Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: Which Should Your Business Use?

Google Advertising or Facebook Advertising?

As more and more businesses make the move to paid online advertising, two titans of industry have emerged , Facebook (meta) and google ads have quickly gained momentum and eclipsed other paid advertising marketing platforms. But in the Google ads vs Facebook ads war, the question on every business's lips is - Which is better?

What Are Google Ads?

Google search ads are a PPC* advertising marketing method , attached to an ad marketing platform offered  by Google (Alphabet Inc) . The market proposition is that there are 8.5 billion searches every day using Google's Search Engine. Google search ads allow you to show advertising only when the search term is relevant to the product or service your business offers.

Google's platform allows advertisers to bid to display brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, or videos to web users. The USP of Google CPC, Google Display & Google Search Network is that the ads can be tailored to show only when the search term “intent” is commercially viable. Ordinarily Businesses will set there ads to show only when the search contains commercial or transactional intent, essentially the search is looking to make a purchase on a product or service the business offers.

Google also offers a plethora of best-in-class reporting and analytical software, the systems that talk to the google advertising platform are google analytics, tag manager, search console , google optimize and a host of third party integrations.

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What Are Facebook Ads?

Facebook Ads (Meta) are run via Meta Business Suite and are shown within the meta universe. They can be set to show, on both Facebook & Instagram and advertisers can choose to show ads in Facebook's Feed, Facebook Messenger, and non-Facebook apps and websites within the Meta ecosystem. 

They come in a variety of formats including single images, videos, slideshows, and more, and can be targeted to extremely specific audiences. There are now 3bn monthly active users on facebook , this allows for an extremely large pool of social media users to advertise to. Learn more about the different formats and targeting options of Facebook Ads.

How Are Facebook Similar To Google Ads

Facebook Ads and Google Ads have a lot of overarching areas, both ad giants have ad types that allow for display ads (imagery, video and text based ads). The ads are displayed in roughly the same size and both will allow for CTA (Call to action) that ultimately lead the traffic to a conversion method (ecommerce purchase, telephone call or enquiry)

So in essence Google and Facebook ads are identical, in terms of UI (user interface) perspective.

How Google ads differ is down to how, when and why advertisements are shown and the advertising platforms itself.

How are Facebook Ads Different From Google Ads?

So now that you understand exactly what each respective ad type is , the next question is how do they differ?

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Here is a Facebook Ad:

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Here is a Google Shopping Ad:

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The format of the ads is almost identical. This is the most important thing to understand, when considering which platform is better, the answer is subjective and comes down to who, when and why ads are displayed.

This search is loaded with commercial intent, the vast majority of people entering this query will be looking to purchase black Nikes with a pink tick.

Google uses search based queries to control how ad content is delivered, so in order for me to see this the google shopping ads i searched for black nikes with a pink tick. 

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Google uses search based queries to control how ad content is delivered, so in order for me to see this the google shopping ads i searched for black nikes with a pink tick. 

Facebook however has no search query feature, it shows ads to people based on audience. Facebook audiences refer to the pools of people you target when you advertise on Facebook. So the reason i saw the facebook ad, is because whomever is running the ads has decided that my age, group , gender and interests would be a likely purchase of black nikes with a pink tick.

So in summary the biggest disparity between Facebook Ads and Google Ads is the mechanisms the decide on content delivery.

When does Audience Targeting Work Best?

Audience targeting through platforms like Facebook Ads can be extremely effective when your goal is to build brand awareness or connect with potential customers based on specific interests, behaviours, and demographics. It works best in scenarios such as:

Introducing a New Product/Service

If you're launching a new offering, audience targeting allows you to put it in front of highly relevant audiences who may not be actively searching for your solution yet.

Reaching Warm Audiences

 For products/services with longer sales cycles, audience targeting can help you stay top-of-mind with prospects who have already engaged with your brand through website visits, email lists, etc.

