What’s the difference between paid search and paid social campaigns?

Last Updated

October 28, 2025

Paid Search vs Paid Social Campaign Strategy

Paid search targets users actively searching for products or services through intent-driven advertising while paid social targets users based on interests, demographics, and behaviours during earlier buying journey stages, with integrated approach providing full-funnel marketing impact and comprehensive audience reach.

Campaign integration includes search intent capture, social awareness building, and strategic coordination that maximises advertising effectiveness while supporting complete customer journey and business objectives through comprehensive paid marketing excellence.

Paid Search and Intent-Driven Advertising

Paid search includes Google Ads targeting, search intent capture, and high-conversion advertising that reaches users actively seeking products or services while providing immediate response and qualified traffic generation through intent-based targeting.

Paid Social and Audience Engagement

Paid social includes Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn advertising that targets users based on interests and demographics while building brand awareness and nurturing leads through earlier buying journey stages and strategic audience development.

Social targeting includes demographic segmentation, interest-based advertising, and behavioural targeting that reaches users before active search while supporting brand awareness and lead nurturing through strategic social media advertising.

Campaign Strategy Differences
  • Paid search focus: Intent-driven advertising and demand capture for high-conversion traffic
  • Paid social focus: Interest-based targeting and awareness building for lead nurturing
  • Buying journey stages: Search captures demand while social builds awareness and nurtures leads
  • Targeting methods: Search uses keywords while social uses demographics and interests
  • Full-funnel impact: Integrated approach for comprehensive customer journey coverage

Search Intent Capture and Demand Fulfillment

Search advertising includes keyword targeting, intent capture, and demand fulfillment that reaches users actively seeking solutions while providing immediate response and high-conversion potential through strategic search marketing.

Demand capture includes search query targeting, intent analysis, and strategic positioning that ensures advertising reaches users ready to purchase while maximising conversion potential and business results through search excellence.

Social Awareness Building and Lead Nurturing

Social advertising includes awareness campaigns, interest targeting, and lead nurturing that reaches users earlier in buying journey while building brand recognition and supporting customer development through strategic social engagement.

Lead nurturing includes social engagement, content promotion, and relationship building that supports customer development while maintaining brand visibility and supporting conversion preparation through social media excellence.

Demographic and Behavioural Targeting

Social targeting includes demographic analysis, behavioural segmentation, and interest-based advertising that reaches specific audiences while supporting brand awareness and strategic customer development through sophisticated social targeting.

Behavioural targeting includes user analysis, preference identification, and strategic audience development that enables precise social advertising while supporting brand objectives and customer acquisition through advanced targeting capabilities.

Full-Funnel Marketing Integration

Integrated approach includes search and social coordination, complete customer journey coverage, and strategic campaign alignment that maximises advertising effectiveness while supporting business objectives through comprehensive paid marketing.

Full-funnel impact includes awareness building, demand capture, and conversion optimisation that creates comprehensive marketing approach while ensuring maximum advertising effectiveness and business results through strategic campaign integration.

Ready to leverage integrated paid search and social strategy for comprehensive customer journey coverage and maximum advertising effectiveness? We recommend combined approach that captures search demand while building social awareness, ensuring full-funnel marketing impact that supports business objectives through strategic paid advertising coordination and comprehensive audience reach for sustained business growth and competitive advantage.

Similar FAQs

What is paid marketing and how does it work?
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Paid marketing refers to any digital advertising where you pay to promote your business, products, or services. This includes ads on Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and more. You set a budget, choose your audience, and your ads are shown to people who fit your criteria. The goal is to drive traffic, generate leads, or make sales.

At Pacing.Agency, we handle everything from strategy to creative to ongoing optimisation, so your ad spend works harder and delivers measurable results.

How do I know if paid marketing is right for my business?
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Paid marketing is suitable for most businesses looking to grow their audience, generate leads, or increase sales. If you want fast, measurable results and the ability to target specific audiences, paid marketing is a great fit. We’ll help you assess your goals, budget, and current marketing efforts to determine the best approach for your business.

