Meta Ads “Calls” and “Messages” Campaigns - Why they don’t always work and how to fix them

Oct, 07, 2025

When you run Meta (Facebook & Instagram) ads for service-based businesses — salons, clinics, local services, consultants — the ultimate goal is usually simple: get people to reach out.

No checkout, no product catalog — just a phone call, a message, or a booking request.

But if you’ve ever tried “Call Now” or “Message Us” campaigns, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating:

• Dozens of missed calls from people who hang up immediately.
  
  
• Messenger chats where the person never replies after “Hi.”
  
  

Let’s break down why this happens and how to fix it without losing potential clients.

The real reason behind “Accidental Leads”

Meta’s algorithm is extremely good at giving you what you ask for — but not necessarily what you want.

When you choose the “Calls” objective, Meta finds people most likely to click the “Call” button.
When you choose “Messages”, it finds people likely to open chats.

But neither of these goals measures intent.
So you often end up with lots of low-quality, low-intent interactions — people who tap out of curiosity or by accident.

Step 1: Add a small barrier — Lead Forms

The best way to filter serious prospects from casual scrollers is by using a Lead Form campaign (Meta’s “Leads” objective).

These ads open an instant form directly inside Facebook or Instagram, where users can leave their name, phone number, and answer one or two quick questions such as:

• “What service are you interested in?”
  ‍
• “When do you plan to start?”
  

That extra step is small enough not to kill conversions but big enough to discourage people who aren’t serious.

Pro tip: Choose the “Higher Intent” form type, which adds a short review screen before submission — it’s one of the easiest ways to improve lead quality.

Step 2: If you still want chats — Automate the first and the second messages

For businesses that rely on Messenger or WhatsApp, automation can help filter leads before you even reply.

Set up an auto-reply flow that asks qualifying questions like:

“Hi! Thanks for reaching out. Are you looking for [Option A], [Option B], or [Other]?”

Only people who answer move forward in the chat. This small interaction acts as a filter — you’ll still get messages, but mostly from people who are actually interested. The idea is to pre-filter clickers and manually interact only with users who engage twice with the chatbot.

Step 3: Optimize for Conversions on your website (if you have one)

Another option is to change the game a little by sending people to your website. Instead of optimizing for “link clicks” or “page views,” track and optimize for:

• Contact form submissions
  
  
• Click-to-call events
  
  
• Email submissions
  

You can easily set these up with the Meta Pixel or through Google Tag Manager. This helps the algorithm learn which users actually take meaningful actions, not just visit your site and bounce.

Sending people to your website adds one more step before the CTA, but it acts as a natural filter for your traffic — leaving you with fewer spam leads. Since the algorithm uses event data to optimize, it may require a slightly higher budget to start running smoothly.

Step 4: Retarget the warm leads

Even with perfect targeting, not everyone acts the first time they see your ad. That’s where retargeting comes in.

Build custom audiences of:

• People who opened your lead form but didn’t submit
  
  
• People who started a chat
  
  
• People who visited your contact page
  
  

Then show them new ads with social proof — reviews, results, or videos explaining your service. A second impression often turns curiosity into action.

Step 5: Use your copy as a filter

Your ad copy can also help reduce accidental leads.
Here’s what works:

• Be clear about the process: “Book your consultation” sounds more serious than “Call now.”
  
  
• Mention conditions: “By appointment only,” “Free consultation available,” or “Fill out a short form for a quote.”
  
  
• Avoid overly urgent CTAs like “Tap to call!” which encourage impulse clicks.
  
  

Real photos and short, straightforward text also tend to attract more qualified users than flashy stock visuals.

The ideal setup for service-based businesses

If you want both volume and quality, here’s a simple campaign structure that works across most industries:

1. Lead Form Campaign (Higher Intent) – main source of high-quality leads.
   
   
2. Messages Retargeting Campaign – follow up with people who engaged but didn’t convert. Use this campaign specifically for retargeting.
   
   
3. Conversions Campaign – send visitors to a contact form and track submissions.
   
   

This approach keeps leads flowing while allowing Meta’s system to learn which users are most valuable to your business.

Final Thoughts

“Call Now” and “Message Us” campaigns sound perfect in theory — fewer steps, faster contact. But this setup doesn’t work for every business.Adding small filters, automation, and proper tracking can make the difference between a noisy inbox and a steady flow of qualified leads ready to book your service.

If you don’t feel like dealing with targeting, optimization, and all the setup yourself — I can help you and handle everything for you.

Get in touch today!