Facebook Ads vs Google Ads

By Stephen Paul Samynathan on September 18, 2022

Are you looking for a way to get more traffic to your website? Do you want to increase conversions?

In order to make sure you're spending your advertising dollars wisely, you should compare Facebook ads with Google ads. They both work differently, but they also offer similar benefits.

We'll go over each type of ad, how they differ, and why you might choose one over another. Then, I'll share my top tips for choosing the right kind of ad for your needs.

Difference between Facebook Ads and Google Ads

via GIPHY

Facebook Ads and Google Ads are similar in many ways. Both allow advertisers to bid on keywords and ad groups to reach people searching for specific topics. They're also pretty similar in terms of how they work. However, there are some key differences that make them very distinct.

First, let's talk about where they show up in the funnel. Typically, we think of PPC ads showing up in the top three positions of the search results. But Facebook Ads actually show up throughout the entire funnel. They show up in News Feed stories, Messenger messages, Instagram posts, and even in the mobile app itself. This gives them great visibility across multiple touchpoints.

Second, Facebook Ads and Google AdWords offer different targeting options. For example, Facebook allows advertisers to target based on age, gender, location, interests, relationship status, education level, occupation, religion, political affiliation, and much more. Google offers a similar set of targeting options, including interest categories such as travel, shopping, food & drink, health, fitness, home improvement, automotive, and more.

Third, while they're both pay-per-click, Facebook Ads and Google ads operate on completely separate channels. This means that they don't interfere with each other and aren't competing for the same audience. Instead, they complement each other.

Finally, Facebook Ads and Google Advertising have different pricing models. You can either use Cost Per Click (CPC), which charges you every time someone clicks on your ad, or Cost Per Impression (CPI), which costs you per impression regardless of whether or not anyone clicks.

Goal

Goal of your Google Ads or Facebook Ads

The goal of any paid marketing campaign is to generate leads and sales. And if you’re using Facebook Ads or Google Ads, then your ultimate goal is to drive traffic to your site. That’s what will ultimately lead to conversions.

So when it comes to comparing these two types of ads, the most important thing to consider is the goal of your campaign. If you’re trying to drive traffic to your website or create brand awareness, then Facebook Ads may be better than Google Ads.

The leads generated by this traffic are usually referred to as top-of-the-funnel leads.

Comparatively Google Ads is better for bottom-of-the-funnel leads.

People who have a high purchase intent.

So if you’re trying instead to drive conversions, then Google Ads may be better.

Budget

Budget is very important for the success of your Facebook Ads and Google Ads

When running any ad campaign, we will look to get the best possible return on ad spending. Sometimes that is easier to do in one platform compared to another.

With Google Ads, keyword competition and keyword price will be one of the main factors in deciding how much you need to spend on your ads. If the keywords you want to target have a high cost per click and you have a small budget, Google Ads might not be the best place for you to invest in your marketing budget.

If you have a daily budget of RM100 and the keyword that you want to rank for costs RM20 per click. That means you will only get five clicks per day. Taking into account that not all clicks will convert, you could even be left with no conversion at all.

You could potentially reach more potential customers by using Facebook ads and conducting experiments to learn more about what works best for your specific audience.

Stages in Buyer Journey

 As mentioned earlier Facebook Ads and Google Ads are best suited for different stages in the buyer journey.

Most people who use Facebook are not actively looking to buy anything.

They do use the platform to discover new things and share their interests.

Hence, Facebook Ads will allow you to reach potential customers to discover your brand or your business. Especially if your potential target audience might not be searching for a topic related to your business.

Strengths and Advantages of Facebook Ads

1. Best ROI for Social Media Marketing

Facebook Ads has the highest Return On Investment (ROI) among social media platforms according to this report by Hubspot

One of the reasons could the fact that Facebook is the number one social media platform with over 2.9 billion monthly active users, according to a 2022 Statista report

2. Granular Targeting

With its large user base, the social network allows advertisers to target their ads at specific audiences based on demographic characteristics, behaviour patterns, and interest categories.

You can use Facebook Ad Manager to create lookalikes for your campaigns. Once you've created them, the ads will be shown to users who fit your lookalike audience.

3. Brand Awareness

Branding is key to successful advertising. With Facebook Ads, it is easier to build a fan base and increase brand awareness.

4. Analytics

Analytics is available for both platforms. However, Google offers more detailed insights into your campaigns. You can see which pages visitors came from, where they clicked, what links they clicked on, etc.

Strengths and Advantages of Google Ads

1. Reach

Google has over 2 billion monthly active users. This makes them a great option for reaching out to an audience that is already interested in your product or service.

2. Targeting

Google allows you to target very specific audiences based on age, gender, location, interest, etc.

3. Analytics

Analytics is available for both platforms. However, Google offers more detailed insights into your campaigns. You can see which pages visitors came from, where they clicked, what links they clicked on, etc..

4. Conversion Tracking

Google Ads provides conversion tracking which helps you measure the success of your campaign.

5. Experimentation

Experimentation is also easy with Facebook Ads. You can test different variations of your ads and find out which ones work better than others.

Conclusion

Both Facebook Ads and Google Ads are great tools for increasing traffic to your site. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. You should use whichever one works best for you based on your budget, goals, and time frame.

We know it can be hard to manage your digital marketing ads while working on your business at the same time. Well, now you save your time and concentrate on your business. We will help with your Facebook and Google Ads. Specflux is the trusted provider for Facebook Ads marketing and Google Ads

Article written by Stephen Paul Samynathan
Co-founder of Specflux Solution, he builds IT products that work. He is also running Ipoh based website design agency with his partner. If not working on client's project, he's a part of a vibrant IT community in Ipoh locally known as Digital Perak.

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