There are hundreds of different ad networks out there. However, if we are completely honest, there are only two where you should focus your time and energy. In fact, any digital marketing agency will probably tell you the same. Sure, you can probably dip into other networks on occasion, but these two should be your bread and butter ad networks. The ones where you focus most of your resources. So, which one should you choose? Google AdWords or Facebook Ads? Well, both have its own pros and cons, and we are going to talk about those on this page before we sum up everything.
Reach
Regarding overall ‘reach’, there is quite a massive difference. With Facebook ads, you have the potential to reach a little over 40% of all internet users. With Google AdWords, the reach is closer to 90%.
Of course, this is all going to be dependent on the keywords that you select and who your target market is, so you will need to do your research to find out which one is right for you. However, for the most part, there are more people who will see your advert if it is on AdWords.
Targeting Options
This is where Facebook wins, in our opinion. You can drill down your target market a lot more. This is due to the amount of data that Facebook collects on its users. You can narrow down based on age, gender, relationship status, education, etc. Of course, the Google search engine does not collect any of this information (we will believe them for now), so it is less easy to find your target market beyond thinking about the keywords they may be searching for.
Therefore, if you have a very particular market in mind, then Facebook is probably going to be the best route to go down here. If you are generally advertising and don’t need all that specifics, then Google AdWords is going to be thrown back into the mix.
Mobile Advertising
Google has more mobile advertising networks at its disposal. You can plan your adverts a bit better too, and they look far superior to the Facebook adverts. Google makes almost 50% of its Google AdWords revenue from Mobile Advertising whereas Facebook makes under 25%, so you can easily tell which company has invested more cash into its mobile advertising ‘arm’.
Ease of Use
Both Facebook Ads and Google AdWords have ‘easy to use’ systems in place. Everything should be self-explanatory. However, many people love the fact that you have a lot more control over your Google AdWords adverts. Split testing, budget setting, etc. is made simple. Of course, Google has had a lot more time to work on their system, hence why this is the case. Facebook may catch up with them in the future.
Cost
Google adverts have the potential to be a bit cheaper…sort of.
It is worth pointing out that the cost of advertising is going to be dependent on your keywords. Here are the averages:
- Google: $0.35 to $5.00 per click based on average. Although, it can go all the way up to $50 or $60 in some niches.
- The average for Facebook is $0.45 per click if you are in the retail industry.
Of course, all this depends on the niche, target country, the budget…etc.
You will be going through your budget a lot quicker if you have Google AdWords advertising in place. The average click-through rate is about 2%. The average conversion rate is 2.35%. For Facebook, the average click-through rate is 0.02%. The conversation rate is about 1.5%.
So, in theory, if you went down the route of Google AdWords, while you would have more clicks on your adverts (eliminating your budget quicker), you will be getting more conversions, so it balances it out. The cost on Facebook is more down to the fact that when you do get the clicks, you will be getting fewer conversions which can make the whole process a bit more expensive.
What is each good for?
In our opinion, it all boils down to what you are using the advertising network for in the first place. This means that it can be tricky to choose a winner.
Let’s say you are opting for Google AdWords. This is the route to go down if you are looking to make a sale there and then. You are going to be appearing in the top of the searches, and you want to get that click on ‘buy’ keywords. So, you want your site to be the first site that people click when they are in the mood to part with their money. Facebook can’t cope with this. You must remember that the people on Facebook are there to browse through social media, have a bit of a chat with their friends, etc. They are not there to buy stuff. If something pops up on their feed, they may pay attention to it, but they will not give it an enormous amount of interest. This is probably why the conversion rate on Facebook is so low.
If you opt for Facebook ads, however, then you will be doing so because you want to build up brand awareness. You want people to be able to recognize your brand. They are not going to be purchasing from you there and then, but they may do in the future (if you have selected your target market well), so you want to ensure that you are the first company they think about when that happens. So, you put an advert up. Simple as that. Most people report that Facebook is good for lead generation too. It is never going to be brilliant for the final sale.
Conclusion
Based on the information found on this page, we are positive that you already have enough information to know which advertising network is going to be right for you. That is the site that should win your love. Talk to a digital marketing agency if you are still unsure as to which route to go down.
