Google Search ads are worth considering when people already search for what you sell. Facebook and Instagram ads are worth considering when showing the right offer to the right audience could create interest before that search happens.
That is a useful starting point, rather than a rule for every business. Cost, demand, creative and the way customers decide all affect the choice. Here, we are comparing Google Search campaigns with Meta advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Other Google campaign types work differently.
What is happening when someone sees the ad?
Imagine a business owner searching for a commercial electrician. They have a job in mind and are looking for someone who can do it. A relevant Search ad can meet that moment.
Now imagine someone seeing a wedding marketplace, a holiday offer or a new product while scrolling. They may not have searched for it, but the right message and visual could make it relevant to them. That is a different opportunity for the ad.
Both situations can lead to a sale. They need different creative and different expectations about what happens next.
Four things to check before choosing
| Decision | What to find out |
|---|---|
| Existing demand | Are people searching for this service or product in the area you serve? |
| The offer | Can someone understand why they should act now or choose you? |
| Available creative | Can you show the product, service or result convincingly? |
| The next step | Can the website or form turn that interest into an enquiry or purchase? |
For Search, we would research the phrases customers use and what the forecast suggests for your budget. For Meta, we would think about the audience, the hook and the material available to make the ads. A product photo alone does not supply an offer, and a keyword list alone does not supply a reason to choose you.
Which is better when the budget is limited?
Our recommendation is to start with the clearest route to a worthwhile customer. That might be one focused Search campaign. It might be a Meta lead campaign with a specific offer. The decision needs evidence about your business.
If Search clicks are expensive and demand is limited, a small budget may produce too few visits to learn much. If the Meta offer is vague or the creative does not explain it, broad reach will not fix the problem.
Splitting the same amount across several channels also creates more campaigns and creative to manage. Begin with a focused test you can fund, explain what you want to learn and decide how you will review it.
Compare the customer outcome
A lower cost per click can still produce a higher cost per customer. An enquiry can also be cheap and unsuitable. Check what happens after the form arrives: was it relevant, did the person respond and did it turn into business?
Agree the conversion before launching. A completed enquiry is different from a visit to the contact page. A purchase is different from adding a product to the basket. Consistent definitions make a channel comparison more useful.
Our Slay My Day project includes one lead campaign that produced 207 leads in 10 days at NZ$1.77 per lead. It is a result from that particular campaign, not a target we would apply to another business or evidence that one platform always wins.
Do you need both eventually?
Sometimes. One channel can introduce the business while another catches people who later search for it. Sometimes one channel remains the better fit and deserves the attention.
Choose the first move from the buying situation, then use actual enquiries, sales and customer feedback to decide what comes next. If the website is losing the interest your ads create, fix that part of the journey before adding another platform.
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