Google Ads or Facebook Ads advertising,

Which online advertising platform is better for your business needs?

While they offer some similar benefits, you need to consider the differences when deciding how to spend your ad budget.

Here’s how we compare Google Ads or Facebook Ads advertising:

Range

• Similarities: strong Google and Facebook dominate in their fields (search engines for Google and social networks for Facebook).

• Differences: Google’s reach is unmatched, it is the most visited site in the world. While Facebook has three billion monthly active users, Google is on the second level with over three billion searches per day.

Ad formats

• Similarities: Both platforms offer multiple ad formats.

• Differences: The most popular Google ad, the Google search ad, is text only. Although in some markets it also throws images, if you have uploaded them. Google display ads include an image, but offer fewer options for creativity. Facebook Ads, however, offer more flexibility. They are usually visually oriented and include images, videos and carousels.

Choosing the right platform for online advertising depends on the specific needs of your business. Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer similar benefits, but key differences between them can significantly influence your decision.

Understanding these similarities and differences helps you make better use of your advertising budget and target your audience more effectively.

If your focus is on broad reach and search targeting, Google Ads may be a better choice.

On the other hand, if you want visually appealing ads with detailed targeting based on user data, Facebook Ads may be more effective for your business.

By using both platforms, you can make the most of the benefits they offer and lay a solid foundation for the growth of your business. To choose the right platform you need to do some research on the competition.

Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) is targeted PPC (pay per click) advertising, which means you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

These ads appear on Google Search, the Google Display Network – a group of more than two million sites – and Google platforms such as Gmail and YouTube.

There are other Google Ads ad options, and if you’d like to learn more about them, read our Top Google Ads (Google Ads) Questions and Answers (Q&A) article

How does Google Ads advertising work?

Google Ads offers different types of ads, the most famous of which are paid search ads.

They are text-based and appear on the search engine results page (SERP) based on the relevance of the search terms and the amount paid by the advertiser for those keywords.

Other popular ad formats include Google display ads, which are image banner ads that appear on the Google Display network, and Google shopping ads that display a specific product in the Google search results (Serbia, unfortunately, at the moment, is not yet in the Google shopping system).

Google ads are targeted, which means advertisers can focus their target audience based on searches using specific keywords and phrases, as well as demographic information such as age, gender, location, marital status, and household income.

What are the advantages of using the Facebook Ads platform?

With almost three billion monthly active users, Facebook is the most visited social platform.

This gives Facebook Ads a wide audience and a competitive advantage over Google Ads in two areas:

Advanced targeting options

Facebook allows advertisers to reach their target audience with a precision not available on other advertising platforms.

Their advanced targeting options go beyond standard demographic information such as gender, age, location, marital status, political affiliation and income.

You can target potential customers based on life events such as a new job or pet, as well as interests, who they follow, and customer profiles.

Brand building with impactful ads

The ability to create unique and visually appealing ads is one area where Facebook Ads outperforms Google.

As a platform aimed at sharing attractive multimedia posts and optimized for mobile devices. Facebook offers its users an opportunity for great creativity.

Businesses can use a variety of images and videos to create compelling ads that build their brand and reach customers where they are: on social media.

When to use Google Ads and when to use Facebook Ads?

Choosing whether to advertise with Google Ads or Facebook Ads depends on your company’s audience, industry and business goals. Typically, Google Ads are better for generating sales, while Facebook Ads are better for building brand awareness and connecting with customers.

For example, if your company sells items such as heaters, it may be more important to sell to new customers who need your product, rather than working to build a loyal audience. In that case, you’d probably choose Google Ads.

On the other hand, if you run a fashion company that values its “cool” factor, you may invest more in strengthening your brand and connecting with your audience to convince them that your products are worth owning. In this case, Facebook Ads might be a better choice.

While these types of ads may not result in immediate conversions, you could build a loyal customer base over time.

There is no definitive answer to the question of which ad platform is better between Facebook Ads and Google Ads. It depends on the goals of your business. Facebook Ads usually work well for brand building, while Google Ads are better for generating sales.

We often work on both platforms for our clients, and over time it turns out which is better. However, it all depends on the niche and the product.

According to reports from March 2024, Facebook Ads has a lower average cost per click (0.71 eur) compared to Google Ads (3.62 eur). But don’t let the price difference confuse you.

There’s a good reason why Google Ads is more expensive.

Quite simply, in many areas, so far, Google Ads is doing better!

5 key differences between Google Ads and Facebook Ads advertising

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s tackle the main differences between google ads and facebook ads advertising.

So let’s get started:

1. Audience size

Both Google and Facebook have a huge reach — Google processes more than 5.8 billion searches every day, while Facebook has about 1.73 billion daily active users.

On Facebook, mobile advertising revenue accounts for more than 90% of revenue. And that means mobile advertising is not an opportunity to be missed!

It’s likely that your client’s target audience is present on both of these platforms, so you can’t determine the right choice for their business based on audience size alone.

