Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which One is Best for You?

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Definitions 

What is Google Ads?

Google Ads, or Google AdWords, is an online advertising platform of Google that allows marketers to display ads across Google’s ecosystem, including the search engine, YouTube, and partner websites. 

You can bid for selected keywords and place your ad. Your ad will be shown to the users who search that keyword or visit related content. 

What is Facebook Ads?

Similarly, Facebook Ads is an online advertising platform for Facebook. Like Google Ads, it allows the advertiser to place advertisements across Facebook’s ecosystem like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, etc. 

Here, instead of keywords, the advertisers bid for space on the platform. You can customize your ads and target your audience more precisely. 

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Ad Placements

Google Ads Placement

Ads created with Google Ads can be delivered through several networks, including:

• Google Search Network
• Google Display Network
• Google Play
• Google Maps
• YouTube

Facebook Ads Placement

Facebook ads can be placed on 4 platforms-

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Messenger
• Audience Network

at the following locations: 

• News feed
• Marketplace
• Suggested video
• Right column
• Stories
• Instant Articles
• In-stream videos

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Setting Budget

There are several differences in the way budgets are set up and spent in Google ads vs Facebook ads

Facebook Ads Budget

In a Facebook Ads campaign, your budget is set at the ad set level. You have the option to turn on the Advantage campaign budget, which lets all ad sets within a campaign share a single budget. You can use a lifetime budget, but your campaign should have an end date. 

Google Ads Budget

The Google Ads campaign’s budget is set at the campaign level. Google Ads campaigns only use daily budgets, except for video campaigns.

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Targeting

Facebook Ads Targeting

With Facebook, you can target people based on-

• Location
• Age
• Gender
• Demographics
• Connections
• Interests 
• Behavior 
• Marital Status, etc

Apart from that, Facebook has some targeting options, like-

Lookalikes

By adding this targeting to your campaign, you can reach new users who exhibit similar online behavior to your existing users.

Advantage Detailed Targeting 

With this, Facebook gives your platform permission to show your ads to people beyond your audience selections who it thinks are likely to convert. 

Google Ads Targeting

When you run a Google advertising campaign, you can target an audience or content features like:

• Audience demographics
• Audience location
• Content topics
• Ad placements, etc

Added targeting options: 

Affinity segment targeting

This refers to reaching people who have similar interests, hobbies, and habits. 

Combined segment targeting

Google Ads combined segments let you put together an audience of people who match multiple audience targeting requirements.

Optimized targeting

With the help of optimized targeting, you can reach out to new audiences who are most likely interested in your business. 

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Cost

Facebook ads are cost-effective compared to Google ads. Because CPC, or cost per click, is much lower on Facebook, the CPC of Facebook ads ranges from a few cents to a few dollars. It all depends on the industry. 

Google ads can be pricier than Facebook ads. The cost is generally around a few dollars for each click, but some industries can get as high as $50 per click. 

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Advantages 

Advantages of Google Ads

Bid on millions of keywords 

Google Ads offers to show your ad based on keywords. If you can target the right keywords for your business, it may ensure high conversion rates for your business. 

High CTR 

In Q1 of 2020, Smart Insights discovered that Google search ads had the highest CTR at 1.55% when compared to display ads and Facebook ads. This is likely because Google prioritizes ads based on relevance.

Remarketing

You can do remarketing on Google Ads, which allows you to reconnect with users who have interacted with your brand before. Let’s say someone interacted with your brand on Google Search Engine. Now you can show him the ad through YouTube and other sites. 

Advantages of Facebook Ads

Access to Large Data

According to the 2021 Statista Report, Facebook has 2.7 billion monthly active users. This large user base allows marketers to reach most of their target customers. 

Reaching Target Capabilities

Facebook offers to target audiences based on demographics, behaviors, life events, interests, and lookalike audiences. With this variety of options, a marketer can ensure that their product reaches the right audience. Crafting the right ad copy and creative is key here.

Facebook’s visual elements

Facebook allows advertisers to make creative and engaging content. They offer different ad types, like image ads, video ads, carousel ads, or collection ads. It helps to capture the attention of your target shoppers and get them excited about your product or service.

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Factors to Consider

Till now, you have gotten to know the features, differences, and advantages of Google ads and Facebook ads. But before considering between these two, you also have to analyze your business. Let me guide you through some factors that you should consider:

Business Goals

The first important step is to set business goals according to the product. Facebook ads are better for building brand awareness and connecting with customers. On the other hand, Google ads will help find new customers and generate leads. 

Campaign Goals

Another important question you need to ask yourself is— What is your campaign goal? Like deciding what you want to achieve from a specific campaign, such as sales, views, awareness, etc. 

Google ads work best for demand capture. If a user is searching ‘mobile phone’ it may signal that the user is interested in purchasing one. 

On the other hand, Facebook ads work at the top of the funnel. And best for brand awareness.

Target Customer

Choosing advertising platforms also requires thinking about which platform your target audience prefers. Suppose you have a product whose target audience spends most of their time on Facebook and mostly purchases from there. Then it is best to run Facebook ads. 

On the other hand, If your target audience Is most likely to purchase from Google, Then You should consider running Google ads

Cost-Effectiveness

Facebook ads are more cost-effective than Google ads. 

Google ads can be more competitive and costly for some keywords. If the keyword is competitive or has a high CPC, and your budget is low, then it may not be a good decision to invest the money. 

On the other hand, Facebook ads are more cost-effective than Google ads. With a similar budget for Google ads, you can reach more customers by investing the same money in Facebook ads. 

Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Advantages: In a Nutshell

Here is a bird’s eye view of the Google ads vs. Facebook ads debate. 

It is not necessary to choose only one platform for your business. You can leverage the power of both platforms based on your campaign goals and business objectives.