Google Ads (AdWords) vs Facebook Advertising – Which Is the Best?

Like most countries, the most popular online advertising channels in NZ are Google Ads (AdWords) and Facebook (Meta) Advertising. But how do they differ and which is the best option for a small business?

Google advertising and Facebook advertising are quite different and each have their own strengths. They can often be complimentary depending on your type of business, your advertising objectives and the nature of your target audiences.

If you're a Kiwi business owner trying to choose the right platform, this guide will help you understand the key differences and how they can work together to grow your traffic, leads, and sales.

Google advertising: capture demand from people already searching

Google is very much the go-to place we all visit when it comes to searching for information. Often, this activity in Google Search is representative of prospective customers that are already in the buying cycle, and in the process of reviewing brand and product options. This is why search ads in Google are so successful, as they allow you to advertise directly to people that are actively looking for your product and or service.

Pros of Google Ads (AdWords)

1. Taps into existing demand, by allowing ads to target specific search keywords and queries
2. Target by keyword, location, device and more
3. Flexible budget options from as little as $10-15 per day
4. Gain insights into how people search in your industry
5. Ideal for generating leads, phone calls and sales. Provides good volumes of conversions, usually at attractive return rates

Cons of Google Ads (AdWords)

1. Click costs can be costly in highly competitive segments
2. Not effective for cross selling or substitute selling
3. Not great for building awareness if no one is searching yet
4. Complexity of the platform can make it difficult for novice users

For further insights about the effectiveness of AdWords, see our article on Does Google Ads (Adwords) Work.

Facebook advertising: build awareness and target specific audiences

Facebook is very much a social media network whose highly-active members are there to stay in touch with friends and family, and for news and entertainment. In NZ, Facebook has approximately 2.5 million members. Facebook knows a great deal about these members including location, gender, age, interests and much more.

The Facebook advertising platform is more attuned to traditional broadcasting advertising, with one major difference: Facebook allows for ads to be targeted to highly-specific audience segments based on customer profiles, location, interests, behaviours and more.

Pros of Facebook ads

1. Allows the broadcasting of advertising to reach specific audiences in Facebook based on interests, age, location etc.
2. Highly effective at reaching audiences on mobile devices (90% of NZ Facebook users are on mobile)
3. Great range of display ad formats which are very engaging (images, carousels, videos)
4. Flexible budget options from as little as $5-10 per day
5. Cost-effective and relatively cheap, especially compared to traditional media
6. Great for brand awareness, remarketing, and lead generation

Cons of Facebook ads

1. New ads need to be created on a regular basis to keep your ads fresh
2. Advertising platform interface can be confusing
3. Users can comment on your ads which requires management

Why use both Google Ads (Adwords) and Facebook (Meta) ads?

Google Ads is a very effective direct response form of advertising, targeting prospective customers that are searching for your product or service in Google. It is very good at driving new and relevant visitors to your website. Facebook Remarketing can very nicely compliment this process by allowing you to retarget these visitors with your proposition, thereby increasing the chance of a conversion.

If you are maximising your Google Ads opportunity and wanting more traffic and enquiries, then Facebook advertising is normally the next best option. Using both Google Ads and Facebook Advertising will further increase your website traffic by targeting highly relevant audiences with your proposition.

For more information on Facebook Advertising, see our article on Does Facebook Advertising Work.

Need Help Choosing the Right Channel?

Choosing the best advertising platform can be tricky - especially when you're busy running a business. At Adhesion, we specialise in managed Google Ads and Facebook Ads for NZ small and medium businesses, with strategies designed to deliver results - not fluff.

Get in touch today to find the best mix of advertising channels for your goals and budget.