Tech Giants: Google and Facebook are the two big names that pop up in everyone’s mind while discussing online marketing. No matter what your business type is, they are someone to look up to if you’re serious about taking the big leap in your business growth and profitability. While many are well-versed with the credibility of these brands, not everyone understands the effectiveness of Google Ads and Facebook Ads, leaving them unsure about which option to go with. Read ahead as we uncover what exactly both these advertising platforms are and what benefits they bring to the table that will help you choose the right alternative for yourself.
What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a form of PPC marketing in which paid ads appear on Google’s SERP, on Google’s Search Partners’ websites, and on Google Display Network. Under it, advertisers pay Google to advertise their product and service listings and videos as a form of brief advertising. Targeted keywords are the basis of this pay per click advertising, through which the ads are displayed alongside the search results of certain queries. Each time an online user clicks on the ad, the advertiser is charged a chosen amount of money, making its name “pay-per-click” advertising.
What Are Facebook Ads?
Facebook ads are also a form of PPC advertising. It’s just that the ads appear on Facebook instead of Google. Call it a “paid social” in which businesses find their new customers based on individual interests and likings and not the basis of keywords. Facebook ad format includes images, videos, slideshows, and carousels, and they appear on places such as Facebook Messenger, Facebook’s Feed, Facebook Marketplace, Video Feeds, Instagram, non-Facebook apps, and websites within the Meta ecosystem.
Advantages Of Using Google Ads
Google has a massive reach but that’s not all regarding how it is advantageous compared to other forms of online advertising. Being the world’s most popular and most used search engine, it secures over 8 billion search queries every day. Google’s advertising is divided into two parts: the search network and the display network. Using the search network, the advertisers can target their audience by bidding on multiple keywords, while the display network allows them to expand their reach to almost 90% of the World Wide Web.
1. Wide Audience Reach
Compared to any advertising platform, Google has the largest audience with it, processing around 97,000 queries each second. This highlights the remarkable reach that this marketing giant has. And not to forget, Google Ads extends beyond the SERP, helping your ad reach across multiple Google properties and Google’s Display Network as well. This increases the chances of a casual browser becoming a potential customer.
2. Multiple Ad-formats
Over the years, Google Ads have evolved so much, allowing users to target their audience using multiple available ad formats. As an advertiser, you get so many additional resources, such as ad extensions, site link extensions, location extensions, price extensions, call extensions, and social proofing such as user reviews, allowing you to tailor your advertising. The possible ad options that you get with Google Ads are:
- Search Ads
- Display Ads
- Shopping Ads
- App Ads
- Local Ads
- Discovery Ads
- Gmail Ads
- Call-Only Ads
- Smart Ads
- Video Ads
- Responsive Search Ads
- Remarketing Ads
3. Attracting Buyers with High Intent
Google Ads are a great marketing measure to attract a large number of potential buyers with a high buying intent. It allows you to target a certain set of keywords that are related to your offered products/services, allowing people searching for the same to find you conveniently. Moreover, the ads appear at the top of search results, which further boosts your chances of securing customers.
4. Effective Campaign Management
Google Ads allows you to target people based on their interests, age, gender, location, device, and search history as well. You can see how many people have clicked on your ads and what action they have taken afterward. Managing and monitoring results is also quite simple, as with the availability of the My Client Center (MCC) manager account that comes with the Google Ads module. As an advertiser, you are free to test out different ad types to choose the one that works the best. In comparison to other paid marketing modes, it allows you to control your spending on different ad campaigns.
Advantages Of Facebook Ads
First launched in the year 2007, Facebook ads is now a prominent advertising platform that has been refined a lot over the years. As the most trafficked social media platform, with over 14 billion monthly visits, FB ad campaigns offer a significant competitive advantage over both Google Ads and traditional search engine optimization marketing services. In today’s age, Facebook advertising has become an essential part of the online marketing strategies of many businesses.
1. Targeting Specific Groups
As of now, there are around 3.07 billion monthly active users on Facebook. These numbers growing continuously show the potential that this platform has for advertising. They allow targeting flexibility in a lot of ways using which an advertiser can target their audience based on factors like demographics, age, gender, interest, behaviors, search patterns, and more. One big functionality tool that Facebook ads have is “lookalike audiences” which allows advertisers to upload customer data to find new potential customers similar to their current ones.
2. Great ROI
Facebook is one of the most budget-friendly advertising platforms available today. This makes it an excellent choice of marketing for small organizations that aren’t big enough, allowing them to spend only what’s required. By using the right set of strategies and optimizing your campaign, you can efficiently achieve great ROI on the invested amount.
3. Visually Appealing Ads
Nobody likes unattractive ads. It rarely inspires them to take action to make a purchase. Luckily, Facebook ads, through its various ad formats, allow you to present ads that are not only visually engaging but also informative for your audience. They are so well integrated into the platform that it hardly affects an individual’s user experience. It’s up to you whether you want a single image embedded in your ad or want to opt for a video, slideshow, carousel, or story-based ad.
4. Cost-Effective Marketing
Facebook ads give you flexible budgeting options, making it easier for you to set a budget and maintain it until it suits your needs. From time to time, you can see the performance metrics and consider whether to continue with the same plan or opt for something different. Being a PPC model of marketing, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Plus, Facebook’s CPC rate is much lower as compared to Google, allowing you to experiment with different ad types and strategies. This is good for those who are just getting started with paid advertising.
So Which One To Choose? Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
While many experts point at the view of using both marketing mediums as a complement of each other instead of a competitor, in actuality, there’s a lot that you need to consider while choosing an alternative. Begin with seeing what your business goals and aspirations are for the business. See where you want to see it in the future. Whether it’s quick customer acquisition and driving in more sales that you want or you are aiming to build an audience and a brand name for yourself. Consider your budget—how much and how often can you spend?
Google Ads are great for those who already have a presence in their industry but are struggling to secure new customers. Often it comes with a much higher CPC than what’s charged in Facebook ads, but the results are great indeed. Google Ads gives you access to almost 90% of the global online audience, helping you overcome the challenges you might be facing. On the other hand, Fb ads as paid social media marketing are recommended for those who are new to their field and are looking for measures to build their credibility and brand awareness to compile a strong audience for themselves while spending a minimum of money.
In Summary
We at DexDel, understand the cruciality of online advertising as a means of achieving business goals and reaching new heights. Both Google Ads and Facebook Ads have their own set of pros and cons that often make it difficult for people to choose an option between them. It’s on your part to see whether to use both of these marketing strategies together or want to proceed with using only one. What we suggest is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each option that would put you in a better position to make a more informed decision, as no platform is right or wrong.