Google or Facebook Ads? When Google Ads and When Meta Ads Bring You More Customers

I've been reading up again on the problems people are dealing with. This time, within a few days, the same question kept coming up, just in different industries: Google or Facebook ads? Where should a tight budget go when you can't afford to bet on the wrong horse?

The usual answer online is "it depends." That's true, but it helps nobody. So I'm looking at three real cases and working out what really matters. Up front, so you know where I stand: Plaith specialises in Meta Ads, meaning Facebook and Instagram. Even so, you'll find situations in this article where Google is the better choice. That's part of an honest answer.

Case 1: The Dermatologist Whose Customers Can't Find Him

In r/smallbusiness, a dermatologist describes his small online platform for consultations and prescriptions for hereditary hair loss in men (see the original post). The treatment is prescription-only in his country, which is why it needs him as a doctor.

So far his patients have come mainly through Instagram. He runs Meta Ads with before-and-after images. His problem: many of the people who see the ads don't have hair loss at all. And many who do have it don't know the proven treatment yet. They believe in herbal remedies or think a hair transplant is the only way. Those who already know what they need search on Google. But his site only shows up on pages 3 to 5 there. His summary: a good offer that people search for, but that is hard to find.

Case 2: The Hand Cream and the Clicks Without Sales

In r/Google_Ads, someone who looks after their brother-in-law's small premium hand cream brand writes about their experience (see the original post). From January to October 2026, around $11,700 went into Google Ads, and around $4,000 in Shopify sales were attributed to it. The same period the year before looked similar.

The details are instructive. Before Black Friday last year, someone had added "free" keywords with broad and phrase match and then disappeared. The keyword "dry skin cream" alone cost over $1,100 from July to October, brought 1,775 clicks and not a single recorded purchase. The actual search terms ranged as far as Vaseline, body lotions and general products for dry skin. Most of the identifiable purchases came through searches for the brand name. On top of that, "add to cart" was set as the primary conversion (since corrected), and since May the bidding strategy had been running on maximize clicks. Now the team is thinking about raising the budget again, but doesn't want to burn any more money.

Case 3: The Tree Surgeons with the Empty Weeks

Also in r/smallbusiness, two brothers talk about their tree surgery and landscaping business near Rugby in England, founded in January 2026 (see the original post). They have a website, a Google Business Profile, Facebook and Instagram. Even so, it swings a lot: some weeks bring a few enquiries, others almost none. Online they find contradictory advice, so they ask about local SEO, about the Google profile and about whether Google Ads are worth it on a small budget. They explicitly aren't looking for shortcuts.

Google or Facebook Ads: The Real Difference

All three cases revolve around the same core. Google and Meta are not interchangeable ad spaces; they work with two different kinds of customers. By Google I mean search ads here. Google Ads also includes YouTube, display and other formats that reach people who aren't actively searching too.

Google captures existing demand. Someone types "tree removal near me" or the name of a treatment. The person knows what they want and is looking for a provider. Whoever is at the top here gets people with buying intent. But only as many as actually search.

Meta creates demand. On Facebook and Instagram, nobody is searching for you. You show up between holiday photos and videos from friends. In return, you reach people who have your problem but don't yet know there's a solution, or who would never have searched for it. The ad therefore has to explain before it can sell.

That's exactly what you see with the dermatologist. His Meta ads reach people who don't know the solution yet. That isn't a mistake on Meta's part, it's the job of the ad: it has to close the knowledge gap first, for example with a short video explaining why herbal remedies rarely work for hereditary hair loss and what alternative there is before a transplant. At the same time, he's right: the people who are already searching are the ones he finds on Google. So for him the answer isn't "either/or" but a question of sequence. Important in his case: advertising for prescription-only treatments is heavily regulated on both platforms and in many countries. He needs to check that beforehand.

Google Ads Not Making Sales? Three Typical Causes

The hand cream case shows why "Google brings buyers" only holds under certain conditions.

