Meta Ads vs Google Ads — which one is right for your business?

The question "should I run Google Ads or Meta Ads?" comes up in almost every advertising conversation. The answer is almost always "it depends" — but the factors it depends on are consistent enough to give you a useful framework.

The fundamental difference

Google Ads captures existing demand. Someone searches for "emergency plumber Málaga" — they already know they have a problem and they're actively looking for a solution. Your ad shows up, they click, they convert. The buying cycle is short.

Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram) creates demand. Someone is scrolling through photos of their friends' holidays. Your ad interrupts them. They weren't looking for what you sell. You have to create interest, then nurture it, then convert — which takes longer.

This distinction drives almost every tactical recommendation that follows.

When to start with Google

Start with Google Ads if:

People search for what you sell. If someone who needs your service would naturally type something into Google, that's where they are. Plumbers, accountants, dentists, solicitors, recruitment agencies, tutors — the purchase intent is there and Google captures it.

Your sales cycle is short. For purchases that happen within hours or days of first contact, Google's high-intent traffic converts efficiently. For complex B2B sales with a 6-month cycle, the quick-close benefit of Google diminishes.

Your budget is limited. A €500/month ad budget goes further on Google than Meta if purchase intent is high. You're paying for people who already want what you're selling.

When to start with Meta

Start with Meta Ads if:

Your product needs to be seen to be understood. Jewellery, clothing, home décor, food products, experiences — visual discovery is a genuine purchase pathway. Google Ads for a candle company makes less sense than Meta's visual feed.

You're building a brand. Meta is better for reach, awareness, and the kind of repeated visual exposure that builds brand recognition over time. Google Ads mostly reach people who already know a product category exists.

You have a strong offer that would interest someone who's not actively looking. A genuinely compelling deal — a limited discount, a new product launch, an event — can work well as an interruption if the offer is strong enough.

The combination that tends to work well

For most businesses that can afford both:

• Google Ads for bottom-funnel (people searching for exactly what you sell)
• Meta Ads for retargeting (showing ads to people who've already visited your website or engaged with your content)

Retargeting on Meta is high-ROI because you're showing ads to people who've already self-selected as interested. The audience is small but warm. This is usually the first Meta use case worth investing in, even for businesses that primarily use Google.

What neither platform does well

Both platforms struggle with:

• Very niche B2B audiences (fewer than ~100,000 people in your addressable market)
• Products in categories where there's no established search demand and no visual appeal
• Businesses where the sale requires extensive relationship-building

For these, content marketing, outbound, and partnerships often outperform both paid channels.

A starting framework

1. Check whether people search for what you sell — go to Google Keyword Planner, enter your main service or product, and look at monthly search volume for your area. If there's meaningful volume, start with Google.
2. If volume is low or you're visual-first, start with Meta.
3. Add retargeting once you have consistent website traffic (500+ visitors/month is a reasonable minimum).
4. Run both at scale once you have proven economics on at least one channel.

Our advertising service includes both platforms, plus the analytics infrastructure to measure cross-channel performance properly. If you're not sure which to start with for your specific business, book a 20-minute call and we can look at the data together.