Google Ads vs Meta Ads: What’s Right for Your Business?

When businesses start thinking about digital advertising, the question they often have is: Google Ads or Meta Ads, which one should we choose?

It’s a fair question. Both platforms offer powerful targeting tools and reach. But how they work, where they show up, and the kind of results they drive are very different. And it’s important that businesses make an informed choice so that they get the best return on their advertising investment.

At Substrate Media, we help clients navigate this decision every day. This guide will help you understand how Google Ads and Meta Ads differ, when each is appropriate, and what to watch for if you're planning to invest in either.

What Are Google Ads?

Google Ads (formerly AdWords) are a form of PPC (pay-per-click) advertising where you bid on keywords to show up in search results, YouTube, or across the Google Display Network.

It’s intent-driven which means your ad appears when someone searches for something specific, like “emergency plumber Brisbane” or “tax accountant for small businesses.” That makes Google Ads especially effective for capturing demand that already exists.

What Are Meta Ads?

Meta Ads are paid ads that appear across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Meta Audience Network. These are usually visual e.g. carousels, reels, stories, or image + text combinations.

Unlike Google Ads, Meta Ads are interruption-based. People aren’t looking for your product; they’re scrolling for entertainment or connection. So your creative needs to work harder to grab attention, educate, or inspire action. We also refer to this as outbound advertising.

When to Use Google Ads

Use Google Ads when:

- There are a significant number of people actively searching for what you offer

- You want quick wins or leads from specific keywords

- You sell services or products with clear, urgent need

Google Ads tends to deliver faster return-on-investment (ROI) for high-intent industries like trades, legal services, financial advice, health care, or B2B services. It’s measurable, scalable, and often leads to direct conversions when the campaign is well-structured.

When to Use Meta Ads

Use Meta Ads when:

- You need to build awareness, not just short term conversions

- You want to tell a story, showcase a product, or drive engagement

- You have strong visual assets or a brand that benefits from aesthetic appeal

Meta is a strong fit for ecommerce, fitness, lifestyle, events, or businesses looking to retarget warm audiences. It’s also highly effective for funnel-building i.e. turning a cold audience into warm leads with content-first campaigns and a set of follow-up communications via email, SMS and/or phone calls.

How Do Targeting and Creative Differ?

Targeting:

- Google targets primarily based on search intent (keywords, location, device, time) but can also include some demographic and affinity targeting

- Meta targets based on demographics, interests, behaviours, and past interactions

Creative:

- Google relies heavily on concise headlines and landing page experience

- Meta relies on visuals, hooks, and native-feeling formats

Each platform has different strengths so your strategy should align with how and why your audience is there in the first place and what is likely to convert them in their particular phase of the purchase journey.

Cost Considerations

Both platforms are auction-based, but their pricing dynamics are different.

Google Ads can be more expensive per click (especially in competitive service sectors) but it often delivers higher-intent traffic, which means conversion rates are usually better. Meta Ads typically have lower cost-per-click (CPC) but need more follow-up touches to convert.

We often recommend testing both with a small budget, then scaling where the data shows better efficiency.

Tips & Watch-outs

- Don’t just ‘set and forget’. Both platforms need active management and optimisation.

- Align the creative and copy with where the user is in their journey.

- Use retargeting: Google’s for site visitors, Meta’s for engagement (video views, profile visits, etc.).

- Measure what matters. Not just clicks or impressions but real leads, revenue, and ROI.

The biggest mistake we see? Choosing a platform based on popularity, anecdote or a freelancer’s narrow expertise rather than strategy.

Where Substrate Media Fits In

Our job isn’t to push one platform over the other, it’s to help you pick the right tool for the outcome you need. We’ve run high-performing Google Ads for service businesses, and full-funnel Meta campaigns for lifestyle brands.

We bring evidence to the table, structure campaigns for clear commercial goals, and actively manage them to drive ROI, not just vanity metrics.

Whether you’re looking to test, switch, or scale your paid performance, we’d love to help.

Conclusion

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer in digital advertising. Google Ads and Meta Ads both have their place. The key is knowing your business goals, your customer journey, and where attention is best captured and converted.

If you want expert guidance on how to invest your media budget more effectively, Substrate Media is ready to step in.