Tapping into Niche Interests

Facebook's vast trove of user data enables laser-focused targeting of very specific interests and hobbies that may correlate with your product.

Awareness for Local Businesses

Local businesses can use audience targeting to reach people living in proximity to their physical locations.

Retargeting Website Visitors

Audience targeting enables you to re-engage visitors who didn't convert on their first visit to your website.

When Do Search Queries Work Best?

Search query targeting through Google Ads is often the superior choice when your goal is to capture high-intent commercial traffic from users actively looking to make a purchase. It tends to work best in these situations:

Capitalising on Commercial Intent

Google's system prioritises showing ads to users whose search queries indicate commercial/transactional intent to buy a specific product or service.

Local Services

Searches with geographic qualifiers like "near me" are a strong signal of local intent, making search ads highly relevant.

Time-Sensitive Needs

For products/services people need urgently, like emergency repairs, search ads allow you to instantly show up when those needs arise.

Research/Consideration Phase

While not transactional, informational searches can indicate a user is researching with future purchase intent.

Highly Competitive Industries

For industries where customers routinely compare providers, bidding on high-value keywords can give you visibility amidst the competition.

E-commerce Product Feeds

Integrating your product catalogue with Google Shopping Ads ensures your offers are displayed for highly relevant product searches.

The choice between audience and search targeting often depends on your campaign objectives, audience-insight capabilities, and where your target customers are in their buyer journey.

What's the average Google Ad Spend?

The average Google Ads spend in Ireland can vary greatly depending on several factors such as the industry, target audience, campaign goals, and business size. However, some general guidelines from search results are:

• For small and local businesses in Ireland, the recommended Google Ads budget is typically €1,200 to €6,400 per month. Google ads offers various targeting options to reach the right google users based on their searches.
• For mid-sized businesses in Ireland, the recommended ad spend is around €5,600 to €24,000 per month. Social media advertising on platforms like Facebook can also be effective, with facebook ads offering robust targeting capabilities.
• For enterprise-level businesses in Ireland, the recommended ad spend can range from €16,000 to €40,000 per month, with some spending up to €64,000 per month. These larger budgets allow for comprehensive ad placement across multiple channels, including search results, display networks, and social media ads.

The search results also indicate that the average cost-per-click (CPC) on the Google Search Network in Ireland is typically between €0.80-€1.60, while the average CPC on the Google Display Network is under €0.96. However, CPCs can differ widely depending on the industry, with some industries like legal and insurance having much higher average CPCs.

Pay-per-click advertising, such as Google Ads and Bing Ads, can be highly effective for businesses of all sizes, as they only pay when a user clicks on their ad. However, the effectiveness of these campaigns depends on factors like ad relevance, landing page quality, and overall user experience.

Ultimately, the appropriate Google Ads budget for a business in Ireland will depend on the specific business, its goals, and the competitive landscape of its industry. The key is to start with a reasonable budget, monitor performance metrics, and adjust spending accordingly to maximise return on investment (ROI).

What's the average Facebook Ad Spend?

he average cost per click (CPC) for Facebook ads in Ireland is around €0.84, and the average cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) is around €10.80-€12.50. However, Facebook ad costs can vary significantly based on several factors:

• Industry: Some industries like finance (€3.48 CPC) and business/industrial (€2.22 CPC) tend to have higher costs, while others like food/drink (€0.38 CPC) are lower.
• Geographic location: Costs are highest in regions like Western Europe, and lowest in regions like India.
• Campaign objective: Different objectives like conversions (€1.65 CPC) or traffic (€0.68 CPC) have varying costs.
• Audience targeting: More specific or niche audiences tend to be more expensive to target.
• Seasonality: Costs rise during peak seasons like holidays when competition is higher.

While the overall averages provide a benchmark, the actual costs for a specific Facebook ad campaign can differ substantially depending on the combination of factors involved.

Social media advertising, including Facebook ads and paid social media ads, can be effective for building brand awareness and reaching new customers who are social media users. However, businesses should also consider search engine result pages and text-based ads like those offered by Google Ads and Bing Ads.

