Updated on Advice

Facebook Ads Versus Google Ads

One thing is certain – digital advertising is the wave of the future. Facebook Ads and Google Ads may appear very similar on the surface. However, they both have different advantages and disadvantages. To get to the point: google ads are better when customers are searching for your product, service, or brand. Facebook ads are better when you have a target audience that is not actively searching for your brand, service, or product; however, they would still be interested in it. To figure out where your company falls into mainly comes down to one factor: cost.

Breaking Down Facebook Ads

Facebook ads are best when the target audience is not actively searching, but would be interested in you company’s brand, service, or product. The best ways to decide if your company falls into this category is to look at the frequency bought and cost of your product/service. If you have a product/service that people buy weekly, monthly, every couple months, or on a whim – then your company probably falls into the Facebook Ads category. Here are some examples of thinks that would perform well on a facebook ad:

  • Makeup
  • Pots/pans/other kitchen utensils
  • Food items
  • Restaurants

Facebook ads tend to be slightly cheaper per click than google ads, however on average they have a lower conversion rate. This is most likely due to that they tend to focuses on brand outreach. Facebook ads may not get a high conversion rate from that direct ad, but they get the customer thinking about the brand/product/service. Which may result in the customer looking them up or returning later. It may also take a customer passing the same ad multiple times because they decide to pull the trigger on the item. 

Here is the crazy thing about Facebook – they have a billion monthly active users. Luckily when you use Facebook ads they have the ability to set very specific targeting options so that out of those billion users you can get your ad in front of the right ones. Facebook will also try to help you out by giving you lookalike audiences to what you have already selected. They try to learn and understand who you are trying to target. Facebook is hands down the best social network for you to use and advertise on for your business.

Creating your ad sets can be very easy with many programs available online. In fact, there are plenty of ad formats and templates on sites such as Canva. Even better – this is a free site to use.

Overall: facebook ads are important in getting your company out there and known, they preform best with smaller purchases, and they are less expensive.

Understanding Google Ads

Google ads are best for brands, products, or services that people are actively searching for. These would be your bigger purchases. This is because people like to do research before they make a bigger purchase that they are going to have for years. This could also be the last minute/emergency services. Examples that would work well on google ads:

  • Plumbing, roofing, electrician
  • Home appliances
  • New car
  • Furniture

Google Ads tend to be slightly more expensive than facebook ads, however, they leads to conversion. This is due to the fact that your brand/service/product’s advertisement will be brought to the top of searches for someone looking for that specific service/product. If someone searches “best new dishwasher” and your dishwasher ad is the first link they click on, they will be likely to buy it since they actively need and are searching for a dishwasher. If someone searches “what to do if your electricity went out” and your electrician company is the first link they see due to your google advertisement, then they are likely to use your company since they need it right now. The cost per click is very dependent on the industry you are in.

Google advertisements can be referred to paid search. This search engine has a billion searches every month. That is why as far as online advertising goes, this is the best ad platform for you to use. On Google ads you will have display ads that can show up on the side of a search, or you can just have you ad show up in the search results above the organic search results.

Overall: Google ads are likely to lead to more conversions, they are best with bigger purchases and emergency services, but they are more expensive. 

Should You Use Google Ads AND Facebook Ads

Simply put, YES. Even if you think “my business falls more into facebook ads” or “my business falls into google ads” – you should still use both. They both offer a wide array of benefits and which one you should use is not as cut and dry as it may appear. Every company needs brand/name awareness which facebook can offer you. However, every brand wants a higher conversion which google ads can offer you – even if your product isn’t commonly searched. Facebook ads can allow you to retarget your audience, or reach customers who used your company a long time ago and have simply forgot about you. Google ads can get you directly to customers who want your product whether it is big or small. 

In reality the most important thing in your Facebook and Google ad campaigns is to have a high click through rate. This means someone does click on your advertisement they will continue to click through your website until they are eventually a conversion. This means they ultimately do what you wanted them to do, whether this be filling out a form or purchasing something. It is all about your ad spend in comparison to the profits that you made. You want to optimize your advertisements to be as efficient as they can be. So that you can make more with spending less.

Google Ads and Facebook Ads have their benefits. Both can help grow your business, and offer you different things. To increase your chances of a conversion, and brand awareness almost all marketing agencies would highly advice you advertise on both.