Instead, ask yourself the following two questions:

• Is my target audience active on these networks?

• Is my product more search or social oriented?

Even if Google has 5.8 billion searches per day, it won’t help if no one is searching for you or your client’s specific product.

Have you launched a new, innovative product? Have people heard about what you have to offer?

If the answer is “no”, a Facebook ad is often a better option for spreading the word.

Advice for marketing agencies: No matter what type of advertising you choose, monitor any significant changes in audience growth. This can give you better insight into how your ads are performing over time.

2. Cost and ROI

Cost is another important factor. The average cost per click (CPC) on Google Ads is 3.62 eur, but this varies significantly by industry and by the country where the ad is displayed.

In Serbia, the price of a click is significantly lower.

How does Google advertising work?

In paid search, e-commerce businesses can expect to pay different amounts depending on the keyword. There is always a minimum and maximum cost per click.

The price for a specific keyword depends on several factors.

Google display and Google search ads reach almost 90% of Internet users and offer extensive targeting options, allowing your business to connect with potential customers at the right time and establish remarketing at a low cost.

How does Facebook advertising work?

Facebook ads are usually slightly cheaper per click than Google ads. The average cost per click varies not only by industry, but also by where the ad is displayed. Our experience has shown that Instagram ads are often more expensive than Facebook ads! But that again depends on several factors.

Which is the better choice in terms of ad costs?

Although the average cost per click is usually more expensive on Google Ads, keep in mind that people who click on your client’s ads may be later in the buying process. A Facebook ad is great for building awareness, while Google Ads can often be better at reaching customers at the moment they make a purchase decision.

The real purchases happen on the website. In fact, a Facebook ad is often just the path a user will take to buy your product or service on your website.

And this is a fact that many people do not realize at the very beginning. Quite simply, many products are very difficult to sell directly on social networks.

CPC (Cost Per Click) is only half the equation. Another important indicator is CPA (Cost Per Action) to determine whether you or your client will have a strong ROI on your campaigns.

Like CPC, CPA will vary per campaign. It depends on how well targeted your ads are and whether you can convert at a high rate.

Don’t let a high average CPA put you off PPC.

3. Buyer’s intention

When it comes to buyer intent, Google Ads almost always beats Facebook Ads. Think about what kind of business you or your clients have? Do people typically search for your or their products or services when they are ready to make a purchase?

For example, if someone’s air conditioner breaks down, they will immediately start looking for an air conditioner repair company.

Search ads would put that business in front of potential customers at the moment they need their service. In our opinion, Google ads have a big advantage in this case.

On the other hand, that person won’t remember the air conditioning repair company they saw on Facebook three months ago. In this scenario, Google Ads would be the clear winner.

Facebook Ads are also generally less effective at converting leads quickly. People usually go to Facebook to relax and socialize, not to shop.

Google is the place to shop, always remember that!

However, the Facebook platform is still extremely useful for building your client’s audience. By creating a sense of community on social media, people will be much more inclined to buy when they need a service or product.

If the goal of the campaign is to build brand awareness rather than immediate conversions, then Facebook may be the best choice for them.

4. Targeting options

Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads give you the ability to target specific audiences. Both platforms allow you to target by age, gender, location and income level.

however, Facebook is unbeatable when it comes to advanced targeting options.

In addition to the targeting options mentioned above, Facebook allows you to create audiences based on a large list of interests and behaviors, thanks to the wealth of information they collect from their 2.6 billion monthly active users.

Want to target parents? Okay.

Want to target parents with children aged 5-7? Yes.

Do you want to target older parents with children aged 5-7 and a household with a monthly income of over 200,000 dinars? Yes.

Facebook allows you to be very specific with your audience. If your client’s target audience is a very narrow niche, then Facebook Ads are a great option for their business.

Facebook also offers a useful tool called lookalike audiences that allows you to advertise to people who are similar to your client’s existing audience.

Facebook uses its existing data to match targeted customers with similar users, which can be a very powerful option for advertisers.

5. Ad formats

What about ad formats? Back to the question, what is the goal of your campaign?

You have a lot more creative freedom on Facebook, which makes it a better platform for building brand awareness and customer loyalty.

If you use Google Ads, you have a small block of text (title and meta description) to attract the attention of potential customers on the Google page. You can use ad extensions for additional text and information, but overall, your format will be limited to text search ads.

However, on Facebook, using image-based ads adds visual impact to your message.

Facebook is also constantly introducing different ad formats to avoid “ad fatigue”. You can use videos, images, carousel ads and more to grab your audience’s attention.

If you or your client have an e-commerce business, the visual component of Facebook should be a big factor when choosing an advertising platform.

Google Ads also offers shopping ads (not currently available in Serbia) that display specific products in Google search results and can be used to target competitors for product promotion.

So, which is the better platform for online business, Google Ads or Facebook Ads advertising? If you’re still not sure, and you’re working for a client, we’ll give you a few more tips (of course, this also applies if you’re doing campaigns for yourself).

