Google Ads vs. Meta Ads: Which is Better for Your Business?

For many Australian businesses, the questions still come up: Is Meta or Google Ads better? Which would give me a better ROI? These are reasonable questions. Both platforms are proven performers, hold significant market shares, and deliver strong returns. 

But the real value is that these two platforms aren’t rivals in the way most people think. In fact, they work best when they work together as part of one funnel engine. Meta Ads (earlier known as Facebook Ads) are often the spark that builds awareness and puts your brand in front of new audiences who may never have heard of you before. Google Ads, on the other hand, convert that interest into action when people are actively searching and ready to buy. 

In Australia, Google and Meta dominate digital ad revenue, capturing about 70% of the digital advertising dollars between the two platforms. This scale alone makes them essential players for almost any marketing plan. But the massive market share doesn’t make the choice simple. Rising ad costs (CPCs/CPMs) across both platforms and changes in privacy/sharing rules mean smarter strategies are essential.

On paper, the comparison may look straightforward. There are some average ROI benchmarks for both platforms. When we take an aggregate of all industries, Google Ads often delivers higher returns, sometimes up to 8:1 ROAS. Meta Ads generally fall in the 3:1 to 4:1 range. Yet the decision isn’t just about numbers. Both platforms are leaning heavily into AI automation, reshaping how ads are created, targeted, and delivered. 

In this article, we’ll explore why this matters now more than ever, the key differences between the platforms, how each can win for your business, and why integrating them into a single strategy can deliver your best results.

Core Differences: Google Ads vs Meta Ads

Targeting Logic: Intent vs Inspiration

The most fundamental difference between Meta or Facebook advertising vs Google advertising comes down to user intent. Google Ads and Meta Ads excel at targeting different kinds of queries. Google Ads are precise in terms of targeting keywords and specific search terms. Meta Ads target based on user behaviour data and interests.  Read more about why this difference exists below: 

Google Ads

Google Ads are ideal for high-intent queries. This is because, unlike social media, people on Google are actively searching for something specific. Your ads can appear right at that critical moment of decision. Effective Google Ads management can help nail this targeting strategy. 

Google Ads excel at pull marketing. They show ads when users are searching. This means that you aren’t forcing the message, but simply matching ads to their demand (made with certain keywords). This is known as targeting active intent, that is, targeting at the stage of “I need this”.

For example, people will look for “Melbourne brunch restaurants” or “Sydney dentist near me” on Google instead of searching on Facebook or Instagram.

This is an example of Google Search results for Melbourne dentists with ads based on my location. 

Meta Ads

Meta Ads, on the other hand, use interest-based targeting and lookalike audiences. It targets people who are scrolling, rather than searching. They put your ads in people’s feeds based on their interests, behaviours, and demographic traits. By tapping into AI-driven lookalike audiences and interest targeting, Meta introduces your brand to cold audiences who might not have even realised they needed what you offer. This makes it powerful for lifestyle brands and anything that benefits from impulse or inspiration-led purchases. 

Meta ads push ads into users’ feeds based on their behaviour and demographics. Users may not be actively searching, but a product or brand is “pushed” onto them to spark an interest where none existed. This is known as passive discovery (users aren’t searching, but can be influenced).

For example, you can expect your ads to show up while your audience is in the middle of scrolling for dog videos. This will create awareness where none was previously. 

This is an example of an ad visible on Instagram while scrolling. This ad is personalised because I follow Instagram accounts that provide hiking recommendations in Victoria. 

Creative Formats & Format Experience

Google Ads

When it comes to creative formats, Google focuses on short, direct, action-oriented content that quickly captures user attention. This means ads should deliver a clear call to action within just a few words or seconds. The creative strategy focuses on relevance. Ads are designed to match user intent with keywords. As AI plays a larger role in ad placements and delivery, Google’s machine learning systems automatically select and position ads based on context. Creating high-quality, relevant ad content ensures better results in this AI-driven system.
This image shows the different ad formats used by an Australian dog food company, Houndztooth, all of which are concise. 

