Two very different platforms

Google Ads catches people already searching for what you offer. They have intent, so conversion is often strong; but competitive keywords get expensive. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) show your message to people based on interests and behaviour, even before they search. Cheaper clicks, but you must spark interest from a cold audience.

Start with a clear goal

Define what you want before you spend: a lead, a sale, a phone call, a sign-up. Absent a goal, judging the ads becomes guesswork. With one, you can measure cost per result and decide whether to scale.

Start small and learn

A big budget stays optional at the start. Even €10–20 per day is enough to test on either platform. Spend a few weeks watching what works before scaling. Many big advertisers wish they had run smaller tests first.

The landing page matters as much as the ad

A brilliant ad sending people to a confusing page is wasted money. The page where the click lands should match the ad's promise exactly and make the next step obvious. Absent this match, conversion collapses regardless of how good the ad is.

Watch the unit economics

Ask: how much does one customer cost me, and how much do they earn me? If the maths fails, more spend deepens the hole. Profitable ads scale; unprofitable ones scale your losses.

Consider a specialist for serious budgets

For small tests, DIY is fine. Once you spend hundreds per month consistently, a competent specialist often pays for themselves in better targeting and lower waste. Choose carefully; the ads world has many overpromising consultants.

Tip: if your business is well established and people search for what you offer by name or category, Google Ads usually wins. If you sell visual products or lifestyle services to a defined audience, Meta often does better.

Read next

This question continues in SEO for Starters, Optimising Your Google Business Profile and Content Marketing for Starters.