Google Ads Vs Facebook Ads: Which One Should You Choose?
Are you looking to use ads to promote your business or organisation online? If yes, advertising on Google Ads and Facebook Ads is undoubtedly your best bet.
The two giants are among the four biggest tech companies globally, and their reach into audiences around the world is practically unparalleled. On an average day, Facebook boasts just under two billion active users, while Google records a staggering five billion searches.
Knowing that; which of these two platforms is most effective at generating a return on ad spend (ROAS)? As with most marketing strategies, it depends on your product, your budget, and the nature of the campaign you’re running.
Only with a comprehensive understanding of how Google and Facebook approach ads will you be able to maximise your return on ad spend and guarantee results with your pay-per-click (PPC) advertising strategy.
The Difference Between Google Ads And Facebook Ads
The primary difference between advertising on Google Ads and Facebook Ads is found in the channels these ads are displayed on. Facebook Ads are mostly used in paid social campaigns on Facebook, while Google Ads are mostly used in search and display settings.
Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads use PPC advertising. That is, they run pay-per-click ads for businesses and organisations. However, they operate in different settings, and they target their audiences using different methods. Google Ads and Facebook Ads will also target users at different stages in the buyer’s journey.
This intuitively makes sense. When users enter search queries on Google, chances are they’re looking for something specific. As such, Google Ads will be more likely to adapt to users’ specific search terms and search history. They will also target users at the bottom of the marketing funnel.
Meanwhile, Facebook Ads are often displayed during users’ idle, relaxation time. Rather than marketing to people who are intently looking for something, Facebook Ads target people based on their interests, during downtime. As a result, Facebook is advantageous for building brand awareness in your audience, at the top of the marketing funnel.
The Benefits Of Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads have a variety of benefits. These can be broadly grouped into three key categories:
1. Targeted ads
2. Monitoring engagement
3. Generating leads and sales
1. Targeted ads
Facebook Ads offers targeting options that allow you to narrow down your audience. In other words, Facebook Ads ensure that your ads are being seen by people who are more likely to be interested in your product or service.
Facebook Ads gives you a high degree of specificity when it comes to targeting options. You can target users based on their behaviours, job titles, employers, life events, geolocations, and more. You can also orient your results towards custom audiences and lookalike audiences.
To achieve these results, Facebook employs a wide variety of tools. One of these is the Facebook pixel: a piece of code placed on your website, which collects data to help you track conversions. Facebook Pixel helps you to optimise your ads for people who are more likely to take action after viewing your content.
2. Monitoring engagement
Facebook Ads Manager is an intuitive, easy-to-use platform that helps you monitor your progress without hassle.
With Facebook Ads, you’ll be able to view a whole range of data about your ads, including your reach, impressions, and click-through rate (CTR). You’ll also be able to see the results of your A/B testing, to figure out which ad copy and images work best for your business.
A whole range of financial analyses is available to you with Facebook Ads, such as cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rate, and ROAS. This can help you to understand where your money is being best spent.
3. Generating leads and sales
Facebook Ads can be an effective way to generate leads and sales for your business. By including a call-to-action in your ad, you can encourage people to take the next step in your sales funnel. For example, you could include a link to a landing page where people can sign up for your email list or make a purchase.
With a range of retargeting options available, you’ll be able to not only grow your audience but also seal the deal on already-engaged users.
The Benefits Of Google Ads
Advertising on Google Ads can greatly enhance your marketing strategy. In fact, Google Ads are highly complementary to Facebook Ads, as they offer distinct benefits to your marketing strategy.
Google Ads offers many benefits, including:
- Unique targeting options
- User-friendly tracking features
- Straightforward access to multiple campaigns
1. Unique targeting options
Google Ads are extremely effective for reaching people with specific search interests and showing them ads that are relevant to them.
Like Facebook, Google Ads offers a range of targeting options, including keywords, location, age, language, days of the week, times of the day, frequency, and devices. This allows you to fine-tune your strategy based on the unique features of your target demographic.
Options like keywords allow you to refine your ad to generate the most return for people who search with certain words or phrases. Other options, like days of the week, allow you to pinpoint your ads to people when they’re most likely to search for your product.
2. User-friendly tracking features
With Google Ads, you can track how well your ads are performing. This information can help you refine your ad campaigns and ensure that you are getting the most out of your marketing budget.
