Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which One is Best For Your Website?

If you’re a business owner seeking to generate more leads online through paid advertising, you may find yourself wondering which platform is best – Facebook or Google. 

While both are dominant and highly effective digital marketing platforms they do serve different purposes and cater to different audiences. As such, knowing which to choose can be crucial to the success of your advertising campaign and its ability to drive traffic to your website. 

To help determine which of these is best suited to your website, we’ve prepared the following guide comparing Google Ads and Facebook Ads. Providing an introduction to each, we will also analyse a variety of criteria such as targeting, cost, ad formats and more so you can make the most informed choice for your business. 

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Overview Of Google Ads

Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform that displays your ads on Google’s search results pages (SERPS) and its extensive display network. The latter ​​refers to a group of more than 2 million websites, videos and apps where your ads can appear.

Google Ads primarily focuses on intent-based targeting. This means it shows ads to users actively searching for specific products, services or information. In simple terms, when users type in a keyword related to your business, your ad can target them by popping up in their search results. 

Pros of Google Ads

• Capitalises on users' search intent, meaning your ad seeks out someone who is actively looking for what you offer.
• Capable of reaching millions of users via not only websites but apps and videos too.
• Offers a variety of ad formats, including search ads, display ads, video ads (on YouTube), and shopping ads, giving greater choice and flexibility in approach.

Cons of Google Ads

• Google Ads can be more expensive than Facebook Ads. This is especially true if competing for high-intent keywords as this will elevate the cost-per-click (CPC).
• Has a steeper learning curve. Crafting optimised, successful campaigns requires an understanding of Google’s complex platform, making it less beginner-friendly.

Overview Of Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads, which also includes Instagram Ads as part of Meta, is a social media advertising platform that allows businesses to target users based on demographics, interests and behaviours. 

Unlike Google Ads, which targets user intent, Facebook focuses on interest-based targeting, displaying ads to users who match specific criteria. A more suggestive type of marketing, Facebook Ads excel at helping businesses reach users who may not necessarily be searching for a product or service.  

Instead, it shows ads that they are likely to be interested in based on their behaviour, likes, or activities on the platform. In short, ‘here’s something you may like because you looked at or engaged with X, Y, Z’. 

Pros of Facebook Ads

• Provides audience targeting options that allow businesses to segment their audience based on demographics, interests, life events and more. Allowing advertisers to reach very specific groups of users.
• Enables businesses to create visually appealing, compelling, interactive ads with images and videos – making it ideal for companies seeking to build brand awareness and engage creatively with their audiences.
• Generally, Facebook Ads have a lower cost-per-click compared to Google Ads which can be helpful for businesses with smaller advertising budgets.

Cons of Facebook Ads

• Not targeting users who are actively searching for products or services. While you may have precise targeting intent for your ads, your audience may not have immediate purchase intent, potentially making conversions more challenging. 
• Due to the nature of Facebook's news feed, users can become desensitised to ads. This can lower engagement over time and require more regular refreshing of ad campaigns to keep them interested.

Ad Formats – Possibilities & Limitations

Google Ads Formats

Google offers several ad types to choose from, these being:

• Search Ads: your ad will appear at the top of Google’s search results when users search for relevant keywords
• Display Ads: these are visual banner ads that appear on websites within Google’s Display Network
• Shopping Ads: these feature product images, prices and details and are a great option for eCommerce websites.
• YouTube Ads: these are video ads that play before or during YouTube videos

This mixture of available ad formats makes Google Ads a versatile digital marketing solution that allows you to leverage the benefits of different types of customer engagement.

Facebook Ads Formats

Facebook Ads are all centred on visually-driven formats such as: 

• Image Ads: simple photographic ads with compelling visuals and text
• Video Ads: concise and compelling, video ads can be engaging and work well for brand storytelling.

• Carousel Ads: users can scroll through multiple images or videos in a single ad
• Collection Ads: geared towards eCommerce, this format allows users to browse a catalogue within the ad.
• Instagram Ads: often providing access to a more niche audience, if you choose an objective that supports Instagram when you create your Facebook ad, they will automatically appear on Instagram too. 

The emphasis on visual and interactive content makes Facebook Ads ideal for businesses wanting to engage more meaningfully with users rather than just focusing on direct conversions.

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Which Platform Is More Affordable?

Of course, cost can play a huge role in how and where you decide to advertise as a business. 

With both platforms, advertising costs will depend on several factors, such as industry, competition, and targeting options. However, as an indication: 

Google Ads tends to have a higher cost-per-click, especially for high-intent keywords. Despite this, the return on investment (ROI) is often well worth the cost, especially if you are targeting users with strong purchase intent.

Facebook Ads will often have a lower cost-per-click than Google, which can be appealing upfront or when advertising budgets are tight. Yet, while it’s cheaper, conversions can be slower since users are not actively searching for products meaning your ROI may be compromised. 

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So Which Is Best for Your Website?

Ultimately, the answer to this question depends largely on your business goals. 

If your goal is immediate conversions or capturing users with strong purchase intent, Google Ads is likely the best platform for you. Conversely, if your goal is to build brand awareness, engage with potential customers, or market visually appealing products, Facebook Ads may be a better fit.

It’s worth noting too, that there’s no rule saying you have to choose one over the other and many websites find that a combination of both platforms yields the best results. This allows them to leverage the strengths of each and give their business the best chance of success.