Are you trying to plan an effective digital marketing strategy? Not sure whether to use Google Ads or social media ads for your marketing aims? Or maybe you’re considering using both?
In this Google Ads vs social media ads guide, we will explain the benefits and downsides of both.
Google Ads Vs. Social Media Ads In Business: What’s The Difference?
Mike Saunders, published author and CEO of Digitlab once said, “Google is great when people know they need your product or brand. They know how to find it and when they need it. They search for it themselves, they seek it out.”
Regarding social media advertising, he explained, “Social media on the other hand is different. We don’t go there to find products and services, yet we are comfortable discovering them alongside content we enjoy. So it’s a great place to discover new products and services.”
Simply put, Google drives sales for known products and brands. In contrast, social media is where business owners can inspire and educate their customers to discover new products, services, and ideas.
Advertise Your Business On Google Ads, Social Media, Or Both At Any Budget
At Digitlab, we specialise in building and growing brands and companies in the digital economy. The following advice is based on our experience as a digital marketing agency.
When To Use Google Ads
Google Ads is a platform for paid advertising categorised under a marketing form known as pay-per-click (PPC). You pay every time a new user clicks on your ad through PPC. You literally pay per click or impression on your ad.
Google Ads is a good platform for your digital marketing if you want to drive ‘suitable’ customers to your business and products. Often, Google will only show your ad to people already searching for or looking to buy products like yours. It brings genuine leads to your business.
What You Need To Know
Google is not just another search engine. It is a mass advertising machine.
It helps make your life easier by giving you access to helpful and handy information and productivity platforms. There are over five or six billion search queries in a single day.
However, the other side of Google that many people don’t think about is that it is an advertising platform for businesses
It arranges search results according to relevant results, prioritising paid ads. 85% of Google’s revenue comes from the Google Ads platform.
The Benefits Of Google Ads For Your Business
Targeted Advertising
A significant benefit of using Google Ads is its control over the customer journey. With Google as many customers’ primary search engine, your advertising may experience more visibility. You get greater access to searchers, but you also get targeted access that may reap more significant benefits for your business.
Cost-effectiveness
The lovely thing about opting for Google Ads is that it is cost-effective.
You only pay for what consumers click on. Whether you are a larger or small business, you can tap into the power of the search engine for a small cost. It’s a great low-cost marketing strategy and an effective way to attract prospective customers.
Remarketing
Remarketing is when you reconnect with people or customers who have engaged with your business before. For example, if users haven’t checked out their cart, Google Ads can target them on other sites like Google or Youtube.
The Disadvantage Of Google Ads
If anything, the biggest downside of using Google Ads is the competition in bidding. Many top companies in your industry may prioritise utilising this marketing technique, so it may be tough to get your ads out there. Luckily, Google doesn’t choose winning ads based on the amount paid but on the relevance of your ad to the keyword or search term.
When To Use Social Media
Marketing on social media has many benefits for your brand, including increased visibility, authentic engagement, and more. Social media ads are particularly great for brands aiming to boost product or brand awareness. Let’s find out more about this advertising option.
What You Need To Know
Advertising is the economic engine that drives all social media. LinkedIn began offering paid advertisements as early as 2005, Facebook launched ads in 2007, Twitter added ads in 2010, and Instagram introduced ads to the platform in 2013.
Social media ads promote your brand, increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads for your business. And the fantastic thing is that you have numerous platforms to choose from.
The Benefits Of Social Ads For Your Business
Versatility
With social media ads, you get various digital marketing options and platforms to choose from. You can compete in big markets like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., or target more niche platforms. Opting for social ads gives you great control over where you reach your audience.
Each platform has a particular demographic that constantly visits the space. For example, TikTok is the perfect place to target Gen Z demographics or younger customers. Your digital marketing strategy can benefit from using numerous platforms to target different demographics in your customer base.
Each platform may also have numerous ad options. Facebook alone offers several social ad choices for brands and businesses.
Reach & Awareness
Social media is an excellent way to build brand recognition, awareness, and a community. Social media ads offer similar benefits, increasing audience familiarity with your brand. Social ads are an opportunity to market your brand authentically and show users what you’re about.
Insights
With the insights and data offered by most social ad platforms, you can understand the effect of your ad campaign. This can help you note trends in your marketing and identify areas of improvement for future campaigns.
The Disadvantage Of Social Media Ads
Social media is constantly shifting every second. Trends in advertising shift quickly, especially as platforms change and introduce new features. With social media marketing, you always need to stay engaged, monitor your efforts, and active.
Social media is constantly changing, and if you’re not up-to-date, you will fall behind the others. Your marketing efforts will surely miss the mark if you don’t remain relevant.
