Meta ads or Google ads: which should you start with?

The one question that decides it

Are people already typing what you sell into Google? That's the whole difference between the two platforms. Google ads appear when someone searches, so they catch people who already know what they want. Meta ads appear while people scroll Facebook and Instagram, so they reach people who weren't looking for you yet.

Neither is better. They do different jobs, and the right one depends on how your customers buy.

First check whether paid ads are the next step at all

Sometimes the honest answer is neither, yet. Ads bring people to what you already have, so they make problems more expensive rather than fixing them. Sort these out first if any apply:

• Your website or booking page doesn't turn visitors into enquiries, even from people who already know you.
• You can't tell which enquiries came from where, so you couldn't judge an ad if it worked.
• Nobody can reply to new enquiries within a day.
• Your margin can't cover what a customer would realistically cost to win (the budget guide shows how to work that out).

When Google usually makes sense first

• Urgent or high-intent services: a plumber, a lawyer, an accountant, a clinic for a specific treatment. People search, compare and contact someone the same day.
• Local searches with clear wording, such as "dentist in Dubai Marina" or "VAT accountant UK".
• B2B services people actively research, where the buyer is already comparing suppliers.

When Meta usually makes sense first

• Visual products that sell when people see them: fashion, beauty, food, home, gifts.
• New products or new categories nobody is searching for yet.
• Services people don't think to search for until something prompts them, like aesthetics, coaching, courses or events.
• Lead generation, where Meta's instant forms make it very easy to enquire from a phone.

Meta ads run across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Meta's partner apps from one account, so "Meta ads" and "Instagram ads" are usually the same thing.

Why I rarely split a small budget across both

Both platforms learn from results. Meta needs a steady flow of conversions to optimise, and Google's Smart Bidding also learns from your conversion data, with a learning period of its own. My experience is that splitting a small budget, say a hypothetical $1,500 a month, leaves each platform with too little data, so both look disappointing and you can't tell which one would have worked. I explain the maths in how much to spend on Meta ads.

Put the money where your customers already are, get that working and measured, then add the second platform from a position of knowing your numbers.

Two free ways to check before you spend

1. Check search demand. Google's Keyword Planner (free inside a Google Ads account) shows roughly how many people search for your service in your area each month. Very few searches is a strong hint to start with Meta.
2. Look at your competitors' ads. The Meta Ad Library is public and free. Search for competitors and see whether they run ads, how long they've kept them running, and what they say. An ad that keeps running for months is a hint, not proof, that it's working for them.

Compare cost per customer, not cost per click

Google clicks are often more expensive than Meta clicks, which makes Meta look cheaper. That comparison is misleading. A Google click from someone searching "emergency electrician near me" is worth far more than a casual Instagram tap. Compare what each platform costs you per customer, or at least per qualified lead, over a few weeks.

What happens once one platform works

When the first platform brings customers at a cost you're happy with, the second one can help it. Meta can build awareness that later turns into Google searches for your name, and Google can catch people who saw you on Instagram and came back to look you up.

What to ask before you hire someone for either

• Will they start by checking your tracking, offer and follow-up, or go straight to launching ads?
• Which number will they report on: cost per click, cost per lead, or cost per customer?
• Do the ad accounts stay in your name, with your own access?
• What do they need from you each week, and who writes and designs the ads?
• When, and on what evidence, would they tell you to stop or switch platforms?

If you'd like help choosing and planning the first step, that's what a marketing strategy is for.