Regarding paid media, Google Ads and Facebook Ads are the most commonly discussed. If you’re just starting, how can you know what’s best for your business? It’s helpful to know the key differences between Google and Facebook ads, so you can leverage these platforms to get the best results for your business. Continue reading to learn a few of these platforms’ critical differences and find the best fit for your business!
Search Intent vs. Awareness
Search intent is the most significant difference between Facebook and Google ads. Regarding Google ads, searchers are explicitly searching for a service or business. On the other hand, Facebook shows users ads based on their interests. It is safe to say that Facebook ads focus on brand awareness and Google ads are a pull marketing strategy. Google search aims to show an ad that matches precisely what people are searching for. By doing so, you match the search intent and will hopefully increase your click-through and conversion rates for your ads.
Facebook enables you to advertise to people who aren’t necessarily searching for your product, but they still get exposed to your ad. This is where Facebook ads reign superior. They are a great way to generate awareness and interest in your product. If people don’t know you exist, they can’t be interested in what you have to sell and won’t search for your product or brand.
Google search ads are great for targeting people when they’re specifically searching for your product. Facebook Ads are a great way to generate awareness for your product with people who may not even know you exist.
The Biggest Strengths for Each Platform
Google AdWord’s strength has to do with what was previously mentioned- search intent. With Google ads, you focus on using terms that allow you to target people at a specific point in their buying process. If a consumer is looking for roofing services, you can advertise your business as one of the first on the results page if you use the correct keywords. The first search indicates a user in research mode, while the second shows a higher buying intent. With search ads, you can advertise accordingly, target people interested in what you’re selling, and get the right offer in front of them to match where they are in the buying process.
Facebook’s biggest strength is its powerful targeting options. You can target users on things such as age, interests, location, and more. If you know that most of your customers are avid readers of a specific magazine or newsletter, you could even target people who like those pages on Facebook. The targeting can be as precise or loose as you prefer, allowing you to only show ads to people that match your targeting profile. This feature can be handy and powerful if you know your target audience.
The Difference in $ Spent
Another factor that you’ll want to consider is the cost per click on each platform. For Google ads, you can spend more than $100 per click in competitive industries, but Facebook can cost as little as $0.25 per click, depending on the CTR and targeting factors. Cost per click tends to be lower on Facebook than on AdWords. You must measure both channels to ensure you get the best advertising money return. Facebook is an excellent platform for many businesses due to the lower cost per click, but you should always measure the cost per acquisition to know where you’re getting the better return!
Benefits of Facebook Ads
Facebook allows you to have further access to more customers. You may have a better cost per acquisition on Google, but after a while, you could realize that there are only so many people searching for your specific services. This is where Facebook comes into play. It gives you access to a broader audience and more extensive reach. This is why many people choose to have a mix of both in their marketing. Another powerful advantage of Facebook ads is retargeting ads. Google also has a retargeting option, but statistics show that Facebook retargeting results in the highest conversion rate, boosting engagement by 300%.
How We Can Help
No Time for Social provides digital marketing solutions for small to mid-sized businesses. You get expertise in digital marketing and Facebook ads that will increase revenue and leads when you work with us. Having produced hundreds of leads for our clients, we are your top-choice agency!
Contact us today to start running successful ads for your business!
