How do Meta advertising platforms differ from Google Ads?
Google Ads shows your ad to people searching for something. Meta shows it to people by audience while they scroll Facebook and Instagram. If people already search for what you sell, start with Google. Meta reaches the people who aren't looking yet.
Meta or Google Ads
The difference is what the person was doing when they saw your ad. On Google they typed a search, so they're already looking. On Meta they were scrolling, so they weren't.
Which to start with
If people search for what you sell, start with Google Ads and catch that demand. If few do, or you need to reach people before they know they need you, Meta is where to look. Health and similar services face tighter rules on Meta, so the targeting and wording need more care there.
The tracking is the same job
Both platforms learn from the conversions you send them, and both will claim some of the same sales. We send leads and sales to each from one server container and judge both against your CRM, never by adding their figures together. Pacing Numbers works out what a customer can cost on either.
The comparison is set out on the Meta tool page.
The tools in this answer
MetaReaching people who aren't searching yet, and following up the ones who left, once the website and tracking can take the visits. Conversions go in from the server.PPC
Google AdsSearch for leads, Shopping and Performance Max for online shops. Conversion goals match what the business actually counts, and real leads and sales go back to Google.PPC
Also worth asking
Other answers about the same tools.
What is paid marketing and how does it work?
Paid marketing means paying to put your business in front of people, usually through ads on Google, Meta or LinkedIn. You set a budget and an audience, and you pay per click or per thousand views. The hard part is knowing which ads bring customers.
What platforms do you use for paid marketing campaigns?
Google Ads and Meta (Facebook and Instagram), plus LinkedIn for B2B work. We use Microsoft Ads where a campaign needs it. Which ones we use depends on whether people search for what you sell.
How much should I budget for paid marketing?
Start from what a customer is worth to you and what a lead costs in your market. The budget then needs to be big enough to get meaningful conversions in a month, and small enough that you can afford to find out it isn't working.
Want a quick starting figure from your revenue and a growth goal? Try the budget planner.
What is ad platform integration and why does it matter?
Ad platform integration means joining your website, tracking and CRM to the ad platforms, so they receive the leads and sales that came from their ads. Without it, bidding learns from clicks and form fills instead of customers.
What’s the difference between paid search and paid social campaigns?
Paid search (Google Ads) shows your ad to people typing a query. Paid social (Meta, LinkedIn) shows it to people browsing. Search catches demand that's already there, and social creates interest in something new.
Still have questions?Talk to us
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