1. Keywords that are too broad. Someone searching for "cream for dry skin" often wants the cheapest product at the drugstore, not a premium brand. The clicks are real; the buying intent for exactly your product is missing.
2. The wrong goal. If the cart counts as the primary conversion, the algorithm optimises for people who like putting things in the cart. The main goal should be the purchase. And "maximize clicks" buys you exactly that: clicks.
3. No demand for you. That most purchases came through the brand name is a hint: Google mainly collected people who already knew the brand. New demand for an unknown premium cream hardly arises there, because hardly anyone is searching for it.

For a product you have to see and explain, this is a classic case for Meta: a video that shows how the cream feels and who it's made for creates the demand that Google later picks up as a brand search.

Meta Ads vs Google Ads for Local Service Providers

For the tree surgeons, I'd set the order differently. Someone who needs a tree taken down searches actively, and locally. So first get the free things right: a complete Google Business Profile, real photos of jobs, regular requests for reviews, and services and locations named clearly. After that, small Google ads tightly limited to the surrounding area can make sense for very specific searches.

Meta plays a different role for local tradespeople. Hardly anyone thinks of cutting back the hedge on their own in spring. A short before-and-after video from the neighbourhood reminds exactly the people who need it, and so fills the empty weeks when nobody is searching. You'll find more on this in the article Getting Customers in the Trades.

The Decision in Four Questions

If you have to choose between Google Ads and Facebook Ads, answer these questions:

1. Are people already actively searching for your solution? If so, Google is worth a look. If hardly anyone is searching, you won't find enough customers there.
2. Do people have to see or understand your offer to want it? Then Meta with videos is usually the stronger channel.
3. Are you measuring real results? Count purchases, calls or enquiries, not clicks or carts, and check the numbers against your actual orders.
4. Is your budget enough for both? With a small budget, rather start properly with one channel than halfway with two. How to set your budget is covered in the article Calculating Your Ad Budget.

What You Gain

You're sitting in front of your ad account, the budget is modest, and every euro that goes in the wrong direction hurts. You hear different opinions everywhere and wonder whether the problem is the platform or you.

When you know whether your customers search or first have to discover you, you spend your budget where it brings customers.

Here's what you gain:

• Less burned money. You spot clicks without buying intent sooner and stop them before they add up over months.
• A clear first step. Instead of testing two channels half-heartedly, you set up one properly and have reliable numbers after a few weeks.
• More calm in decisions. When you measure what really counts, you no longer have to rely on gut feeling or the opinion in the last forum you read.

Which channel wins in the end depends on your offer, your market and your ads. No article can promise you that, but you now make the decision with open eyes.

What This Looks Like at Plaith

Plaith focuses on Meta Ads, meaning advertising on Facebook and Instagram, for the self-employed and small businesses. At Plaith, 6 specialists, combining people and AI, take care of videos, ad messaging and campaign management, from €26 a day plus a one-time setup. For offers that people need to see and understand, that's our home turf.

If you're unsure whether Meta is the right channel for your offer, book a short call with René. We'll look at it together and tell you honestly if Google or a completely different route fits you better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Is Better: Google or Facebook Ads?

Neither across the board. Google is strong when people are actively searching for your solution. Facebook and Instagram are strong when you first have to create demand and can show your offer well in images or videos.

Are Facebook Ads Cheaper Than Google Ads?

Click prices vary widely by industry and audience, and the click price alone says little. What matters is what a customer costs you. So compare the cost per purchase or per enquiry.

Why Are My Google Ads Not Bringing Sales?

Common reasons are keywords that are too broad, a wrong conversion goal such as the cart instead of the purchase, a bidding strategy set to clicks and too little search demand for your specific offer.

Can I Combine Google Ads and Meta Ads?

Yes, and for many businesses that makes sense in the long run: Meta creates interest, Google catches the later searches. With a small budget, though, start with one channel.