Facebook Ads Vs Google Ads: Which is Better For My Business?

One of the most common questions we receive from business owners is: Which is better for my business Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

The answer isn’t straightforward—it depends on your business goals, target audience, and budget. Both platforms are highly effective, but they serve different purposes. In this article, we’ll dive into the key differences between Google Ads and Facebook Ads, exploring the strengths of each to help you determine which one can deliver the best results for your business.

What Are Google Ads?

Formerly known as Google AdWords, Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that allows businesses to advertise on Google’s search engine and its partner sites. Google Ads is known for its ability to target users based on intent—when users search for specific keywords, your ads are shown based on their query.

How Does Google Ads Work?

Google Ads operates on an auction system, where advertisers bid on specific keywords. If you win the auction, your ad appears on the search engine results page (SERP). Factors such as your Quality Score (which measures the relevance and quality of your ads) and bid amount determine your position in the search results.

Why Use Google Ads?

1. Massive Reach and Intent
   Google handles over 2 trillion searches per year, making it one of the most powerful platforms for reaching a large audience. But more importantly, Google Ads targets users who are actively searching for information or solutions, meaning your ads reach people with high intent. For businesses offering services or products that solve a problem, Google Ads is a powerful tool to capture users at the moment of need. According to Statista, Google is the leading search engine with over 92% of the global search engine market share. This level of reach is invaluable for advertisers looking to capture the attention of users who are actively searching for a solution to their problems.
2. Flexibility and Customisation
   Google Ads allows businesses of all sizes to create flexible campaigns that fit their budget. Whether you’re a small local business or a large enterprise, you can optimise your campaign based on budget, location, and keywords to ensure your ads are seen by the right people. Neil Patel, a renowned digital marketing expert, emphasises that with Google Ads, businesses can achieve a strong return on investment (ROI) when the campaigns are well-optimised for the correct keywords and target audience.
3. Effective for Lead Generation and Sales
   Google Ads is particularly effective for businesses that want to generate immediate sales or leads. Whether you’re offering products or services, Google Ads can drive users to take action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a consultation, or filling out a lead form. A case study published by WordStream highlights a small business that increased its sales by 30% through highly targeted Google Ads campaigns, demonstrating the effectiveness of paid search ads for direct sales.

What Are Facebook Ads?

Facebook Ads is one of the most popular advertising platforms for businesses. It allows advertisers to target users based on demographics, interests, and behaviours. Given Facebook’s massive user base of over 2.8 billion active users, Facebook Ads can help businesses build brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate engagement.

How Does Facebook Ads Work?

Facebook Ads uses highly detailed targeting options, allowing you to create specific audiences based on factors like age, gender, location, and interests. The platform offers various ad formats, including video ads, carousel ads, and lead generation forms, which makes it versatile for different business objectives.

Why Use Facebook Ads?

1. Targeting Precision
   Facebook’s targeting options allow you to reach highly specific audiences, making it perfect for brand awareness and engagement. For example, if you run a fitness brand, you can target users who have expressed interest in health, fitness, or wellness. According to HubSpot, Facebook’s targeting options allow businesses to reach an audience of over 2.8 billion active users, making it one of the most potent platforms for reaching potential customers based on specific interests, behaviours, and demographics.
2. Cost-Effective Advertising
   Facebook Ads are often seen as a more affordable option compared to other forms of online advertising. For as little as $5, businesses can reach over 1,000 people. For businesses on a tight budget, this makes Facebook Ads an attractive option for increasing visibility without a huge financial commitment. WordStream reports that Facebook Ads’ cost-per-click (CPC) is typically lower than Google Ads, which makes it a great option for small businesses with limited marketing budgets.
3. Ideal for Building Engagement
   Facebook is a social platform where users are encouraged to interact with content. If your goal is to build community, increase engagement, or promote content, Facebook Ads are an excellent choice. The platform’s ad formats—such as carousel ads or lead ads—encourage users to engage with your brand on a deeper level. A case study from Sprout Social illustrates how a fashion brand used Facebook Ads to engage its followers, resulting in a 25% increase in user interactions and significantly boosting brand awareness.

Choosing Between Google Ads and Facebook Ads

So, which platform is best for your business—Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

The answer depends on your business goals, target audience, and advertising strategy.

• If your goal is to generate direct sales, consultations, or leads, Google Ads is your best bet. It’s highly effective for targeting users with high purchase intent.
• If you want to build brand awareness, engage with your audience, or drive traffic to your website, Facebook Ads excels. It’s perfect for building a community around your brand and driving interactions.
• If you run an e-commerce store or Amazon shop, Google Ads is a great platform to help increase sales through highly targeted search ads.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Platform

• Identify Your Audience: Are they actively searching for a solution to their problem (Google) or discovering new products through social interactions (Facebook)?
• Define Your Goals: Do you want to generate immediate results or build long-term engagement?
• Understand Your Budget: Google Ads can be more expensive, especially in competitive industries. Facebook Ads can be a more cost-effective way to reach a broad audience.

