Google Vs Facebook Ads: Which One Should I Advertise On?

ByAmbitious Agency
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Google vs Facebook – which is better? It’s one of the questions we get asked a lot. Many business owners are uncertain which platform is best suited for them and will get them the desired results they require.

Each platform has its own unique advantages. In this article, we break each platform down and list the advantages and disadvantages of both so you can make a calculated decision on what is optimal for your business.

This article will be ideal for business owners who:

  • Have never used online advertising before
  • Need clarity on how the platforms can benefit them
  • Need help deciding which platform is right for them

DISCLAIMER:

While Google and Facebook are two different platforms and direct competitors, including both marketing tools in your online advertising strategy is a proven way to increase leads and sales. This is more effective than neglecting one platform for another. You can take advantage of both of their best features (which we will discuss) and implement more advanced strategies.

We always recommend that our clients use both platforms if their budget and business permits it. However, if this is not an option, then this article will guide you towards making the correct first step into the online advertising world or potentially adding a new platform to your arsenal.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK ADS?

First, we need to identify the main differences between the two ad platforms.

GOOGLE ADS

Google Advertising has been the number one PPC (pay per click) advertising platform since October 2000. The platform allows you to outrank organic searches by bidding on your chosen keywords in Google’s search engine. Create compelling ad copy to encourage searchers to click through to your desired destination. Google Ads charges you on the particular keyword which triggered your ad, and the amount is based on how competitive the keyword is.

Google Ads has fast become the world’s largest and most popular pay per click advertising platform and is commonly known as paid search.

FACEBOOK ADS

Facebook is collecting data from its users based on their demographics, interests and online behaviours. Facebook first started selling ad space back in 2007. It then bought out the popular app Instagram and combined their advertising options into the platform in 2013. When referring to Facebook ads, Instagram ads are also included since both campaigns run from Facebook Business Manager.

Facebook very quickly dominated the ‘paid social’ advertising sphere allowing advertising to exchange money for valuable data they have accumulated. Every time a user likes or engages with a page, Facebook categories you into audiences. Advertisers are allowed to show ads based on the similar interests they feel you will identify with.

Much like Google, Facebook uses an auction system for you to bid on interests and behaviours.

GOOGLE VS FACEBOOK ADS: THE PURCHASING INTENT

User experience and customer purchase intent are the most important factors to consider when deciding which platform to focus on.

Google Advertising can be so expensive for certain keywords and industries due to the intent of the search term. When people are actively searching for ‘mountain bikes stores’, this is a very interested and hot buyer. They are actively searching for a mountain bike store to visit, test out a bike, and make a purchase.

With Facebook Advertising, users are not actively searching out to buy a product or service, but they may be following many mountain bike-related Facebook pages. As a result, they could see a compelling video demonstrating why this certain bike brand is awesome.

The user who has shown interest in this industry/product already is much more likely to convert than someone who hasn’t. It is essential to understand your ideal customers’ demographics and interests before running paid social ads. This will help reach the people who are most interested in your product or service.

While Google Ads has the advantage of accessing more ready to buy customers, good copywriting is still required to grab their attention. Facebook, on the other hand, allows you to create content using photos and videos.

This brings us to the next big factor:

GOOGLE VS FACEBOOK ADS: CONTENT

As touched upon already, Google Ads relies heavily on good copywriting for your text ads and Facebook ads rely on good-quality content. If your company lacks skills in one of these departments then consider choosing the platform that will play to the strengths of your ads.

Google ads can be an easier investment as they do not require photos or videos alongside the text. A lack of quality content for Facebook ads can hold some businesses back or make them look unprofessional.

For example, an e-commerce brand would have a much easier time creating content around their product compared to a service-based business. They would also want to use high-quality photos or videos that show their products off.

GOOGLE VS FACEBOOK ADS: STRATGEY

Your industry and strategies will also play into your decision making when choosing a platform.

While Google can generate a large amount of traffic, it’s preferably better to have a laser targeted approach. High-quality traffic likely to convert is the objective. Google advertising can get expensive, pretty fast if you don’t know what you are doing. Generating a lot of irrelevant search term queries should be avoided.

Facebook’s advantage is being able to show content to a large number of people. This wide net approach is perfect for brand awareness and visually showcasing their product/service.

Product demonstrations and educational content also work really well on Facebook.

WHICH SHOULD YOU BE USING?

Both Google and Facebook ads are potent tools for any business to utilise. Neglecting one for the other can be detrimental to your online success. While comparing each platform’s strengths and potential, it is apparent the platforms should be viewed as complementary to one another, rather than competitors.

Ideally, you want to be using both. For example, imaging running highly targeted Google ad traffic to your site and then running re-targeting ads on Facebook. There are a lot more strategies you can take advantage of when using both platforms.

No one article can direct you to which platform is best for your business. If you want this answer, I would suggest booking a free 30-minute strategy session with our team. We can then learn more about your company, goals and provide more guidance on this subject.

In the meantime, play to your strengths and what you have at your disposal.

Harnessing the power of both paid search and paid social is a remarkably effective advertising strategy. If you are only using one platform and considering using the other, then give it a go!

Starting in the online advertising world? Pick one and go all in.

As your business grows, you can diversify into new platforms once you have momentum on your side.

To learn more about how your business can benefit from Google Ads and Facebook Ads book in a call with us today. Speak with a digital marketing specialist with years of experience helping business owners like yourself reap the rewards from online advertising.

Source Url : https://ambitious.nz/paid-advertising/google-vs-facebook-ads/

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