Key facts
- Google Search ads respond to intent: the searcher has typed a need
- Meta ads (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network) target audiences by location, demographics, interests and behaviour, and lookalikes from your data
- Responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines of 30 characters and up to 4 descriptions of 90 characters
- Meta's Advantage+ sales campaigns replaced Advantage+ shopping campaigns during 2025
- Both platforms need server-side or enhanced tracking (Google enhanced conversions, Meta Conversions API) for accurate reporting
- Google Ads and paid social management at dijitul from £150 a month + VAT each, plus ad spend
The short version
The difference is intent. On Google, someone types 'emergency electrician Nottingham' and you answer. On Facebook and Instagram, you interrupt someone scrolling and give them a reason to stop. That shapes everything: creative, targeting, budget and how you judge results.
| Google Ads (Search) | Facebook and Instagram ads | |
|---|---|---|
| How people find you | They search for it | You find them by audience |
| Best for | Existing demand: services, urgent needs, known products | Creating demand: new products, visual offers, events, impulse buys |
| Creative | Text ads, plus images and sitelinks as assets | Images, video, carousels, reels; creative drives results |
| Targeting | Keywords, location, schedule, audiences as signals | Location, demographics, interests, lookalikes, broad Advantage+ audiences |
| Typical cost model | Pay per click | Usually pay per impression, optimised for your goal |
| Speed to enquiry | Fast when people are already searching | Often slower; nurtures interest over days or weeks |
When Google Ads wins
Choose Google first when people already search for your service or product. Trades, legal services, B2B suppliers, clinics and most local services fit this. Search ads let you match the exact words people use, schedule ads for when you can answer, and pay only when someone clicks. Shopping and Performance Max extend that to product listings for online shops.
Google is weaker when nobody knows to search for you: a new product category, a brand-new venue, or an impulse purchase people would not think to look for. Search volume sets a ceiling on how far a Search campaign can grow.
When Facebook and Instagram win
Meta suits products and services that sell on sight or on story: fashion, food, home improvement, events, hospitality, gifts and courses. Video and carousel ads show the product in use. Lookalike and broad audiences find people similar to your customers even if they have never heard of you. Meta lead forms let people enquire without leaving the app, which works for valuations, quotes and recruitment.
The trade-off is that people were not looking. Expect more top-of-funnel engagement and a longer path to purchase. Creative needs refreshing regularly because audiences tire of the same ad. Some categories, such as housing, employment and financial products, are Special Ad Categories with limited targeting where Meta applies them.
Tracking both properly
Browser restrictions and cookie consent mean neither platform sees every conversion through a pixel alone. For Google we set up enhanced conversions and Consent Mode v2; for Meta, the Conversions API alongside the pixel, with event deduplication. Then compare platforms in GA4 or a Looker Studio dashboard rather than trusting each platform's own figures, because both count conversions their own way and both will claim credit for the same sale. Conversion tracking set-up is £145 + VAT one-off.
Running them together
For many businesses the answer is both, in sequence. Meta builds awareness and fills a remarketing pool; Google captures people when they later search for your brand or category. A common split for a new ecommerce brand is Meta for prospecting with video and Google Shopping for people ready to buy. For a local service, Google Search carries the budget and Meta runs a smaller campaign with before and after content. We start with the channel closest to your buyer's intent, prove it, then add the other.
Budgets, learning and patience
Both platforms now rely heavily on automated bidding, which needs data to learn. On Google, strategies such as Maximise Conversions and Target CPA work best once a campaign records a steady flow of conversions each month; with too few, bids swing and results look random. On Meta, each ad set goes through a learning phase after launch or major edits, and frequent changes restart it. In practice that means two things for a small budget. First, consolidate rather than spread thin: one well-funded campaign beats five starved ones. Second, give each test long enough to settle before judging it, usually a few weeks, while watching for obvious waste such as irrelevant search terms or placements. We agree the test length and success measure with you before spend starts, so nobody pulls the plug on day four or lets a failing campaign run for months.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Google Ads or Facebook ads?
Facebook often has lower cost per click or per thousand impressions, but those clicks come from people who were not searching, so conversion rates are usually lower. Compare cost per enquiry or cost per sale, not cost per click.
Which is better for a small local business?
If customers search for your service, start with Google Search ads. If what you sell is visual or impulse-driven, such as food, beauty or home improvement, Meta can work as well or better. Many local businesses use Google for demand and Meta for awareness.
Do I need different ads for each platform?
Yes. Google Search ads are short text built around the keyword. Meta needs scroll-stopping images or video, made for mobile and often vertical for reels and stories. Reusing the same creative on both rarely works well.
How much budget should I split between them?
Start with most of the budget on the channel closest to your buyer's intent, often Google for services. Add Meta with a smaller test budget, measure cost per enquiry or sale in GA4, and shift money to whichever performs better.
Can you manage both platforms?
Yes. Google Ads management and paid social management are each from £150 a month + VAT plus ad spend, monthly, cancel with notice. Reporting covers both side by side so you can compare.
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