AdWords & Facebook Ads, Strategy

Meta Ads vs Google Ads – When to Use Which Platform?

Online advertising is playing an increasingly important role in today’s digital world, allowing businesses to reach a wide audience. In the realm of online advertising, two major platforms, Meta Ads (formerly Facebook Ads) and Google Ads, dominate the market. Both offer powerful advertising tools, but when should you use which platform? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the features and capabilities of both platforms to help you make an informed choice.

Meta Ads - Platform Overview

Meta Ads, based on the social platform Facebook, has a huge user base and offers advanced targeting tools. This is especially attractive for companies that want to reach specific target groups based on user demographics, interests, and behavior. The platform also allows for personalization of ads, which increases the chances of engagement and conversions. An additional advantage is the ability to leverage data from other Meta products, such as Instagram and Messenger.

However, there are some drawbacks to using Meta Ads. Privacy concerns and user trust in the Facebook platform can affect the effectiveness of ads. Additionally, there is high competition among advertisers, which leads to higher advertising costs. Managing campaigns on the Meta Ads platform can also be complicated, especially for beginners.

Google Ads - Platform Overview

Google Ads, the dominant advertising platform in the field of search and contextual advertising, offers a wide advertising reach. Thanks to the large number of users of the Google search engine and advertising network partners, ads can be displayed to potentially millions of people. In addition, Google Ads provides effective tools for analyzing and optimizing campaigns, allowing advertisers to track results and adjust their advertising strategies. The platform supports various advertising formats, which gives more flexibility in creating campaigns. In addition, precise targeting allows you to reach specific audiences.

As with Meta Ads, there are downsides to using Google Ads. In some industries, advertising costs can be higher, especially in a competitive environment. In addition, having to compete with other advertisers for ad positions can be a challenge. Using Google Ads also requires some learning and experience to get the most out of the platform.

When to use Meta Ads and when to use Google Ads?

The Meta Ads platform can be used across a variety of industries and business types. It’s especially effective for community engagement campaigns. If your goal is to build a brand and connect with your users, Meta Ads can be a great tool. Additionally, Instagram and Messenger advertising, which are part of the Meta ecosystem, offer additional opportunities to reach specific audiences.

Google Ads works well across a variety of industries and business types, especially for campaigns involving information searches. If your goal is to reach users who are actively searching for products or services, Google Ads allows you to display ads in response to their searches. Additionally, remarketing display campaigns on the Google Ads platform can be an effective tool for reminding users who have visited your website about your brand.

 

The main difference: The stage in the funnel

The most important difference between Google Ads and Meta Ads is the stage of the funnel that our recipient is in. While Google allows for various ads, including display ads, ads in Gmail boxes, on YouTube, and so on, the most important place is still search ads.

There, we usually target people who are already looking for a solution or product that we offer. On the other hand, Meta ads are primarily an attempt to target people who may be, often in the future, interested in our offer (especially if we do not offer products where we can count on a so-called spontaneous purchase). Ultimately, both platforms can serve our purposes very well, but it is worth distinguishing their features so as to adapt the message to each of them. In a search engine, we usually operate more in a sales-oriented way, while on Facebook we often start by building brand recognition.

This doesn't mean that sales campaigns on Facebook don't happen. However, if we're reaching out to someone who isn't actively looking for our solution, it's worth adapting our message to that.

Ultimately.. it depends.

Both platforms, Meta Ads and Google Ads, have their advantages and disadvantages. When deciding which one to use, it’s worth considering your industry, advertising goals, and audience preferences. Meta Ads offers a huge user base and advanced targeting tools, while Google Ads provides broad advertising reach and powerful analytics tools. The final choice depends on your individual needs and advertising strategy, and often a successful campaign may require using both platforms in the right situations.

Examples of different strategies using Meta Ads and Google Ads might include a branding campaign on Meta Ads and then using Google Ads to reach users who have already shown interest in the brand on Meta. There are many possibilities and combinations that can tailor the ad to individual needs and achieve maximum effectiveness.