What platforms do you use for paid marketing campaigns?
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We run paid marketing campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more. The right platform depends on your audience and goals. We’ll recommend the best mix for your business and manage campaigns across all relevant channels.

How much should I budget for paid marketing?
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Budgets for paid marketing vary based on your goals, industry, and competition. We work with clients of all sizes and can recommend a starting budget that fits your needs. The key is to start with a budget you’re comfortable with, then scale as you see results. We’ll help you maximize your return on every pound spent.

How do you measure the success of a paid marketing campaign?
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Success is measured using key performance indicators (KPIs) like cost per acquisition (CPA), click-through rate (CTR), return on ad spend (ROAS), and overall conversions. We set clear goals at the start, track every metric, and provide transparent reporting. Our focus is always on delivering measurable business outcomes, not just vanity metrics.

What’s your approach to optimizing paid campaigns for better results?
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Optimisation is ongoing. We constantly test ad copy, creative, targeting, and bidding strategies. Using A/B testing and real-time analytics, we refine campaigns to improve performance. We also monitor audience segments, adjust budgets, and scale what works. Our goal is to maximize your ROI and ROAS and keep your campaigns ahead of the curve.

What are the key stages of a successful marketing funnel?
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A successful marketing funnel typically includes: Awareness (attracting new prospects), Interest (engaging them with valuable content), Consideration (nurturing leads with targeted messaging), Conversion (turning leads into customers), and Retention (keeping customers engaged for repeat business). We map and optimise each stage to ensure a seamless journey for your audience.
What is ad platform integration and why does it matter?
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Ad platform integration means connecting your website and CRM with platforms like Google Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn. This allows for accurate conversion tracking, retargeting, and audience building. It’s essential for maximising the effectiveness of your paid campaigns.
What makes Google Ads different from other advertising platforms?
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Google Ads reaches users at the exact moment they're searching for your products or services, making it incredibly effective for capturing high-intent traffic.

Key advantages over other platforms:

  • Intent-based targeting vs interest-based advertising
  • Immediate visibility in search results and Google network
  • Advanced audience insights and remarketing capabilities
  • Multiple ad formats across Search, Display, YouTube, and Shopping
  • Comprehensive conversion tracking and attribution
  • Integration with Google's ecosystem for seamless data flow

Our paid marketing service leverages these advantages to create campaigns that convert at higher rates than traditional advertising methods while providing measurable ROI and business growth.

How does LinkedIn advertising differ from other social media platforms?
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LinkedIn transforms B2B marketing by providing direct access to decision-makers and professionals in a business-focused environment where they're actively seeking solutions and networking opportunities.

Key advantages for B2B marketing include:

  • Precise targeting by job title, company size, and industry
  • Higher-quality lead generation with professional context
  • Thought leadership opportunities through content publishing
  • Direct messaging capabilities to key decision-makers
  • Advanced analytics for campaign optimisation and ROI tracking
  • Professional networking that builds long-term business relationships

Our content and SEO service includes LinkedIn content strategy to establish your expertise and generate qualified leads through professional networking.

How do Meta advertising platforms differ from Google Ads?
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Meta advertising focuses on interest-based and demographic targeting across social platforms, while Google Ads targets intent-based searches, creating complementary approaches for comprehensive marketing strategies.

Key differences include:

  • Social discovery vs search intent targeting
  • Visual and video-first creative formats vs text-based ads
  • Interest and behaviour targeting vs keyword targeting
  • Brand awareness and engagement focus vs direct response
  • Younger demographics vs broader age ranges
  • Social proof through likes, shares, and comments

Our paid marketing service combines Meta and Google Ads for comprehensive audience coverage and optimal campaign performance.

How much should I budget for Google Ads campaigns?
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Start with what you can afford to lose while testing, typically £500-£1,500 monthly for small businesses. Allow 2-3 months for optimization before scaling based on performance and customer lifetime value.

