Should a local business use Meta Ads or Google Ads?
Use Google Ads first when customers search for what you sell, such as repairs, legal help or dental care, because you reach people at the moment they need you. Use Meta Ads when you need to create demand, such as a new restaurant, a sale or a visual product. Many local businesses run Google for leads and Meta for awareness and remarketing.
Quick comparison
| Google Ads | Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) | |
|---|---|---|
| Intent | High: people are searching | Lower: people are scrolling |
| Strength | Calls and enquiries now | Reach, visuals, offers, remarketing |
| Typical cost per click | Higher | Lower |
| Creative needed | Text, some images | Strong images and short video |
A simple starting split
For a service business with urgent demand, start with most of the budget on Google Search and a small Meta remarketing campaign for people who visited your site. For a product or experience people do not search for yet, flip it and let Meta build demand while Google captures the searches it creates.
Proof from our own clients
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Founder of Luceds, with 7+ years in paid search, SEO and web projects. Runs Google Ads, SEO and website projects for service businesses and online stores in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.
More about Shivam Singh