Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which Should You Start With?

“Should I do Google or Facebook?” is the most common question I get — and the honest answer is: it depends on whether people are already looking for what you sell.

Get that one distinction right and the rest of the decision falls into place.

The one difference that matters

Google Ads catches demand that already exists. Someone types “emergency plumber near me” or “best crm for small teams” — they already want a solution. You just have to show up.
Facebook & Instagram Ads create demand. Nobody opens Instagram looking to buy your course. You interrupt them with something good enough to stop the scroll.

Everything else — the creative, the metrics, the mindset — flows from that.

When to start with Google Ads

Pick Google first if:

People search for your product or service (“dentist Milan”, “leather boots”, “bookkeeping software”).
You solve an urgent or specific problem.
You can only manage one platform and demand clearly exists.

The upside: intent is already there, so Google is often the fastest route to a first sale. The catch: you’re bidding against everyone else who wants that same click, so tight keywords and a disciplined negative list matter (more on that in How to Do Keyword Research for Google Ads).

When to start with Facebook & Instagram Ads

Pick Meta first if:

Your product is visual, new, or impulse-friendly (fashion, food, gadgets, info products).
Few people search for it yet — you have to introduce it.
You have strong creative (or can make it), because on Meta the creative is the targeting.

The upside: enormous reach and cheap attention. The catch: you’re paying to interrupt people, so weak creative burns money fast.

A simple way to decide

Ask yourself one question: would someone type my product into a search bar?

Yes, clearly → start with Google.
No, they don’t know they need it yet → start with Meta.
Sort of → start with Google if you want sales sooner, Meta if you want scale and have great creative.

Don’t split a small budget

The most common mistake I see: a €600/month budget spread across both platforms. Neither campaign gathers enough conversion data to exit the learning phase, so both underperform, and the advertiser concludes “ads don’t work.”

They do. They just need enough budget in one place to learn. Pick one, get it profitable, then expand.

They’re better together — eventually

Once one platform is working, the second stops being “either/or.” Google captures the people actively searching; Meta builds awareness and retargets everyone who didn’t convert the first time. That loop is where paid advertising gets genuinely efficient.

But that’s step three. Step one is picking the right machine for where your demand is today — and giving it enough room to work.

Running ads for a specific niche? I put this framework to work for coaches, salons and hotels — the platform choice changes with the business.

Common questions

Should I start with Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

Start with Google Ads if people are already searching for what you sell (a service, a fix, a specific product) — you catch demand that already exists. Start with Facebook and Instagram Ads if people don't yet know they need you, or your product is visual and impulse-friendly. When in doubt and demand exists, Google is usually the faster path to a first sale.

What's the real difference between Google Ads and Facebook Ads?

Google Ads is intent-based: you show up when someone searches, so you're catching existing demand. Facebook and Instagram Ads are interruption-based: you appear in a feed and create demand by interrupting people with something interesting. Different mindset, different creative, different metrics.

Can I run Google Ads and Facebook Ads at the same time?

Yes, and mature accounts usually do — they work well together. But if your budget is small (say under €1,000/month) or you're just starting, pick one, learn it properly, and get it profitable before adding the second. Splitting a tiny budget across both usually means neither gets enough data to work.

Which is cheaper, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

It depends on your market, not the platform. Facebook often has a lower cost per click, but Google clicks tend to convert at a higher rate because the person is actively looking to buy. Judge them on cost per sale, not cost per click.