Meta Ads

Meta advertising, on the other hand, enables scroll-friendly visuals. There is a strong emphasis on visual and immersive delivery. Formats like reels, stories, and carousels are just as important, if not more. They encourage scrolling and engagement. For Australian brands, these formats can be more brand-centric and communicate your personality. 

This video shows how ads appear naturally in a feed, and how a brand’s personality can really shine through when people are scrolling. They are more creative than Google ads can be. 

Attribution

Attribution is another area where the two platforms diverge. Google Ads uses data-driven attribution. This model rewards clear, intent-based actions, such as search, leading to a click, which leads to a purchase. This makes tracking relatively straightforward. 

Meta Ads, on the other hand, operates during the awareness or consideration phases. It uses a 7-day click attribution window by default, meaning it can claim credit even if someone only saw an ad and converted later. With growing privacy restrictions, Meta relies more on probability of a conversion rather than direct tracking.

Tracking results is where it gets tricky, as the data is counted differently: Meta’s attribution is typically set to a 7-day click window, while Google Analytics operates on a 30-day view. Unless you align these attribution windows, you can end up with skewed results.

Performance & ROI: When Each Platform Wins

Google Ads vs Meta Ads have their individual benchmarks for performance and ROI. As both platforms target different audiences and have different intents, it is important to judge them independently. 

Different industries see different strengths of these platforms. Google excels in high-consideration sales and local service industries such as healthcare, tradies, and professional services. These are industries where people often research before committing. Meta shines in e-commerce, lifestyle products, and categories driven by visual appeal or impulse buying. But just because they are more suited to different industries for the final conversions, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use them together as part of your digital marketing services.

The best approach: A unified funnel marketing strategy

The most effective approach isn’t choosing one platform over the other. It’s designing a unified funnel where they work in sequence. An effective paid ads strategy builds a funnel that moves people naturally from discovery to decision. Think of it as creating a sequence rather than treating Google and Meta Ads as separate entities in your users’ journeys. The principle is simple: effective Meta Ads warm up prospects, and then you can rely on Google to capture them at the moment they search.

Meta Ads excel at creating awareness and desire. They’re designed to appear in the feed when someone isn’t actively searching but is open to inspiration. That’s where you plant the seed. Then comes Google’s turn. The moment someone types into the search bar, whether it’s for a brand name they remember or a product they’ve been considering, Google Ads capture this demand. 

Together, the two platforms reflect real consumer behaviour: the average person interacts with a brand six to eight times before converting, often across multiple channels. That’s why many advertisers split their budgets intentionally: allocating more to Meta to build awareness, and keeping the rest for Google to close the sale.

By treating Meta as your demand generator and Google as your demand capturer, you create a funnel that mirrors how customers naturally shop online: first inspired by what they see in their feeds, and later searching for it on Google when the timing feels right.

Common Pitfalls & What to Avoid

Some of the most expensive mistakes come from using each platform without adapting the strategy to its strengths and limitations. 

In Meta Ads, a common error is relying solely on broad interest targeting without retargeting. For example, if you are a furniture retailer, don’t target the generic interest “living room” without excluding irrelevant audiences. Combining interest targeting with retargeting and geographic filters (like country or city) can improve your results. This will avoid any wastage of ad spend on mismatched traffic that will not convert. 

In Google Ads, targeting overly broad keywords can be equally wasteful. A builder bidding on the word “builder” is not being specific enough. Instead, bidding on a more relevant term like “licensed builder in Parramatta” will draw in higher-intent clicks and better ROI. If you want to know more, read our blog on the top Google Ads mistakes to avoid. 

The Final Decision: Are Google ads better than Facebook ads? (Meta Ads)

In 2025, the smartest Australian brands aren’t asking which platform to choose. They’re asking how to make Google Ads and Meta Ads work together. Meta builds your visibility and demand. Google captures that demand at the precise moment it’s ready to convert.

A unified campaign ensures your brand is both seen and remembered. Contact Pixelstorm to find out how to make both platforms work for you. We create a tailored media plan that handles the technical heavy lifting, connects the dots and makes the clicks count.