You can monitor click-throughs and a range of other actions which users make on your website. This might include purchasing a product, downloading an app, or making an order over the phone. All of this information is invaluable when informing your campaign strategy.
Other key elements of data, like cost-per-lead and cost-per-acquisition, help you determine a financial cost-benefit analysis of your marketing budget.
Straightforward access to multiple campaigns
Google Ads offers you tools to easily manage and monitor your accounts.
If you manage multiple Google Ads accounts, a My Client Center (MCC) manager account is a powerful tool for time management and efficiency. It lets you easily view and manage all of your Google Ads accounts from a single location.
You can also manage your Google Ads account offline with Google Ads Editor: a free, downloadable desktop application that allows you to quickly and conveniently make changes to your account. With Google Ads Editor, you can download your account information, edit your campaigns offline, and then upload your changes to Google Ads. You can use Google Ads Editor to manage, edit, and view multiple accounts at the same time, copy or move items between ad groups and campaigns, and undo and redo multiple changes while editing campaigns.
How Do I Budget For Google Vs Facebook Ads?
The short answer is: it depends.
How much you spend on your Google Ads campaign will depend on several factors, including your location, the competition for the keywords you’re targeting, and the types of ads you’re running. Similarly, how much you spend on your Facebook Ads campaign will also depend on factors such as your target audience, the placement of your ad (e.g. in the News Feed or right column), and whether you’re running a video ad or a traditional image ad.
To get a more specific idea of how much you should budget for your Google Ads campaign, try using the Google Ads tool. This tool will give you an estimated range of how much you should be spending based on your selected keywords and other factors.
When it comes to Facebook Ads, you can use the Facebook Ads Pricing Calculator to get an estimate of how much you’ll need to spend on your campaign. This calculator takes into account factors such as your target audience, ad format, and ad placement.
In general, you might end up spending more on Google Ads than Facebook Ads, especially if you’re targeting highly competitive keywords. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the amount you spend on your campaigns is not as important as the return on investment (ROI) you’re getting from them. So, even if you are spending more on Google Ads than Facebook Ads, if you’re seeing a higher ROI from your Google Ads campaign, then it is still worth it.
To get the most out of your budget for both Google Ads and Facebook Ads, make sure you’re using relevant keywords, targeting the right audience, and creating compelling ads that are likely to convert. By doing all of these things, you’ll be able to maximise your ROI and get the most out of your ad spend.
Maximise Your Return On Ad Spend (ROAS)
When it comes to PPC advertising, there are a few key things you can do to help maximise your return on investment. Here are some tips:
1. Make sure your ad spend is aligned with your business goals.
2. Understand what drives ROAS for your business. This could be factors like conversion rate, click-through rate, or customer lifetime value.
3. Test different ad strategies and objectives to see what works best for your business.
4. Use data from your campaigns to constantly improve your ad spend strategy.
By following these tips, you can help ensure that your ad spend is as effective as possible and that you’re getting the most out of your pay-per-click campaigns.
Consider an omnichannel approach
Omnichannel marketing is the coordination of multiple channels — including paid, owned, and earned media — to create a seamless customer experience. By using an omnichannel approach, businesses can provide a more consistent brand message across all channels and touchpoints
If you’re looking to generate the most success with your paid ads campaigns, it’s in your favour to use an omnichannel approach: one that uses both Google Ads and Facebook Ads together.
Google Ads and Facebook Ads are two of the most popular paid advertising platforms. While they both have their unique features and benefits, they also complement each other well. Using them together can help you reach your target audience more effectively and achieve better results for your marketing campaign.
Tailor the Perfect Ad Strategy
Collectively, this sheer number of users on platforms like Google and Facebook offers an immense opportunity to perfect your paid ad strategy. Google Ads and Facebook Ads allow you to connect with your target market, no matter what stage of the buyer’s journey they happen to be at.
Whether you’re building brand awareness, generating leads, or sealing conversions, Google Ads and Facebook Ads can help to get you there. But if you want to get the most out of these platforms, only a team of paid ad specialists will help you secure what you need.
First Page is the best marketing agency for perfecting your paid ads campaign. We can help you to refine your Google Ads and your Facebook Ads, to ensure you generate the most success possible with your budget.
Our team of experts will work with you to understand your business goals and craft a tailor-made ad strategy that is designed to deliver results. We have a proven track record in helping businesses achieve their marketing objectives, and we can do the same for you.
If you’re looking for an agency that can help you take your paid advertising to the next level, then contact First Page today.