Google Ads work by showing text-based ads to google users who are actively searching for relevant products or services. The ad spend for Google Ads can vary, but it offers extensive targeting options to reach the right audience. Paid search marketing like Google Ads and Bing Ads can be especially effective for businesses looking to drive conversions from users actively searching for their offerings.

Ultimately, the decision between social media advertising, pay-per-click campaigns like Google Ads, or a combination of both, will depend on the business's specific goals, target audience, and ad budget. Tracking metrics through tools like Google Analytics can help optimize ad placement and ad spend to maximise return on investment.

How does Google Ad Spend Compare to Facebook Ad Spend?

Google Ad Spend and Facebook Ad Spend have some key differences and similarities:

Costs:

• Google Ads tend to have a higher average cost-per-click (CPC) compared to Facebook Ads. The average CPC for Google Search Network ads in Ireland is €0.80-€1.60, while the average CPC for Facebook Ads is €0.84.
• However, Facebook Ads have a higher average cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) at €10.80-€12.50, compared to Google Display Network's average CPM of under €0.96.

Targeting:

• Both platforms offer robust targeting options, but they differ in their approach. Google Ads primarily targets users based on their search queries and browsing behavior, while Facebook Ads leverages user data, interests, demographics, and online behaviors.
• Google Ads may be more effective for reaching users who are actively searching for products or services, while Facebook Ads can be better for building brand awareness and reaching users based on their interests and profiles.

Ad Formats:

• Google Ads primarily displays text-based ads, while Facebook Ads offer a variety of visual ad formats, including images, videos, and carousel ads.
• The visual nature of Facebook Ads can be more engaging and attention-grabbing, but text-based Google Ads may be more direct and focused on driving conversions.

Industry Variations:

• The costs for both platforms can vary significantly based on the industry. For example, industries like finance and business tend to have higher costs on both platforms, while industries like food and drink tend to have lower costs.

Audience Reach:

• Google Ads can potentially reach a broader audience, as they are displayed to users across various websites and apps in the Google Display Network, in addition to search results.
• Facebook Ads, on the other hand, are limited to the Facebook platform and its associated apps (e.g., Instagram), but they can target users more precisely based on their social media profiles and behaviors.

Overall, while both Google Ad Spend and Facebook Ad Spend can be effective for different business goals and target audiences, the choice between the two (or a combination of both) will depend on factors such as the industry, target audience, advertising objectives, and budget constraints.

So What's better: Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

If you're still asking this question at this point in the article, then you may have misread our article. Although the Google ads and Facebook ads are almost identical in terms of content, their delivery could not be more different.

The question can not be what's better google or facebook ads , the question should be what's better Google or facebook ads for……….

Example 1

Let's say i wanted to bring a new product to market in an established brand , then of course facebook ads are superior, their audience targeting would allow me to target people who have shown an interest in or purchased a similar item, demographics targeting would ensure i was showing advertisements to the most appropriate gender and age, and location targeting would allow me to only show ads in areas where my product is likely to be purchased.

Google ads would be less effective as people couldn't search for a product that they did not know the name of.

Example 2 

Let's say a pipe bursts in my house and water is flooding my hallway. Google would be the obvious option, i could search for a plumber near me and instantly get a list of plumbers, their costs and reviews based on my search query.

In this example Facebook ads would not be appropriate as i would be relying on seeing an ad while scrolling my feed.

Example 3 

Now let's say I was tentatively considering purchasing some new kitchen appliances, i could search online for kitchen appliance and google would be a great resource, but equally Facebook could use cookies to see i was interest in kitchen appliances and hand select appliance ads that would appeal to me - in this example both Google and Facebook ads can work in tandem to generate a conversion.

Google Ads vs Facebook Ads : Which Should You Be Using?

