How I generated solar + roof leads at 63% lower cost than industry average
Highlights
Videos
Images
The problem
To this end, we built an owned lead pipeline to consistently drive qualified prospects. Starting with Meta Ads and ending with booked solar + roof consultations.
What I developed
I built a full-funnel Meta to CRM pipeline that qualifies early and triggers immediate follow-up, so leads consistently move from form fill to booked appointment.
Choosing the medium
To reach our target audience of CA homeowners the fastest, paid advertising was a must. Organic marketing (social, SEO, etc.) would take too long to work, so I considered Meta Ads and Google Ads.
Ultimately, I decided on Meta because it made sense for our $40/day, 4-week budget. Also, creative production is one of my specialties, and I'm experienced with the Ads Manager platform.
Developing the assets
These were the three angles we settled on after researching the competition:
Video creative
Image creative
Setting up automations
Inside GoHighLevel, I built automations that would immediately send an SMS to leads letting them know we had received their request.
I also created an automated tagging system to track lead source and buyer journey stage. This included notifications to myself and the sales team, to ensure that leads were contacted in a timely manner.
GHL screenshot
Down-funnel impact
Apart from producing 23 leads, the system produced measurable movement through the funnel after lead capture.
Results held not only at the top of funnel, but also into sales contact outcomes. Indicating lead qualitywas not being sacrificed for volume.
Mid-campaign improvements
Throughout this campaign, I regularly optimized these key aspects to improve results:
Ad Creatives: Once every other week, I developed new creatives to replace the losers. This meant variations of the 3 angles with new creatives. For example, the "Up to $2k back" angle had multiple variations.
Forms: Based on sales team feedback, I tweaked forms to balance lead flow with quality. Low intent or bad credit? Increase friction (more and/or better written questions). Slow leads? Decrease friction (less questions and/or make the form easier).
Key takeaways
The “solar + roof without the loan” angle performed best overall. We also found that strong static images can outperform video when the angle is clear and compelling.
Finally, lead quality improved when the funnel clearly communicated the next steps, so prospects knew exactly what would happen after they opted in.
What I'd do differently
There are some strategy shifts I would consider if I had to redo this campaign.
First, Instant Forms had room for optimization. For example, adding more questions could weed out unqualified leads while not increasing CPL significantly.
Also, building trust through well-optimized social media profiles. The business profiles could improve through consistent branding and more before/after content.
And finally, a stronger lead magnet to drive conversions. We offered a free quote, but it's overused. A tangible item like a "Free Energy Report" could improve conversions.
Tech stack
Sources
More Case Studies
HVAC leads at $59 CPL: Here's how I built the campaign
30 leads in 4 weeks from $1,767.15 in Meta spend.
Roofing leads at $76 CPL: What a full campaign actually looks like
Built from scratch for a local contractor.
Working on a similar challenge? Let's talk.
If you want to see more work samples, discuss a role, or ask any questions, feel free to reach out.