How do Google's marketing tools work together for better results?
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Google's integrated marketing platform allows data and insights to flow seamlessly between tools, creating a comprehensive view of customer behaviour and campaign performance.

Key integrations include:

  • Google Ads and Analytics for conversion tracking and audience insights
  • Search Console and Analytics for organic search optimisation
  • Tag Manager connecting all tracking and measurement tools
  • YouTube and Google Ads for video advertising campaigns
  • Google Business Profile and Search for local marketing
  • Looker Studio for unified reporting across all Google platforms

Our technical tracking service ensures all Google tools work together seamlessly for comprehensive marketing measurement and optimisation.

What types of businesses benefit most from LinkedIn marketing?
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B2B companies, professional services, and businesses targeting corporate decision-makers see the best LinkedIn results, particularly in consulting, technology, finance, and healthcare sectors.

What are the most effective Meta ad formats for different business goals?
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Meta offers diverse ad formats optimised for different objectives, from brand awareness to direct sales, each designed to leverage the unique characteristics of social media engagement.

Effective ad formats by goal:

  • Video ads for brand awareness and storytelling
  • Carousel ads for showcasing multiple products or features
  • Collection ads for e-commerce and product discovery
  • Lead generation ads for capturing contact information
  • Dynamic ads for remarketing and personalised recommendations
  • Stories ads for mobile-first, immersive experiences

Our funnel management service includes Meta ad format selection and creative optimisation to maximise engagement and conversions for your specific business objectives.

What targeting options does Google Ads provide?
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Google Ads offers sophisticated targeting beyond simple keywords, including demographic, geographic, device, audience, and remarketing options that help you reach exactly the right customers at optimal moments.

How do you create effective LinkedIn ad campaigns for lead generation?
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LinkedIn lead generation campaigns combine precise professional targeting with compelling business value propositions that address real challenges facing your target audience.

Our funnel management service includes LinkedIn campaign setup and optimisation for maximum B2B conversion rates.

How do you create effective Meta advertising campaigns for e-commerce?
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Effective Meta e-commerce campaigns combine product catalog integration, dynamic remarketing, and conversion optimisation to drive sales across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. Our technical tracking service ensures proper Meta pixel implementation while our paid marketing service optimises campaigns for maximum e-commerce ROI.

How do I track conversions and measure ROI in Google Ads?
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Proper conversion tracking is essential for measuring Google Ads success and requires comprehensive setup including pixels, GA4 integration, enhanced conversions, and offline conversion imports.

Our technical tracking service ensures accurate data collection for optimization.

What are the best practices for LinkedIn content marketing?
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LinkedIn content marketing requires a professional, value-driven approach that positions your business as a thought leader while providing genuine insights to your network.

What impact do iOS updates have on Meta advertising and how do you adapt?
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iOS privacy updates significantly impact Meta advertising through reduced tracking capabilities, requiring strategic adaptations in campaign setup, measurement, and optimisation approaches. Our technical tracking service includes iOS-compliant Meta implementation and measurement setup to maintain campaign effectiveness despite privacy changes.

What are Performance Max campaigns and should I use them?
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Performance Max campaigns use machine learning to automatically optimize across all Google properties. They work best with clear conversion goals, sufficient historical data, and high-quality creative assets.

How does LinkedIn pricing work and what should you budget?
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LinkedIn advertising costs more than other platforms but delivers higher-quality leads, with typical costs ranging from £2-8+ per click and £15-50+ per qualified lead.

How does SEMrush help with PPC campaign optimization?
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SEMrush provides comprehensive PPC tools that help optimize ad campaigns through competitor analysis, keyword research, and ad copy insights across Google Ads and other platforms.

PPC optimization features include:

  • Competitor ad analysis and copy inspiration
  • Keyword research specifically for paid campaigns
  • Ad spend estimation and budget planning
  • Landing page analysis and optimization recommendations
  • Negative keyword suggestions to reduce wasted spend
  • PPC keyword grouping and campaign structure guidance

We combine SEMrush PPC insights with Google Ads management as part of our paid marketing service for comprehensive campaign optimization.

