Facebook Ads vs Google Ads

Google Ads is based on intent: the user types a search and the ad appears as a response. This means Google Ads traffic has a high conversion probability because the user is already in the process of finding a solution.

Facebook Ads is based on interest and behaviour: the ad appears in the user’s feed based on their demographic profile, declared interests and online behaviour. It’s ideal for generating awareness, educating the market and creating demand where none previously existed.

Google Ads targets primarily by keywords (what the user searches), with additional layers of location, device, schedule and audiences. Keyword targeting is extremely precise but limited to existing search volume.

Facebook Ads offers demographic targeting (age, gender, location), interest-based targeting (hobbies, tastes), behavioural targeting (online purchases, devices) and lookalike audiences (people similar to your best customers). It’s superior for reaching specific audiences before they search.

Google Ads on Search is fundamentally text-based: headlines, descriptions and extensions. Visual formats live in Display and Shopping. Facebook Ads is a natively visual platform: images, videos, carousels, Stories, Reels and Instant Experiences dominate.

For products with a strong visual component (fashion, home decor, food, travel), Facebook Ads typically generates better engagement. For professional services or products with high search intent, Google Ads is more efficient.

Average CPC on Google Ads varies enormously by industry: from €0.50 in low-competition niches to over €15 in insurance, legal or fintech. On Facebook Ads, CPCs tend to be lower (€0.20–€2), but user intent is lower, which can reduce conversion rates.

What matters is not CPC but CPA (cost per acquisition) and ROAS (return on ad spend). A high CPC on Google Ads with a high conversion rate can be more profitable than a low CPC on Facebook Ads with a low conversion rate.

Google Ads is the priority choice when search demand exists for your product or service, when the purchase cycle is short and the user knows what they’re looking for, or when your product solves an urgent problem people actively search for.

Facebook Ads is superior for building brand awareness, launching new products, impulse or highly visual products, targeting by specific demographic or interest profiles, and remarketing campaigns with impactful creatives.

The most successful brands don’t pick one or the other: they combine both platforms in a full-funnel strategy. Facebook Ads generates awareness and qualified traffic at the top of the funnel, Google Ads captures the demand generated when the user actively searches, and remarketing on both platforms closes the conversion.

The key is measuring each channel’s contribution to the final outcome, not evaluating each platform in isolation. Multi-touch attribution tools and media mix models help you understand the real impact of each investment.