Ask yourself the following three questions:

1. What are the goals of the advertising campaign?

First, consider your or your client’s specific campaign goals. Are they focused on making a quick sale?

If so, Google Ads may be a better choice.

If you want to expand brand recognition or reach a wider audience, on the other hand, Facebook Ads may be a better choice.

2. In which industry am I, that is, my client?

Next, consider the industry in which you operate. Both B2B and B2C companies are successfully using Google Ads.

Facebook Ads often work better for B2C companies, especially those selling lower-priced products, because people are more prone to impulse buy these products after seeing them a few times.

However, even for B2B, there are opportunities in Facebook Ads—especially for remarketing and lookalike audiences.

The audience also influences the choice of platform. Are people looking for a business or service with the intention of buying?

If so, Google probably brings the best results. But if your client is trying to build an audience for a new product, Facebook will usually work better.

Consider what stage of the buyer’s journey you are trying to target with PPC ads. Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) is great for bottom-of-funnel leads, while Facebook is usually best for attracting new top-of-funnel leads.

3. What is my or my client’s budget?

Finally, consider your advertising budget and your technical skill level. Do you have the money to invest in Google Ads even if you are in a competitive industry?

Some niches have incredible click prices.

In that case, always look for words that are smaller in terms of search volume, because they will almost certainly give you a lower cost per click: That way, you will get more clicks and potential sales for the same daily budget.

Facebook Ads campaigns can be used to target a specific audience that has already shown interest in your or your client’s products or services.

These ads help increase the visibility of your content on Facebook and improve traffic to your websites.

Facebook Ads campaigns can be set up to increase site traffic, impressions and average click-through rate (CTR).

Facebook ad campaigns also give agencies a lot of flexibility. For example, how much you want to spend from your budget, including:

Additionally, you can choose when you want Facebook to charge you. By the number of views or clicks. Finally, you should know that Facebook is the second largest seller of digital ads in the world, right behind Google.

So, if you can use Facebook Ads to your advantage, we definitely recommend it!

There are many ways Google Ads and Facebook Ads can work together to increase awareness, engagement and conversion. After all, it usually takes multiple touch points between when a customer is first introduced to your brand and when they make a purchase.

We believe that the combination of these two platforms is necessary for any serious e-commerce.

Of course, if you have enough budget to make it happen.

For example, people who see your Facebook Ads ad may show interest in an offer, but may want to learn more about your business and the products or services you offer. This is where your website and linking to it is key.

There you will explain everything nicely and offer them.

This is a great opportunity to use your brand name as a keyword in your search campaigns and match your message with your current Facebook ads. This strategy leads cold Facebook audiences to find exactly what they were looking for on Google.

It not only reinforces the overall marketing message, but also demonstrates trustworthiness.

Using the powerful combination of Google Ads and Facebook Ads is a great strategy to try for you and your customers. Facebook Ads build brand awareness, while Google Ads retarget for conversion.

Consider this scenario:

A Facebook user sees an ad featuring amazing, super absorbent bath towels. Clicks on the ad, but isn’t ready to buy yet. However, the next time he reached for an old, worn towel, he decided it was time to buy a new one.

He then goes to Google, enters ‘bath towels’ in the search box and is confronted with a retargeted Google ad that is shown again (requires that remarketing has been done).

The reverse scenario also works: a user can click on a Google search ad, add something to their cart, and then a Facebook ad reminds them of what they were previously interested in.

The benefits of using both Facebook Ads and Google Ads cannot be ignored.

If you haven’t already, try implementing this strategy for yourself and your clients and see the results!

The challenge on the part of the agency running both campaigns is that you now have two large and complex reporting platforms.

How to easily consolidate data to tell a comprehensive story about campaign performance?

Regardless of which PPC (pay per click) reporting tool you choose, tracking your client’s ROI is key.

One way to automatically track results is to use the Agency Analytics PPC dashboard template, which includes the following sections:

Create your custom dashboard as needed!

Measuring the success of PPC campaigns can be difficult, especially when the data is spread across several advertising platforms. Consolidate and automatically pull every metric from Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other PPC metrics into one view with an intuitive dashboard that your customers will easily understand.

If you manage PPC ads for clients, give them 24/7 access so they can monitor the effectiveness of their campaigns in real time.

For more detailed insights, switch to Facebook Ads reporting tool, Google Ads reporting tool to see detailed data on specific platforms.

With pre-built reporting templates, quickly and easily create monthly reports using a Facebook Ads reporting template, Google Ads reporting template, PPC reporting template or a comprehensive digital marketing reporting template.

Very simple, right?

Google Ads and Facebook Ads are two great options for PPC advertising, and in many cases these two platforms work best when used together.

If you’re advertising on both platforms, make sure you’re tracking campaign results closely so you know which channel is performing best.

Follow the campaigns and update them regularly!