How to get solar leads that turn into signed contracts
Solar is a considered purchase with a long sales cycle. The lead source matters less than whether the homeowner was genuinely interested when they gave you their number.
Solar installers can buy leads from dozens of companies. Many of them sell the same homeowner several times, and some leads come from people who barely remember filling in a form. That is why installers who generate their own leads usually close a much higher share of them.
Here is how to get solar leads that turn into site visits and signed contracts.
Know what a good solar lead looks like
Before choosing channels, define the lead you want:
- Owns the home, or is the decision maker.
- Has a roof that can take panels, or is open to ground mounting.
- Has electricity bills high enough for solar to make sense.
- Plans to act within the next few months.
Every channel below should be set up to find these people and filter out the rest.
Google Search: people already looking
Searches such as "solar panel installation near me" or "solar installers in [city]" come from homeowners who are already researching. Keyword tools estimate US searches for "solar panel installation" at between about 50,000 and 135,000 a month depending on the season.
Search leads are more expensive per lead than social leads and usually close better. Use separate campaigns for residential solar, batteries and commercial work, and exclude searches for jobs, free panels and DIY kits.
Meta ads: interest before the search
Most homeowners do not wake up and search for solar. They see a neighbor's panels, get a high bill or read about batteries. Facebook and Instagram ads can reach them at that point.
The risk is volume without intent. Use higher-intent forms, ask whether they own the home, and send leads straight to your team so someone calls within minutes. Facebook ads for solar installers covers the setup.
Referrals: the best solar lead there is
A neighbor who shows their app and their bill is more persuasive than any ad. Offer a clear referral reward, ask at installation and again when the first bill arrives, and make sharing easy with a link or a card. Check local rules on referral payments before you launch.
Your own website and content
Homeowners research solar for weeks. Pages that answer local questions honestly, such as typical system sizes in your area, how net metering works with your utility and what installation involves, build trust and capture searches that ads miss.
Illustrative example
These numbers are invented to show the comparison.
An installer buys 100 shared leads at $40 each, spending $4,000. They reach 45 of them, book 12 site visits and sign 2 contracts: $2,000 per sale. From their own search and Meta ads, they spend $4,000 for 40 leads, reach 34, book 14 visits and sign 5: $800 per sale.
Qualify before the site visit
Site visits are expensive. A short call before booking one saves a lot of time. Confirm homeownership, check the roof and shading on satellite imagery, ask for a recent bill and ask about timing. Leads that do not fit now can go into a follow-up sequence.
Where to start
Start with search if you need sales soon, and add Meta once your follow-up process can handle the volume. Measure every lead through to signed contract.
Our solar lead generation service builds this for installers, with exclusive leads and qualifying built in. If you would like us to review your current lead sources first, request a free audit.
Questions owners ask
How do solar companies get leads?
Most use a mix of Google Search ads, Meta ads, referrals and bought leads. Installers who rely less on bought leads usually see higher close rates.
Why do bought solar leads close so poorly?
Many are sold to several installers, and some come from incentive-driven forms where the homeowner had little real interest. You compete on speed and price from the first call.
What is a qualified solar lead?
A homeowner with a suitable roof, bills high enough to benefit, and a realistic timeline. The exact criteria depend on your market and your offer.
Want us to look at your own numbers?
Get a free lead generation audit. We will review your ads, landing pages and tracking, and show you where enquiries are slipping away. If nothing is broken, we will tell you that too.
LeadWise MarketingAn owner-operated lead generation agency based in Cape Town, South Africa, working with service businesses across the United States and Europe. More about LeadWise.
