If people already search for what you sell, start with Google Ads. If people don't know they need you yet, start with Meta ads. Plenty of small businesses end up using both, but one usually earns its place first.
The big difference is intent versus interruption. On Google, your ad shows up for someone who's just typed what they want. On Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, it shows up in front of someone who's scrolling and wasn't looking for you.
In plain English: Intent is how ready someone is to act right now. A search for an urgent repair has high intent. A scroll past an ad for the same repair has much lower intent.
Intent versus interruption
Google Ads: someone is already looking
People type what they need, and your ad appears beside the results. That suits urgent problems, and services people search for by name and suburb.
The limit is demand. If few people search for what you do, there's little to catch. Popular searches can also be competitive, so each click can cost more.
Meta ads: you reach people who weren't looking
You choose who sees your ad by area, age and interests. That suits things people buy on impulse, or only think about when they're reminded, and anything that looks good in a photo or short video.
The limit is readiness. Most people scrolling aren't ready to buy, and few people open Instagram looking for an urgent repair. So you need a clear offer, and the enquiries may need more follow-up.
Which to start with, by business type
These are general patterns, not rules, and they're not a list of my clients.
- People search the moment they need you. Think urgent repairs, or services with a deadline. Start with Google Ads.
- People would enjoy it but don't search for it. Think of a visual or occasional service, like a fitness class or a styling session. Start with Meta ads.
- High-value work that people research first. Google Ads can catch the search. Meta ads can then remind people who visited your website. Start with Google Ads if the searches exist.
- A new kind of service with few searches. Meta ads may be the only way to reach people. Expect a slower start.
Where Google came first:
Where Meta came first:
Where I said neither, yet:
Honest note: I can't pick the right channel for your business without knowing your margins, your area and what people search for. Sometimes the honest answer is neither, yet. If your website or offer isn't ready, ads will waste money.
Budget implications
Either way, you need a budget big enough to collect data. Meta clicks often cost less than Google clicks, but a smaller share of them turn into enquiries. That's a pattern, not a rule, and cheaper clicks don't always mean cheaper customers.
Google Ads costs depend on the competition for each search. In a busy market like Sydney, some searches draw lots of bidders, so the same budget buys fewer clicks. Meta ads need a few weeks of data before you can judge them.
If you can only fund one channel properly, pick one and do it well. Spread a small budget across both and you can end up with two channels too thin to judge. My guide on how much to spend on Google Ads shows how to work out your own figure.
Management fees are separate from ad spend, and my pricing ranges are published.
Side by side
| At a glance | Google Ads | Meta ads | |—|—|—| | Who sees it | People searching for what you sell | People scrolling Facebook or Instagram | | Mindset | Looking for an answer now | Browsing, with no plan to buy yet | | Suits | Urgent or searched-for services | Visual, occasional or new offers | | Main strength | Reaches people who are ready to act | Reaches people who don't know you yet | | Main limit | Needs existing search demand, and busy searches cost more | Most viewers aren't ready to buy yet | | Speed to first enquiries | Often faster | Often slower | | Common first step | One service in one area | One clear offer for one audience |
Using both, in the right order
Lots of businesses start with one channel and add the other once the first is tracked and steady. That's the order I'd go in, too. Meta ads can then remind people who visited your website. Google Ads can catch the ones who go on to search.
In plain English: Retargeting means showing ads to people who have already visited your website.
Where to go next
Read about Google Ads management and Meta ads management to see how each one works with me.
If you'd like me to look at your business, let's chat. I read every message myself, and if neither channel fits yet, I'll say so.