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While the differences between Google Ads and Facebook Ads are distinct, the most effective digital marketing strategy often involves a harmonious blend of both platforms. By harnessing the strengths of paid search and paid social in tandem, businesses can capture audiences at various stages of the buying journey and maximise their overall online presence.

At BubbleHub, we recognise the unique value proposition of each platform and tailor our strategies to align with your specific business goals and target audience. Our team of digital marketing experts excels in creating integrated campaigns that leverage the synergies between Google Ads and Facebook Ads, ensuring you achieve optimal results while delivering an exceptional return on investment.

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Google Ads for Lead Generation and Immediate Sales

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If your primary objective is to drive immediate sales or generate high-quality leads from individuals actively seeking your products or services, Google Ads may be the more effective choice. Its unparalleled reach and ability to target users with high purchase intent make it an ideal platform for capturing customers at the peak of their buying journey.

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By leveraging features like product listing ads (PLAs), shopping campaigns, and highly relevant ad copy, you can showcase your offerings directly in search results, streamlining the shopping experience and significantly increasing click-through rates (CTRs) and conversion rates.

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Facebook Ads for Brand Building and Customer Nurturing

On the other hand, if your focus is on building brand awareness, fostering engagement, and nurturing long-term customer relationships, Facebook Ads could be the optimal solution. With its unparalleled audience targeting capabilities and visually captivating ad formats, Facebook Ads allows you to reach and connect with your ideal customers in their social media environments.

From carousel ads that showcase your product lineup to immersive video ads that tell your brand story, Facebook's ad offerings are designed to capture attention, spark interest, and cultivate lasting connections with your target audience.

Which Works Better for E-commerce?

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There isn't a single "better" platform between Google Ads and Facebook Ads for e-commerce. They both excel in different areas, making them ideal for working together as a powerful one-two punch. 

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Here's a breakdown

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• Google Ads: Imagine a laser targeting a specific audience. Google Ads shines when people are already actively searching for what you sell. It puts your product right in front of ready-to-buy customers.

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• Facebook Ads: Think of a magnetic force attracting potential customers. Facebook Ads excels at brand awareness. It builds relationships, introduces your brand to new audiences, and keeps them engaged, making them more likely to return.

Conclusion

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In our experience, no one platform is ultimately better than the other. They both have their nuanced approach to advertising.

That being said if we had to advise a client with a limited budget on which platform to utilise, it would have to be Google Ads. 

Google Ads is still the market leader and by far the world's most sophisticated and technologically advanced marketing platform on the planet. Its never-ending list of audience, auction and keyword insights allows businesses to reverse engineer the lead process and work out exactly to the cent what that business can afford to spend per lead at any given time. 

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Furthermore, Google Ads Allows Businesses to target users not only based on varying demographics, locations and interests, it supplements that with the ability to show the ad at the exact moment that a user wants to purchase or utilise a business(s) product or service.

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In the Grand scheme of things Google Still holds the cards in both marketing data and user volume. In February 2024 Google's domain Was Visited 84.2 billion times.

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Breakdown of Facebook , Googles, Instagram, Tik Toks & Bings Share Of The Paid Ad Market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How much do Facebook ads cost?

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The cost of Facebook ads varies depending on several factors, such as your target audience, ad placement, bidding strategy, and overall competition for ad space. Facebook uses an auction-based system where advertisers bid for ad placements. The cost is determined by your bid, the quality of your ad, and the competition. On average, Facebook ads can cost anywhere from a few cents to several dollars per click or a thousand impressions.

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How do I get to Facebook Ads Manager?

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To access Facebook Ads Manager, you need to have a Facebook account. Once logged in, you can navigate to the Ads Manager by clicking the drop-down menu in the top-right corner and selecting "Ads Manager" or by visiting www.facebook.com/ads/manager.

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Is Facebook Ads Manager free?

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Yes, Facebook Ads Manager is free to use. However, you'll need to create a Facebook advertising account and set up a payment method to run paid advertising campaigns on Facebook.

