Tom Welbourne
Helping Small and Medium Businesses Achieve Their Full Marketing Potential | Digital Marketing Expert
Here’s All the GOOD Bits:
- Search vs. Scroll: Google Ads capture users actively searching with intent, while Facebook Ads interrupt the scroll to spark interest. Google is direct, while Meta is disruptive.
- AI on Both Sides: Google’s Performance Max and Meta’s Advantage+ now use AI to do the heavy lifting. You control the creative and budget, while the platforms handle targeting, placements, and optimisation.
- Tracking Has Changed: Cookies are gone. Google uses Enhanced Conversions and server-side tagging. Meta relies on its Conversions API. Whichever you choose, your first-party data setup needs to be rock solid
- Creative Is the New Targeting: Meta works on short-form, raw, authentic content. Google blends visual and search-driven formats. Either way, creative assets are now the biggest lever you can pull.
Google Ads vs Facebook Ads
Welcome to 2025. AI has gone from a chatbot to something embedded in nearly every ad platform. Cookies are stale, video-first is trending, and your old PPC strategy has unfortunately fossilised.
However, brands are still asking the same question: Google Ads or Facebook Ads? So let’s break it down, update the facts, and give you a practical guide to choosing from two of the best ad platforms. And who knows, you might not even have to pick a side.
1. The Basics: Intent vs Attention
The biggest difference remains: Google Ads is all about intent. Facebook (Meta) Ads is about attention.
- Google Ads: Shows your ad when someone is already searching. Examples: ’emergency dentist London’ or ‘best home gym equipment.’
- Meta: Facebook and Instagram ads are made to interrupt the scroll. You see a product, get curious, and click, or you don’t. It’s about timing, interest, and relevance in the moment.
That hasn’t changed. Though everything around it has.
2. AI in Digital Advertising Has Upped the Stakes
The biggest development? We’ll probably say AI automation. What used to be a human job (choosing keywords, building audiences, scheduling campaigns) still is a human job, but now it’s shared with highly complex algorithms.
- Google Ads: Performance Max is now the norm. You don’t just oversee search, display, or video; you let Google decide where to put your ads across all its channels (Search, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, etc.) based on your goal.
- Meta Ads: Advantage+ campaigns are Meta’s equivalent of PMax. AI builds your targeting. All you control is the creative and the budget. It tests everything in the background: age, interests, placements, and copy.
Ready to trust the machine? Just make sure you feed it with good creatives.
3. Cookieless Tracking Has Happened
Chrome officially deprecated third-party cookies in 2025. So tracking has had to evolve.
- Google: To fill the gap, Google uses Enhanced Conversions, server-side tagging, and data syncing.
- Meta: Meta heavily relies on Conversions APIs, feeding data straight from your site to Meta and bypassing the cookie issues.
You need clean data and a good setup. If your CRM isn’t integrated, both platforms will struggle.
4. Why Visual Content Drives Ad Performance
One thing is apparent when it comes to the ‘Google Ads vs Facebook Ads’ debate: Creatives are the lifeblood of any ad.
Why? Because AI does most of the targeting now. That means the variable that makes or breaks performance is the ad itself, especially the first frame (for video) or first line (for copy).
- Video-first: Short-form video rules on both platforms. You don’t need a professional studio; you need an iPhone and a half-decent personality.
- UGC-style ads: Raw is better than polished, especially on Meta. It harnesses the power of authenticity, which people love, FYI.
- Search-optimised assets: You still need copy that answers search intent for Google. But now it’s mixed with visual formats (carousel ads, YouTube Shorts, Discovery, Instagram indexing). Your writing needs to sell and show.
5. Budget Strategy in 2025: What Gets You More For Less?
We get this a lot: ‘Which one is cheaper?’
Wrong question. A better one is: ‘Which one gives you the best return on your objective?’
- Google performs best for bottom-of-funnel conversions. People are already searching. It’s not awareness; it’s intent.
- Meta is better for top and mid-funnel. Want eyeballs? Want to test messaging? Want to build familiarity before they search? That’s where Meta shines brightest.
Today, most brands are using both:
- Meta to introduce the product/service.
- Google to catch them when they’re ready to buy.
This combination often outperforms single-platform strategies. Just don’t expect a single ad campaign to do everything. Divide the funnel and track each part.
6. Platform Innovations You Should Know About
Some new tools and tactics that are worth mentioning:
Google:
- Google + Instagram Indexing: One of the biggest cross-platform surprises in 2025 is how Google is now indexing business Instagram profiles. Your Insta posts can appear in search results, especially for branded queries and local business searches.
- Google Demand Gen Campaigns: These have replaced Discovery Ads. They combine YouTube Shorts, Gmail, and Discover placements for a more social-style Google experience.
- YouTube Shorts for Conversions: It’s no longer just about quick entertainment. We’re seeing lead forms and direct checkout options inside Shorts now.
Meta:
- Meta Click-to-WhatsApp: These are gold if you sell in regions where WhatsApp is dominant (South Asia, LATAM).
- Shop Ads on Meta: Integrated native storefronts work better than most landing pages. Facebook and Instagram are becoming the shop, not just the shop window.
So, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
Well, it all depends. (Yeah, we hate that answer, too. But it’s true.) Google and Meta are two of the best ad platforms, so choosing one or the other depends on objectives, needs, and business offerings.
Here’s our honest summary:
- If you have a product people search for, start with Google.
- If your offer needs a visual explanation or lifestyle context, begin with Meta.
- If you’re launching something new, weird, or niche, use Meta to open and Google to close.
Alignment matters more than platform. Are your creatives, budget, and goal all speaking the same language? More importantly, are you testing often enough to let performance data guide your decisions? Because in 2025, guessing isn’t a strategy.
Having a hard time figuring out what’s best for your business? Get in touch with The Good Marketer today.