Google Ads captures active demand — showing ads to people who are actively searching for your product or service. Facebook Ads creates demand — showing ads to people who match your target audience profile but may not be actively looking. Google Ads is best for businesses where potential customers actively search (legal, healthcare, professional services, home services, B2B). Facebook Ads is best for visually compelling products, brand building, lifestyle brands, and businesses with defined demographic audiences who may not yet know they need the product. Most effective digital marketing programmes use both.
The Google vs Facebook debate misunderstands how these platforms work. Google and Facebook Ads do not compete for the same function — they operate at different stages of the customer journey. Google captures existing intent; Facebook generates new intent. A business that runs only Google Ads may have efficient conversions but limited demand generation. A business that runs only Facebook Ads may have strong brand awareness but fewer bottom-funnel conversions. The combination typically outperforms either alone.
When to prioritise Google Ads
- High-intent products or services where customers actively search before buying (solicitors, dentists, plumbers, accountants, B2B software)
- Service businesses where 'near me' and location-specific searches are the primary discovery channel
- Emergency or immediate-need services (locksmiths, emergency plumbers, same-day couriers)
- High-consideration purchases where buyers research extensively (financial products, enterprise software)
- Businesses with proven search demand — keyword research shows significant monthly search volume for target terms
When to prioritise Facebook/Meta Ads
- Visually compelling consumer products where product imagery drives desire (fashion, food, home decor, beauty)
- Lifestyle brands where audience affinity and inspiration drive purchase
- Product launches introducing something people do not yet know to search for
- Remarketing to warm audiences who have visited the website but not converted
- Lookalike audience prospecting from customer lists — Meta's similarity matching is sophisticated
- B2C brands targeting specific demographic profiles (new parents, homeowners, fitness enthusiasts)
UK Facebook Ads CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) are typically £5-£15 for consumer audiences. UK Google Ads CPCs vary from under £1 for low-competition terms to £50+ for competitive professional services keywords. Comparing CPC to CPM directly is not meaningful — the right comparison is cost per acquired customer in each channel. For most B2B and professional services businesses, Google Ads delivers lower CPAs. For consumer brands with visual creative and defined demographics, Facebook Ads often delivers lower CPAs for awareness and top-funnel objectives.
Yes, but with a limited budget (under £2,000/month), focus on one platform first to accumulate enough data and conversion history for meaningful optimisation. Which platform to start with depends on your business type — service businesses with active search demand should start with Google; product businesses with strong visual creative should start with Facebook. Once one channel is optimised and performing predictably, add the second channel to expand reach and test the demand generation and intent capture combination.