Social Media Advertising: What’s The Difference Between Facebook & Google Ads?

Read Time: 6 minutes

Let’s face it – digital marketing can be a vast universe, one that is ever-shifting as technology continues to advance. With so many options and platforms available, it’s not always easy to keep up.

The good news is that you don’t have to, as our team at Connectica LLC has their finger on the pulse and is more than happy to share their insights.

In today’s blog, we take a look at social media advertising, a crucial component of any digital marketing strategy. Specifically, we unpack the differences between Facebook ads and Google ads, outlining which of the two may be better suited to your brand.

The Two Behemoths Of Online Advertising

The two behemoths, Facebook and Google, rule the roost in digital advertising, each offering different strengths and capabilities for brands looking to promote their products or services.

While Google has been around for longer, since September 1998 to be exact, Facebook saw a meteoric rise following its launch in February 2004. Google has always been seen as a place to get information or find what you need, while Facebook was primarily seen as a social networking site where you connect with friends and family.

Things have evolved on both platforms, and today they each form a key component to the digital marketing strategy of companies throughout the world.

Let’s take a look at the differences of each.

The Differences Between Facebook Ads & Google Ads

As a digital marketing business, it’s our job to follow the trends and understand which platforms are better suited when it comes to marketing or advertising a product or service. We spend a great deal of time staying close to all things digital, and our team of marketing experts knows their stuff!

So, if you’re planning to advertise your company online and can’t choose between Facebook ads or Google ads, here’s what the team at Connectica has to say.

Understanding What Your Goals Are

Before you even start to consider which platform to advertise on, it’s critical that you have a clear understanding of what you are looking to achieve as a business. Are you looking to sell more products, attract more talent, create broader brand awareness, or be seen as a leader in a certain sector? There are many variables when it comes to these goals, so it’s important that you spend time setting out exactly what they are.

For example, let’s say you’re a budding e-commerce business aiming to boost product sales and increase brand visibility. In this case, your primary goal would be to drive conversions and drive more brand awareness for the business. On the other hand, if you’re a service-based company looking to position yourself as an industry thought leader and attract top-tier talent, your focus might shift towards content-driven strategies and showcasing your expertise.

Once you’re clear on your goals, you can then start to decide on which platforms to advertise on.

Understanding Facebook Advertising

As a social media advertising platform, Facebook collects a lot of data. This means it has a good understanding of our likes and even our dislikes. While privacy policies have changed, there is still a whole lot that it knows about you and me.

Precise targeting

The good thing about this is that we have the ability to target specific audiences on Facebook, meaning we can position our brand in front of someone who we know needs our product or service.

It’s called targeting, and Facebook is really good at it. You can get right into the details in terms of demographics, interests, behaviors, and even location. This means that you can make sure that a message reaches the right eye, where you’re communicating with the people who matter most to your business.

The Art of Rekindling Interest

Another ace up Facebook Ads’ sleeve is its knack for rekindling interest. Ever wished you could remind someone about your product after they’ve scrolled past it? Well, with Facebook Ads, you can. By re-engaging users who’ve interacted with your content before, you’re not just promoting; you’re fostering a connection that might just tip the scales in favor of conversion. It’s like rekindling an old flame but with your brand.

Creating memorable ads that grab attention

With Facebook, you have the ability to create visual ads that stand out. You can create still adverts, videos, and carousels, each designed to speak to a specific audience in a specific way. Successful brands will test various forms of advertising on Facebook, analyze the data, and then serve the adverts that perform the best. Certain audiences respond to certain adverts differently. It’s an art and one that well-versed marketers spend a great deal of time on.

Understanding Google Advertising

Google Ads, on the flip side, is all about intent. While Facebook adverts cast a wide net, Google ads zero in on the intent of a user.

Various Ad Types

With Google, you can run a variety of ad types. This includes paid search ads, Google display ads, and Google shopping ads. Paid search ads are based on search engine results. These are text-only adverts that are presented to users based on the relevancy of search words. For example, if someone were to search ‘Best restaurants in South Florida,’ a restaurant business could run a campaign where their advert is served for that search term. Again, it’s all about intent.

Google display adverts are image-based ads that appear on the Google Display Network, while Google shopping ads display a certain product in Google search results.

Enticing Users To Act Now

Google ads are great for enticing people to act straight away. The explicit intent behind a user’s search term creates an environment ripe for businesses to showcase what they’ve got and convert potential customers into actual ones.

A Bidding Strategy

With Google ads, advertisers bid on specific keywords related to their products or services, ensuring their ads show up when users punch in those golden words. This keyword-centric strategy makes Google Ads a master at capturing a niche audience actively seeking exactly what a business has to offer.

The Tough Choice: Facebook Or Google?

Deciding on whether to choose Facebook or Google for your advertising strategy ultimately comes down to the objectives of your business and the nature of your specific target audience.

If you’re looking for precise targeting, then look towards Facebook. You’ll be able to target a specific audience in a specific area with specific interests. It’s a great platform to create visually compelling adverts that will resonate with your audience. It’s also the preferred platform for brands that are looking to rekindle interest through targeted re-engagement.

Google, on the other hand, is the preferred option for those looking to focus on intent. If you’re looking to target people actively looking for a specific product or service, then this is your platform. You’ll have the option of various ad types, where it’s all about keywords.

The Power Of Both Platforms

If you’re looking to create a truly powerful campaign, we recommend using both platforms. You’ll be creating a broader campaign that targets audiences on the two biggest marketing platforms in the world. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, though – you’ll need to test, test, test. Analyzing the results of your adverts is what makes the difference between an average advert, and one that generates exceptional results.

Also, remember that you first need to define what your goals are. This will dictate the specifics of each advert that you run.

Social Media Advertising With Connectica LLC For All Your Digital Marketing Needs

If you are looking to run an online advertising campaign that not only creates brand awareness but attracts new customers to your business, trust the team at Connectica LLC.

With our expertise, we can help you navigate the intricacies of demographics, interests, behaviors, and location to ensure your message reaches the right eyes – the eyes that matter most to your business. Our team understands the art of rekindling interest and turning a casual stroll into a meaningful connection with your brand.

We will not only advise you on the platforms that are best suited to your brand, but we’ll create visually appealing artwork, impactful text ads and analyze the data to ensure that we’re hitting the mark. So, if you need social media marketing or Google advertising, we are the team for the job.

Contact us at 877-816-2259 to start the conversation around propelling your brand to new heights. The million-dollar question might remain, Facebook or Google, but with Connectica, the answers are within reach.