So, you want to run ads and are looking at the two major contenders: Google and Facebook. Which will give your business the best ROI? The best way to pick between Facebook Ads vs. Google Ads isn’t about metrics or money, but mindset. The customer intent of these two platforms is wildly different, and failing to understand and plan for it could mean throwing away whole advertising budgets.
The Major Difference is a Matter of Intent
What separates Google and Facebook the most is what users do on it. In marketing, we call this customer intent—sometimes called buyer intent. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are about entertainment, with mainly passive users and no specific need. This is low intent. Search engines like Google Search are high intent: users have a specific question or need and want it resolved.
Google Ads: Great for Urgency & Quick Action
Google Ads are great for businesses that sell services and products that solve specific problems, and are the go-to ad platform for most service-based businesses. Google Ads promote your services above organic results through keyword bidding. This targets customers who are:
- Actively searching for help. Note that this doesn’t mean they are always searching for your service, but the problem your service solves. Make sure your keywords and ad copy include both.
- Want to take action today. You’ll need to make sure your landing pages offer clear action for users to buy products or engage services right now. Include direct Calls to Action and links to the sales team.
Facebook Ads: Great If You Can Catch Attention
Marketing to users on Facebook or Instagram via Meta Ads is different than Google because of the passive nature of users. As you need to capture attention, ads work best when they entertain—through eye-catching spectacle or humor being the most common. You need to:
- Be entertaining. For Facebook Ads, good photography is essential, especially for restaurants or retail. Paired with a bold statement or humor, this helps catch the attention of scrolling users.
- Be interesting. As in, be aligned with the interests of users. If you sell something universal, like tacos, that might be enough, but for more niche services, target ads to audience interests that align with what you sell.
Whether you’ve got questions about your marketing or need help implementing question-answering marketing for your business, Vision can help. We produce websites, write blogs, and focus marketing on driving leads to your sales team (and answering questions for them).
The wrong ads can cost you, but Vision can help with great advertising and marketing support. From optimizing your brand for social media or search to creating (and targeting) the perfect ads, we’re here every step of the way with analysis to adapt to changing conditions. Contact us today to get started, and check out the rest of our Vision blogs, our enVisioning Success podcast, and our downloadable Marketing Strategies Playbook for more great marketing tips.
