When it comes down to marketing on the digital front, you will see two giant organisations, Google Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram ads), at the head of the line. Their capabilities allow advertisers to promote to their desired audiences, but they differ significantly in how they operate. In order to select the appropriate advertising strategy for your business, it’s important for you to understand the differences between how Google Ads and Meta Ads operate
This post will provide you with a thorough review of Google Ads compared to Meta Ads, including how they work as well as what each is good and not so good at accomplishing (i.e., what types of marketing goals are best suited for each).
What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads is an advertising programme that can be used by businesses or organisations to get their website on the first page of Google search results and on other Google properties (e.g., YouTube, Gmail). Advertisers use Google Ads to pay for placement of their ads based on the keywords they are interested in (i.e., the keywords will be displayed in the search results, and users who enter those keywords into Google’s search box will see the corresponding ads).
The key strength of Google Ads is intent-based advertising. Ads are shown to users who have a current desire or need for the products or services the advertisers are promoting because the users are currently searching for the specified keyword(s).
Characteristics of Google Ads:
- Advertise and promote through search engines and social media.
- Keyword-based advertising
- Different advertising formats are available, such as search advertising, display advertising, shopping advertising and video advertising.
- Targeting high-intent customers.
- Flexible bidding options to determine your ad budget.
- Monitor and analyse the performance of your advertising campaigns.
Google Ads is a great way for a business to target those consumers who are searching for products or services and are ready to make a purchase or service request.
What Are Meta Ads?
Meta Ads are advertisements that display across the Meta platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network). Unlike Google adverts, Meta Ads are not search intent driven, as they are intended to be targeted towards groups based on the type of interests or demographic information they possess (i.e., the advertisements target the audience according to the type of interests or demographics).
All Meta Ad products are visually based and will show as if they are part of the user’s natural experience, e.g., appearing in their social media feed, stories or reels.
Important Characteristics Of Meta Advertising.
- Ability to effectively target specific audiences (age, behaviours, interests)
- High-quality, visually impactful advertisements (Video & Images)
- Very Effective At Improving Brand Awareness & Engagement.
- Ability to Retarget, Create Lookalike Audiences & Build an Effective Advertising Campaign.
- Cost-Effective Method Of Reaching Large Audiences
Meta Advertising Is An Excellent Method For Building Brand Awareness, Engaging Users & Developing Potential Customers Over A Period Of Time.
Comparison of Meta Ads and Google Ads
- User Intent: Google Ads are targeting users who are already searching for a solution; therefore, they should be mostly used for generating leads and driving direct sales. In contrast to this, Meta Ads can also reach individuals who are not searching but who can potentially be influenced through the use of creative content.
- Targeting Method: Google Ads are very reliant on keywords to target potential customers, whereas the focus of Meta Ads is more reliant on the traits of an audience, such as interests, geographical area, and online behaviour.
- Ad Format: The majority of Google Ads consist of text (especially search ads), while the primary focus of Meta Ads is on visual media (images and video) and interactive formats.
- Cost Structure: Cost per click will vary by industry, but typically, Google Ads will have a higher cost per click than Meta Ads due to the level of competition within the industry. The cost for impressions and engagement with Meta Ads will usually be less than with Google Ads.
What Is The Best Platform For You?
The answer to this question can vary depending on what you want to achieve with your online advertising.
If you are looking for a quick return on investment, Google Ads is likely going to be the best choice for you. Google Ads can provide you with high-quality visitors interested in converting and can track how many conversions you made with Google Ads.
On the other hand, if you want to build brand awareness, connect with potential customers on a deeper level or use visual storytelling to communicate your message, then using Meta Advertising will give you the opportunity to do so.
Some business owners have experienced the best returns from their advertising spend out of using both Google and Meta platforms in conjunction with each other, where they can “capture” the market with Google Ads and “create” demand for products via Meta Ads.
Despite being two powerful digital ad platforms, both Google and Meta have unique strengths. Google has developed its ads platform with the intent of converting users into buyers, while Meta has built its platform to connect brands with future and existing customers and create long-term brand equity.
When you start to understand how the two platforms operate, you can then create digital marketing campaigns that will accomplish your overall marketing concepts and produce long-term results.
