Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: which should you start with

By Sal, SS Consulting

Search intent versus social discovery

Google Ads shows up when someone is already searching for what you offer. They've typed in a problem or a product, and your ad meets them at that exact moment. Facebook and Instagram Ads work differently: nobody's searching for you, so the ad has to earn attention and interest from someone scrolling their feed. Neither approach is better in general. They're suited to different situations.

When Google Ads usually makes more sense

• People actively search for what you offer, like "plumber near me" or "commercial lease attorney"
• Your service solves an immediate, recognized need
• You want leads that are already close to ready to buy or hire

When Facebook and Instagram Ads usually make more sense

• Your product or service isn't something people actively search for by name
• Visuals do a lot of the selling, like a physical product or a lifestyle service
• You want to build awareness with an audience that doesn't know they need you yet

What actually happens when businesses guess wrong

The most common mistake is running Facebook Ads for a service nobody's heard of, with no prior awareness, and expecting search-level intent. Cold audiences on Facebook need more time and more creative testing before they convert. The second most common mistake is running Google Ads for a service with very low or no search volume, which just means the budget sits there with almost no impressions to show for it.

The honest answer

If people are already searching for what you do, start with Google Ads. If they're not, but your service or product is visually compelling and clearly explained in a few seconds, start with Facebook and Instagram. Many businesses eventually run both, since they solve different parts of the funnel, but the right starting point depends entirely on how your customers actually look for you.