When a small business decides to try paid advertising, the first question is usually where to spend: Google or Facebook and Instagram? Both can work. Both can also waste money quickly if they are used for the wrong job.
The simplest way to choose is to understand the difference in how people use each platform. This guide explains that difference, which types of local business tend to suit each one and how to decide where to start.
The key difference: searching vs scrolling
Google Ads mainly reach people who are already searching. Someone types “emergency plumber Berwick” or “kitchen renovation quote Pakenham”, and your ad appears alongside the results. They have a need right now, and they are actively looking for someone to meet it.
Facebook and Instagram ads reach people while they scroll. They weren’t looking for you, but your ad can catch their attention because of who they are, where they live or what they are interested in. You are creating interest rather than capturing it.
That one difference shapes almost everything else: the kind of business that suits each platform, the type of ad that works and how quickly you can expect results.
When Google Ads tends to suit
Google is usually the stronger starting point when people search for what you do at the moment they need it. That includes:
- Urgent services, such as plumbers, electricians, locksmiths and tow trucks.
- Planned services people research, such as renovations, accountants, dentists and physios.
- Specific products people search for by name or type.
With Google Ads you generally pay when someone clicks your ad. Costs depend heavily on your industry and area. Competitive local services can be expensive per click, which makes it important to choose search terms carefully and exclude irrelevant ones.
A good landing page matters a lot here. Someone who searched for a specific service should land on a page about that service, with an easy way to call or enquire.
When Facebook and Instagram ads tend to suit
Meta’s platforms usually work better when people don’t search for what you offer, or when you are showing something visual and new. That includes:
- Visual products and experiences, such as cafés, restaurants, fashion, beauty, events and attractions.
- Offers and launches, such as a new opening, a seasonal special or a limited-time package.
- Services people don’t know they want yet, where showing before-and-after results creates demand.
- Retargeting, reminding people who have already visited your website or engaged with your page.
Facebook and Instagram ads depend heavily on the creative. Real photos and short videos of your work usually outperform generic images. Our guide to how much to spend on Facebook and Instagram ads covers budgets and testing in more detail.
A quick way to decide
Ask yourself three questions:
- Do people search for what I sell when they need it? If yes, Google is likely the better first step.
- Is what I sell easy to show in a photo or short video? If yes, Facebook and Instagram have more to work with.
- Do I need enquiries this week, or am I building awareness over time? Search ads usually produce faster, more direct enquiries. Social ads often build demand over a longer period.
Many businesses end up using both: Google to catch people who are ready to buy, and Meta to build awareness and bring past visitors back.
Don’t forget the free options
Before paying for clicks, make sure the free foundations are in place. A complete, well-managed Google Business Profile can bring in local calls and direction requests without any ad spend. Our Google Business Profile guide and local SEO guide cover the basics.
Paid ads work best on top of those foundations, not instead of them.
Mistakes to avoid on either platform
- No tracking. If you can’t see which ads lead to calls and enquiries, you can’t tell what is working.
- Sending everyone to the home page. Match the landing page to the ad.
- Spreading a small budget too thin. Start with one platform and one clear campaign, then expand.
- Judging too early. Give campaigns enough time and budget to produce meaningful results.
- A website that doesn’t convert. Ads bring people to your site. The site has to do the rest. See our guide to why websites get visitors but no enquiries.
Our rule of thumb
If customers search for you when they need you, start with Google. If customers need to see you to want you, start with Facebook and Instagram. Whichever you choose, set up tracking first, start small and judge results on enquiries and sales rather than clicks.
Not sure where to start?
Madexify plans and manages paid advertising for small businesses across Pakenham, Officer, Beaconsfield, Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Clyde and Bunyip. We will look at how your customers find you and recommend the platform that fits, even if that means starting with your free listings first. See our digital marketing services, or contact us to talk about advertising.
This article is part of our Online Advertising Guide. Browse all our guides on the guides page.
