It’s the question I get asked more than any other: “Should we be on Google or Meta?” Usually it comes from a founder who’s burnt a bit of budget on one of them, didn’t see much, and wants to know if the grass is greener on the other side.
Here’s the honest answer up front: for most Australian businesses it’s not Google or Meta — it’s which one first, and why. The two platforms do completely different jobs. Pick the wrong one for your business and even a perfect campaign will underperform. So this is the framework I use to decide where a client’s first few thousand dollars should go.
The real difference: capturing demand vs creating it
Strip away the jargon and it comes down to one thing.
Google Ads captures demand that already exists. Someone types “emergency plumber Bondi” or “best cat food for allergies” — they already want the thing. You’re paying to be there at the exact moment they’re looking. High intent, lower volume, usually higher cost per click.
Meta Ads create demand. Nobody opens Instagram looking to buy. You interrupt them with something good enough to stop the scroll. Lower intent, huge volume, cheaper reach, and the creative does most of the selling.
Once you see it that way, the “which platform” question mostly answers itself.
When Google Ads wins
- People are actively searching for what you sell — services, repairs, bookings, “near me” jobs.
- The purchase is urgent or considered. A blocked drain, a legal issue, a health appointment — people search, they don’t scroll their way to you.
- You’re a local service business. Trades, clinics, real estate, professional services. Google plus a strong Google Business Profile is usually the fastest path to the phone ringing.
- Your product is hard to show and easy to search.
When Meta Ads win
- Your product is visual or impulse-friendly — fashion, beauty, food, pet, homewares.
- You’re a new brand nobody’s searching for yet. If there’s no search volume for you, there’s nothing for Google to capture.
- You need volume and cheap reach.
- You have strong creative. On Meta the ad is the campaign.
The decision, by business type
- Local service / trades / clinics: Google first, then layer Meta for awareness in your area.
- Established eCommerce brand: Both — Meta usually leads for prospecting, Google Shopping and Search capture the high-intent buyers.
- Brand-new DTC product: Meta first. Create demand before Google has anything to capture.
- B2B / lead generation: Google for the in-market buyers, Meta and LinkedIn to build familiarity over a longer cycle.
A word on measurement
Both platforms grade their own homework. Meta will happily claim a sale that Google also claims, and both over-report compared to what actually lands in your bank account. So when you see “Meta’s cost per purchase is lower”, read it as lowest platform-reported cost — not proof it’s the cheaper channel. Get your tracking straight before you trust either platform’s numbers.
TL;DR
- Google captures demand. Meta creates it.
- If people are already searching for what you do — start with Google.
- If they’re not, or your product sells on sight — start with Meta.
- Most businesses end up on both, but sequence by budget and business type.
If you’re not sure which side of this your business sits on, that’s usually a short conversation, not a guess. We’re a Sydney performance-marketing team — book a free strategy call and we’ll tell you honestly where your first dollars should go.