Question:
“I’m about to try paid advertising for the first time. Should my small business use Google Ads or Facebook Ads?”
Answer:
Of course both Google Ads and Facebook Ads can be effective for small businesses, the best platform for you will depend on your specific goals and audience. In some cases a mixture of both might work best.
Google Ads is generally considered to be better for:
- Driving traffic to your website
- Generating leads
- Making sales
- Promoting local businesses
- Reaching people who are actively searching for products or services like yours
Facebook Ads is generally considered to be better for:
- Building brand awareness
- Connecting with customers
- Promoting social media engagement
- Reaching people based on their interests, demographics, and behaviours
| Feature | Google Ads | Facebook Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting | Can target people based on their search intent, demographics, interests, and other factors | Can target people based on their interests, demographics, behaviors, and connections |
| Reach | Reaches people who are actively searching for products or services like yours | Reaches people who may not be actively searching for your products or services, but who are interested in the topics you’re advertising |
| Cost | Cost per click (CPC) can vary depending on the keywords you’re targeting | Cost per click (CPC) can vary depending on the demographics and interests of your target audience |
| Flexibility | Offers a variety of ad formats, including text, image, video, and shopping ads | Offers a variety of ad formats, including images, videos, carousels, and slideshows |
| Reporting | Provides detailed reporting on your ad performance | Provides detailed reporting on your ad performance |
Which is cheaper Google Ads or Facebook Ads.
The cost of Google Ads and Facebook Ads can vary depending on various factors such as the industry, target audience, ad placement, and competition. Generally, Google Ads tend to be more expensive than Facebook Ads. This is because Google Ads are keyword-based and allow you to target users actively searching for specific products or services. As a result, the competition for keywords can drive up the cost per click (CPC) on Google Ads. Facebook Ads allow you to target users based on their demographics, interests, and behavior, but they are typically cheaper than Google Ads.
Pricing models:
1. Google Ads: With this platform, advertisers typically use a pay-per-click (PPC) bidding system where they bid to display their ads based on keywords relevant to their target audience. The cost per click can range from a few cents for less competitive industries up to several dollars for highly sought-after keywords with intense competition.
2. Facebook Ads: On Facebook’s advertising platform (including Instagram), advertisers have more flexibility in choosing between different types of campaigns like CPC (Cost Per Click), CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions). Costs are influenced factors such as campaign objectives and adherence to quality guidelines set each respective platform.
Which is easiest to learn for Beginners?
When it comes to the learning curve, both platforms have their challenges. Facebook Ads is easier to get started with but requires more time and effort to become proficient in. Google Ads may be more complex to set up initially, but once you understand its intricacies, mastery comes relatively easily.
Free Template
Databox has a public template that may help you evaluate and optimise your advertising on either or both platforms you can grab it HERE.
We are here if you need some help deciding on the best advertising platform for you. There are other’s to consider also but in this post we have concentrated on the two most well known platforms.
