If you’ve ever run online ads or thought about hiring a PPC agency, you’ve probably asked yourself: “Should I go with Google Ads or Facebook Ads?” Both platforms are powerhouses in digital advertising, but they serve different purposes. So, let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense.
What Are Google Ads and Facebook Ads?
Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform that displays ads in Google search results, YouTube, and other partner websites. Facebook Ads (also known as Meta Ads), on the other hand, is all about showing ads to users while they scroll through their feeds, watch stories, or browse Instagram. When you use Meta Ads, you will not be paying for a click or your ads, you will be paying per thousands impressions (CPM). An impressions being a view on your ad. So you will pay per people viewing your ads, where you pay per click on Google Ads.
The main difference? Google Ads helps you capture demand, people searching for something, while Facebook Ads help you create demand, getting people interested in something they didn’t even know they needed.
To make it simple, picture your ads being shown to people who don’t necessarily know about your products or services on Meta Ads, and picture your ads being shown to people with their credit card in their hands, actively looking for your services or products on Google Ads.
Audience Targeting: Keywords vs. Interests
Google Ads and Facebook Ads take very different approaches to targeting:
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Google Ads: Targets users based on search intent. This means showing ads when someone searches for a specific keyword like “Google Ads agency Miami.” That being said, some Google Ads campaign types don’t value search keywords as much, it is the case for Performance Max campaigns that value Audience Signals more.
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Facebook Ads: Targets users based on interests, demographics, and behavior. For example, if someone likes fitness pages, they might see ads for gym memberships.
Cost Differences: CPC vs. CPM
Google Ads operates mostly on a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) basis, meaning you pay when someone clicks, except for LSA ads which model is CPL – Cost Per Leads.
Facebook Ads lean more toward Cost-Per-Mille (CPM), which charges you per 1,000 impressions. Remember an impression is a view on your ad.
Cost Comparison Table Example
| Ad Platform | Average CPC | Average CPM |
| Google Ads | $1 – $2 | $10 – $20 |
| Facebook Ads | $0.50 – $1 | $5 – $7 |
While Facebook Ads might seem cheaper, it doesn’t always mean better results. The cost depends on your industry and audience, your business model, your strategy and most importantly your objectives.
Ad Formats: A Visual Breakdown
Google Ads offers:
- Search ads (text-based, appear on Google searches)
- Display ads (image-based, appear on websites)
- Video ads (YouTube, in-stream ads)
Facebook Ads include:
- Image and video ads
- Carousel ads (multiple images/videos)
- Story ads (on Facebook and Instagram)
Intent vs. Discovery: What’s Better for Your Business?
- Google Ads: People are actively searching for a solution, making it ideal for high-intent searches.
- Facebook Ads: Users are passively discovering new products, making it great for brand awareness and impulse buys.
The path you decide to take depends on a variety of factors. Service based business might tend to rely more on Google Ads as it allows them to showcase their services and offerings to “qualified” or “warm” audience actively looking for it. Google Ads is also a good option if you are tyring to target people locally.
You must have seen an ad for a fitness product or a clothing brand on Meta Ads. Many advertisers want to present their products to a very large audience, regardless of their relationship with the brand or needs. The idea is to create a need, a desire, to make the “cold” audience take action, by buying the products for example. Here is a great guide to help you create effective Meta Ads.
Keep in mind that both platforms can be a good fit wether you are a service or a product based business. As a matter of fact herr at TheAdsgency we manage Google Ads campaigns for both restaurants and other local service based businesses and e-commerce store, product based businesses.
Which One Works Better for Local Businesses?
If you’re running a local PPC agency or looking for Google Ads consulting, here’s the deal:
- Google Ads is great for capturing people searching for services (e.g., “barber near me”).
- Facebook Ads is better for building awareness, maybe within a specific location (e.g., targeting users near your store).
Conversion Tracking and Analytics
Both platforms offer great tracking tools:
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Google Ads: Google Analytics, conversion tracking, attribution modeling. Google ads has recently annouced modifying its attribution model for Demand Gen campaign type, aligning with the industry practices, similar to what Meta is doing.
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Facebook Ads: Facebook Pixel, Meta Events Manager.
If you want data-driven results, Google Ads typically provides better insights. If you want to centralize all your data in one place, you might want to have a look at Google Tag Manager, which allows you to collect all your data and redistribute it to your measurement platforms, like Google Analytics for example. Read these articles: GTM for Google Ads, GTM for Meta Ads.
Budget and ROI Considerations
Which one gives better ROI? It depends:
- Google Ads: Higher purchase intent, usually better for direct sales.
- Facebook Ads: Cheaper impressions, better for brand awareness.
A business could be very profitable on one platform and not on the other. The idea is to have a proper strategy; what are you trying to achieve with your ads? How do you usually make business? What is the purchase/conversion process for you business? How long does it take you to close a client? How much money are you able to allocate to your ads monthly? Answering all these questions, in addition to the information provided in this article should help you make an informed decision on which platform to favor.
Scalability: Can You Scale Your Ads?
Both platforms allow you to scale. Some would say that Google Ads has the upper hand because of intent-driven searches. But it is not really true. Scaling Facebook Ads is possible and widely used by products based business to increase their sales and revenue. Don’t think it’s black or white. Scaling means increase your revenue and your spend, if your are seeing great results on Meta Ads, there is no reason for you to look away and start investing on Goole Ads. You should be focusing on what is working for you and bringing you results.
The Strength of Meta is in the amount of users that are avaible for you, through both Meta and Instagram.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring audience targeting settings.
- Running ads without conversion tracking.
- Using the same strategy for both platforms.
- Copy/paste a strategy found online just because it works for a given business.
- Split your budget too thin to use both platforms – if you have a small budget, you are better off using all of it on one platform to maximize results.
- Not optimizing and reviewing your ads over time.
- Use low quality creatives.
- Neglect your ad copy.
Best Practices for Using Both Platforms
Why not use both Google Ads and Facebook Ads? A good example of a strategy is:
- Use Facebook Ads to generate brand awareness and generate sales.
- Use Google Ads to convert high-intent users.
- Retarget users with Facebook Ads after they visit your site.
- You can also use Google Ads remarketing as a complement.
Conclusion
Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads have their strengths, and the best choice depends on your goals. If you’re looking for high-intent leads, Google Ads is your go-to. If you want to build awareness and target new audiences, retarget your customers or test out a product, Facebook Ads is a great tool. Or, use both and get the best of both worlds!
FAQ – Differences Between Google Ads and Facebook Ads
Which is better for eCommerce, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
Both work, but Facebook Ads are great for impulse buys, while Google Ads work well for people actively searching for a product.
Can I use both Google Ads and Facebook Ads at the same time?
Yes! Many businesses use both for a well-rounded strategy. Be mindful of a split strategy if you have a small budget, you risk spreading your budget too thin to see relevant results.
Which one is better for service-based businesses?
We would recommend Google Ads, since people actively search for services.
Is Facebook Ads cheaper than Google Ads?
Not necessarily. It might look cheaper in general as you are paying a CPM, but cost alone doesn’t determine success.
What’s better for lead generation?
Google Ads usually perform better for lead generation, especially in high-ticket industries.
Do I need a PPC agency to manage my ads?
If you’re new, a PPC agency or Google Ads consulting agency can help you avoid costly mistakes.