can reach more homeowners, test more messaging, retarget interested buyers, and build demand even when people are not actively searching for a system yet.

Google is great for capturing demand. Facebook is better at creating it.

That combination is what makes Facebook the best for marketing water filtration companies.