Google Ads or Facebook and Instagram ads: which to choose for your business

Google and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) are the two biggest ad channels, but they work at opposite ends of the buying journey. The difference isn’t which one is “better”, but where your customer is when you want to reach them.

Google: people who are already searching

On Google, people type exactly what they need: “plumber near me”, “wedding photographer price”, “women’s running shoes”. The intent is clear and the demand already exists. Your ad appears at the moment someone is ready to choose a provider.

That’s why Google Ads are usually the first choice when:

• people search for your service or product with clear terms,
• you need enquiries or calls, not awareness,
• you’re a local provider and want to be visible nearby,
• you run an online store with products people search for by name or type.

The downside is that Google doesn’t create demand that isn’t there. If nobody knows about a new kind of product yet, nobody will search for it.

Budget

Example

Budget€600

• Inquiries
• Google 50%21
• Meta 35%15
• ChatGPT 15%6

Facebook and Instagram: people who are scrolling

On Facebook and Instagram, people aren’t searching, they’re scrolling. An ad has to catch attention between posts from friends and other profiles. In return, you can reach people before they know they need you, and target them by interests, age, location or by the fact that they already visited your site.

Meta is usually the better choice when:

• your product is visual (food, fashion, events, real estate),
• you sell something new that people don’t search for yet,
• you want to reach visitors who didn’t buy,
• you have an online store and want catalogue ads with products people already viewed.

On Meta, the creative, meaning the image or short video, matters more than on Google. The same budget can bring very different results depending on how good the ad is.

When to run both

For many businesses the two channels work best together. Facebook and Instagram make sure people get to know you and remember you, and Google catches those who are ready to buy and search for you. Remarketing on Meta then brings back visitors who didn’t buy the first time.

If the budget is limited, it’s better to start with one channel and run it well than to spread too little money across two. For services with clear search demand we start with Google, for visual products and events with Meta.

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How to decide in three steps

1. Check whether people search for what you offer. If you type a term into Google and see competitors’ ads, the demand exists.
2. Consider whether your product is easier to show or to describe. What looks good works on Instagram.
3. Set the goal: immediate enquiries point to Google, awareness and product sales to Meta.

Details on both channels are on the Google Ads and Facebook and Instagram ads pages. Prices are collected on the Advertising page.

FAQ

Is Instagram included in Facebook ads?

Yes. The ads are run in the same tool, Meta Ads Manager, and can be shown on Facebook, Instagram or both.

Which channel is cheaper?

A click on Meta is often cheaper than on Google, but the visitors are less ready to buy. The cost of one enquiry or purchase matters more than the cost of a click.

Do I need a website to advertise?

For Google, practically yes, since the ad leads to a page. On Meta you can use a lead form inside the app, but a good website almost always improves results.

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