Additional Considerations: Google Ads vs Facebook Ads

While Google Ads and Facebook Ads are both powerful advertising platforms, there are several other factors to consider when choosing which one is right for your business. Here are some additional points to help you make a more informed decision:

1. Remarketing: Re-engage Your Audience

Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer remarketing (also known as retargeting) to help you re-engage users who have interacted with your business before. Remarketing is an essential tool for increasing conversion rates, especially when targeting visitors who didn’t convert the first time.

• Google Ads: Remarketing with Google Ads allows you to target people who have previously visited your website or engaged with your content. This is ideal for bringing back users who may have shown interest but didn’t convert initially.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook Ads also offers powerful remarketing capabilities. You can retarget users who have interacted with your Facebook page, engaged with your content, or visited your website. Facebook’s detailed targeting options, combined with remarketing, allow you to show tailored ads to users at various stages of the buyer’s journey.

2. Ad Formats: Which Platform Offers More Creative Flexibility?

Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads provide a range of ad formats, but they approach advertising in different ways. Depending on your business objectives, one platform may offer more creative flexibility than the other.

• Google Ads: Google Ads primarily offers text-based ads that appear on the search engine results page (SERP). There are also shopping ads, display ads, and video ads on YouTube. Google Ads is ideal for businesses that need to drive direct action from users who are actively searching for products or services.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook offers a wider variety of ad formats, including carousel ads, video ads, lead generation ads, and stories ads. These options are particularly useful for businesses aiming to engage their audience in a creative and interactive way, ideal for building brand awareness and encouraging user engagement.

3. Mobile Advertising: Optimising for Mobile Devices

With mobile usage on the rise, it’s essential to consider how both platforms perform on mobile devices. Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads have strong mobile advertising capabilities, but they differ in how they optimise ads for mobile audiences.

• Google Ads: Google Ads is highly effective for mobile search ads that appear at the top of search results on smartphones. Mobile-friendly ads ensure businesses can capture attention when users are on the go and actively searching.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook’s mobile-first design makes it a great platform for mobile ads. Since the majority of Facebook’s users access the platform via smartphones, ads are optimised for mobile screens, making Facebook an excellent choice for visually rich and engaging content.

4. Ad Placement: Where Will Your Ads Appear?

Understanding where your ads will appear is crucial for determining the best platform for your business. Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer different ad placement options across multiple platforms and websites.

• Google Ads: Ads can appear on Google search results, on YouTube, and across Google’s Display Network, which includes millions of websites and apps. This provides businesses with a broad reach across various platforms.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook Ads can be placed within the Facebook News Feed, Instagram, Stories, and the Audience Network. You can also display ads on Messenger and WhatsApp. These placements provide a more social experience, helping brands engage users on multiple platforms within the Facebook ecosystem.

5. Analytics: Measuring Success with Google Ads vs Facebook Ads

Both platforms offer robust analytics tools to track the performance of your ads, but each offers different metrics and reporting capabilities that could influence your decision.

• Google Ads: Google Ads provides in-depth reporting options such as Quality Score, conversion tracking, and keyword performance. These metrics give businesses detailed insights into the effectiveness of their ads and help identify opportunities for optimisation.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook’s Ad Manager offers detailed reports on reach, engagement, and conversion rates, along with the ability to run A/B testing to optimise ads. It’s especially useful for tracking interactions and engagement metrics for businesses focused on brand building.

6. Customer Support and Resources: Getting Help When You Need It

Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads provide a wealth of resources to help businesses succeed, but their support offerings differ.

• Google Ads: Google Ads offers 24/7 customer support via chat, email, or phone. Additionally, Google provides an extensive Skill shop learning platform where users can learn more about optimising their campaigns.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook offers a comprehensive Business Help Centre and a free online learning platform, Facebook Blueprint. Businesses can access live chat support and email support for more hands-on assistance.

7. Budget Control: Managing Costs on Google Ads vs Facebook Ads

Managing your ad spend effectively is a key consideration when running paid campaigns. Both platforms provide different levels of flexibility and budget control.

• Google Ads: Google Ads allows businesses to set daily or lifetime budgets, with smart bidding strategies like Target CPA and Maximise Conversions. This makes it easier to allocate spend based on goals.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook also offers daily or lifetime budgets and allows businesses to optimise their spending with advanced targeting options. Its CPC (Cost Per Click) model is often more affordable than Google Ads, especially for businesses targeting broader audiences.

Conclusion

Ultimately, both Google Ads and Facebook Ads have their place in a well-rounded digital marketing strategy. Whether you choose Google Ads or Facebook Ads depends on your specific objectives and budget. For the best results, consider combining both platforms to target different stages of your customer journey.

Need help deciding which platform is best for your business? Reach out to us at Perth Digital Edge today to optimise your digital marketing strategy and boost your business!