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What does Facebook ad Manager do?

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Facebook Ads Manager is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses and advertisers to create, manage, and track their Facebook advertising campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Facebook Audience Network. With Ads Manager, you can set up ad campaigns, target specific audiences, design ad creatives, monitor performance metrics, and optimise your campaigns.

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How much does Google Ads cost?

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The cost of Google Ads is also determined by an auction-based system, where advertisers bid for ad placements. The cost can vary widely depending on the competitiveness of the keywords or placements you're targeting, your bid amount, and the quality of your ads. Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where you pay a certain amount every time someone clicks on your ad. On average, the cost per click can range from a few cents to several dollars or more, depending on the industry and competition.

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Is Google Ads still worth it?

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Google Ads can still be worth it for many businesses, as it provides a powerful platform for reaching potential customers who are actively searching for products or services related to your offerings. However, the effectiveness and profitability of Google Ads depend on various factors, such as your industry, competition, campaign optimisation, and overall marketing strategy. Regularly monitoring and optimising your campaigns is crucial to ensure a positive return on investment (ROI).

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Can I run ads on Google for free?

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No, Google does not offer a free advertising option. All ads on Google's platforms, including Search, Display Network, and YouTube, are paid placements. However, Google provides tools and resources to help businesses create effective online presences through organic search engine optimisation (SEO) and content marketing strategies.

How can I earn money from Google Ads?

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To earn money from Google Ads, you need to join the Google AdSense program, which allows you to display targeted ads on your website, blog, or other online properties. When visitors click on these ads, you earn a portion of the advertising revenue. The amount you can earn depends on factors like the number of visitors, the relevance of the ads, and the cost-per-click (CPC) rates for the ads being displayed.

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Are Google Ads or Facebook ads better?

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There is no definitive answer as to whether Google Ads or Facebook ads are better, as the effectiveness of each platform depends on your specific business goals, target audience, and marketing strategy. Google Ads are generally more effective for reaching users with commercial intent (actively searching for products or services), while Facebook ads excel at building brand awareness and targeting specific demographics or interests.

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Who makes more money from Ads Google or Facebook?

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Google makes significantly more revenue from advertising compared to Facebook. In 2022, Google's parent company Alphabet reported an advertising revenue of 209.5 billion, while Facebook's parent company Meta reported an advertising revenue of 114.9 billion.

Are Facebook ads worth it anymore?

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Facebook ads can still be worth it for many businesses, especially for building brand awareness, reaching specific target audiences, and driving website traffic or engagement. However, the effectiveness of Facebook ads can vary depending on factors such as your industry, target audience, ad creative, and campaign optimisation strategies. Regularly analysing and adjusting your Facebook ad campaigns is crucial to ensure a positive return on investment (ROI).

What is more popular Facebook ad or Google ads?

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Google is generally considered more popular than Facebook in terms of overall usage and reach. As the world's most widely used search engine, Google processes billions of searches daily, while Facebook is primarily a social networking platform. However, Facebook remains one of the most popular social media platforms, with billions of active users worldwide.

What are the best digital advertising platforms?

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Although there are now many different options when considering online advertising the options with the biggest utility and market reach are Google Adwords, Google Display Network (Google Display Ads) and Facebook ads.

What is the google display network?

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The Google Display Network is a collection of websites, videos, and apps where advertisers can place banner ads (ad platforms) through Google Ads. It allows businesses to promote their products and services using visually engaging ad formats across over 2 million websites that are part of this network. The Display Network reaches over 90% of internet users worldwide (google ad).

Do Facebook ads work?

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Yes, Facebook ads can be an effective advertising platform for businesses. With over 2 billion active users (facebook users), Facebook offers a vast audience for targeting and reaching potential customers. Successful Facebook ad campaigns leverage the platform's robust targeting options based on user data, interests, behaviors, and demographics. However, the effectiveness ultimately depends on factors like ad creative, budget, and campaign objectives.

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