How do you measure ROI and attribution from Meta advertising campaigns?
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Meta ROI measurement requires multi-touch attribution approaches that account for the platform's role in the customer journey, from awareness to conversion across different touchpoints. We create comprehensive attribution dashboards using Looker Studio that combine Meta data with other channels as part of our ongoing management service.

How long does it take to see results from Google Ads?
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You'll see traffic immediately, but meaningful optimization typically takes 2-3 months. Week 1-2 focuses on data collection, Month 1 on basic optimization, and Months 2-3 on refined targeting for consistent performance.

How do you measure ROI across all Google marketing channels?
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Measuring ROI across Google's marketing ecosystem requires proper attribution setup and unified reporting that tracks customer journeys across search, display, video, and organic channels. Our ongoing management service includes comprehensive ROI tracking and reporting across all your Google marketing investments.

How do you measure ROI from LinkedIn marketing campaigns?
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LinkedIn ROI focuses on lead quality and customer lifetime value rather than volume metrics, reflecting the platform's B2B focus and professional audience engagement patterns.

What are the best practices for Meta creative and content strategy?
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Meta creative success depends on native, engaging content that feels authentic to the social media experience while effectively communicating your brand message and value proposition. Our content creation service includes Meta-optimised creative development and A/B testing to maximise engagement and conversion rates across all campaign objectives.

What's the difference between Google Ads and Google Shopping campaigns?
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Google Shopping campaigns showcase products with images and prices directly in search results, requiring Google Merchant Center and product feeds rather than keyword targeting.

They typically deliver higher conversion rates for e-commerce businesses compared to standard text ads.

What are the common mistakes to avoid in LinkedIn advertising?
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Successful LinkedIn advertising requires understanding the platform's professional context and avoiding consumer marketing tactics that feel out of place in a business environment.

How does Meta pricing work and what should you budget for advertising?
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Meta uses auction-based pricing where costs depend on competition, targeting, and campaign objectives, with flexible budgeting options suitable for businesses of all sizes. Typical cost-per-click ranges from £0.20-2.00+ depending on industry, with minimum daily budgets of £1 per ad set.

How do I optimise Google Ads campaigns for better performance?
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Google Ads optimization requires systematic testing and data analysis across keywords, ad copy, bidding strategies, landing pages, and audience targeting.

Key optimization areas include:

  • Keyword performance analysis and negative keyword additions
  • Ad copy testing and creative optimization
  • Bid strategy adjustments based on conversion data
  • Landing page optimization for better Quality Scores
  • Audience refinement and remarketing list optimization
  • Geographic and demographic performance analysis

We use comprehensive reporting and combine insights with content optimization to ensure your ads drive traffic to pages that convert effectively.

How do you stay compliant with Google's advertising policies?
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Google Ads policy compliance is essential for maintaining account health and avoiding disapprovals, suspensions, or bans that can severely impact your advertising efforts. Our paid marketing service includes ongoing policy compliance monitoring and account management to keep your Google Ads campaigns running smoothly and effectively.

How do you integrate LinkedIn with other marketing tools and CRM systems?
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LinkedIn integrates seamlessly with CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and sales tools to create comprehensive B2B workflows that connect professional networking with business outcomes.

Integration capabilities include:

  • CRM synchronisation for lead management and sales follow-up
  • Marketing automation platforms for nurturing LinkedIn leads
  • Analytics tools for cross-channel attribution and reporting
  • Sales Navigator for advanced prospecting and relationship building
  • Email marketing platforms for multi-touch campaigns
  • Zapier automation for workflow optimisation

We implement these integrations using Zapier automation and custom solutions as part of our technical infrastructure service for streamlined B2B marketing operations.

How do you integrate Meta advertising with other marketing channels?
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Meta integration creates cohesive marketing experiences that leverage social media's strengths while supporting and amplifying other marketing channels for comprehensive customer engagement. We implement these integrations using Zapier automation and comprehensive tracking setup as part of our technical infrastructure service for unified marketing operations.

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