In the daily grind of business life, it has always been peppered with choices and decisions. The same goes for determining the best social media advertising tools today. In the current frenzy to select or offer the best online advertisements, two online marketing platforms stand out and are perceived to be adversaries in this side of the social media world: Facebook ads vs Google adwords. In this article, the features, similarities, differences, and the good and the bad about Facebook ads vs Google adwords are discussed.
The Reign Of Facebook Ads On Social Media
Money maybe perceived by some as the root of all evil but not in the case of Facebook ads. With the daily increase of Facebook users, it has bred the grounds of lucrative business avenues for digital advertisers, both for professional and personal intentions. Facebook paid ads have revolutionized the way social media has been utilized as an advertising medium. To cite a recent report from Forbes Magazine, Facebook recorded a 50% increase in active advertisers from 2015 to 2016 and reached almost 3 million advertisers. Moreover, Facebook recorded for 65% of the total social network ad expenditure and is forecasted to reach $36 billion in 2017.
The important revenue generators of these ads are from the online behavior of users and the interests generated by the certain demography of members. Also, they may originate from the continuing growth of mobile advertisements and consistent engagement of the account users.
Google, Not Just For Search
In the current digital advertising realm, Google adwords standout from its competitors as being the largest and most recognized platform in terms of paid search. Who would have thought years ago that keywords will be considered prime commodities and a gold mine for advertisements? These words and phrases are used by consumers every single time they are searching or surfing for answers and solutions.
Whether a Google ad is clicked on purpose or just mere curiosity, a corresponding amount is being charged to the advertisers. It is the hope of the advertisers to find and zero in on potential new customers who relied on the keywords or search terms. Moreover, another advantage that Google has is its vast reach. Users consult Google every time they want information on hand, and unlike Facebook, it is not necessary for users to have an account.
Comparing Apples To Oranges: Facebook Ads vs Google Adwords
Back to the question on which is better: Facebook or Google ads? For a start, there can be several factors that may be considered to help determine which to use and is more appropriate for the advertising intent:
- Consumer Reach – it is estimated that there are 2.92 billion Internet users worldwide with 180 billion searches per month for Google and 1.28 billion monthly active users for Facebook. It is perceived that Google adwords vs Facebook ads have the potential reach of 90% and 43.8%, respectively, of all Internet users.
- Target Audience – Google adwords or Facebook ads, similarly base their target audience in terms of location and demographics. Google adwords focus on consumers based on the place where they made the search while Facebook ads target those users based on their place of residence, phone number, and zip code. They may also differ in terms of consumer behaviors, language preferences, keywords, personal interests, and devices used.
- Business objectives – The decision which to choose between Facebook ads vs Google adwords can depend on business goals or needs. According to a report from $99 Social, a major player offering expert advice on social media content management, the two leading advantages of online advertising are increased brand recognition and better brand loyalty.
- Brand Awareness – Facebook ads are best suited for increasing brand awareness and demand generation. In contrast, Google adwords generate better sales or leads and demand capture since the user is looking for the actual product being sold by the organization.
- Mobile advertising – Both Google adwords vs Facebook ads optimize their items for IOS and Android users. However, Facebook’s revenues are pegged at 21.7% from mobile adverts while Google adwords revenues are almost twice of that with 46.8%. In addition, Google adwords select budgeting ratio for mobile and for tablets as well as optimize text ads for WAP-configured mobile phones.
- Rate of Return – In terms of cost-per-click (CPC), Facebook ads have a lower CPC rate compared to Google adwords. The average CPC for Facebook ads is below $1 while the Google adwords average $0.35 to $5 depending on the type of keywords used. The term “insurance” can even be priced as high as $54. The click through rate (CTR) of adwords is 2% with cost per thousand impressions (CPM) at $2.75. Compared to Facebook ads, the CTR is 0.027% for dating ads while 0.91% for telecommunications. CPM is at $0.80 to $1 per 1000.
The Deal Changer Conclusion
In conclusion on the Facebook ads vs Google adwords debate, the latter is more suitable for immediate sales while the former is best suited for brand recognition and lead generation. Facebook ads could be a more cost effective option, however, it is not recommended for B2B companies. In most cases, the CPC will be significantly lower for Facebook ads vs Google adwords. In terms of marketing budget, Google adwords will have a larger consideration compared to Facebook ads. If an organization has a new product or service with no search or very limited volume, then Google adwords might not be an option since it will not produce the required results. To counter this, the organization may bid for a series of keywords that would widely promote the product and service. In terms of consumer reach, Google adwords might have a higher success rate.
As with any other online advertisements, whether Google adwords or Facebook ads, and other social media platforms, the campaign will be more effective if complemented with a properly written social media content. With this emerging market, it has generated a lucrative environment for social media management providers. One entity worth mentioning is $99 Social, a social media content specialist, providing the service complementary to advertising campaigns. The service can provide the unique and appropriate content specially created for advertising campaigns.
