Google Ads captures demand that already exists. Meta ads create demand that does not exist yet. Start with Google if people already search for what you sell, and with Meta if they do not know it exists. Most growing brands end up needing both.
How each platform works.
Google Ads covers Search, Shopping, Performance Max and YouTube. Someone types what they want, and your ad answers. The intent is already there.
Meta ads run on Facebook and Instagram. Nobody opened Instagram to shop. Your ad has to stop the scroll and do the selling, so the creative carries the weight.
What the benchmarks say.
Triple Whale publishes medians across its e-commerce brands. These cover August 2025 to July 2026.
| Measure | Meta ads | Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Median ROAS | 1.88× | 3.27× |
| Median conversion rate | 1.53% | 3.11% |
| Median cost per acquisition (US$) | $38.99 | $28.14 |
| Median cost per 1,000 impressions (US$) | $15.06 | $15.35 |
| Share of those brands' ad spend | 66.88% | 22.50% |
Google returns more per pound and converts twice as often. Yet those brands put about three times as much money into Meta.
That is not a mistake. Search demand is finite: once you appear for the searches that matter, extra budget buys very little. Meta can keep finding new people for as long as your creative holds up.
Google's figure is also flattered by brand search. Many of those people were looking for you by name, often because they saw you on Instagram first.
Start with Google Ads if...
- People already search for your type of product
- Your product feed is clean, with good titles, images and prices
- Your budget is small and you need sales quickly
Smokin' Brothers fits that pattern. People search for smoked salmon and food gifts before Christmas. Five Google campaigns carried the strategy, with Meta alongside, and returned 8.7× on £2.2K of spend.
LN4, Lando Norris's merchandise brand, tested Google with a single campaign. It turned £1.3K into £20K between August and October 2023.
Start with Meta ads if...
- Your product is new, visual or needs explaining
- You have strong content: video, athletes, a community
- You sell in drops, launches or seasons
NINEYARD blends streetwear with bikewear, a hybrid that is easier to show than to search for. We started on Instagram and Facebook to build steady revenue, then added Google once that gained traction.
Meta returned 14× in three months against a 10× target.
Silverstone Museum runs on Meta alone. A day at a racing museum is something you show people, not something they search for every week. It has returned 33.6× across nine campaigns.
Why most brands end up running both.
The two platforms feed each other. Meta puts your brand in front of someone. A week later they search for it, and Google catches the sale.
Switch Meta off and brand searches often fall a few weeks later. Switch Google off and a competitor's ad may catch the customer you paid Meta to find.
This is why platform reports mislead when read alone. Judge the pair on total revenue against total ad spend. Our guide to what makes a good ROAS explains how.
How to split your budget.
There is no fixed ratio. A sensible order of work:
- Cover the searches first. Your brand name and your best product terms, on Search and Shopping.
- Put growth budget into Meta. Use it to reach new people with your strongest creative.
- Keep a small share for retargeting. Bring back visitors who looked and left.
- Review the split every month. Move budget towards whichever channel is still growing at a profit.
Where TikTok fits.
TikTok works like Meta. It creates demand, and the creative does the selling. Add it once your Meta creative is working, because the same ideas usually travel.
Common questions.
Which is cheaper, Meta ads or Google Ads? Impressions cost about the same on both. Google's median cost per order is lower, because the people it reaches are already looking.
Which is better for a small budget? Usually Google, if people search for what you sell. If they do not, Meta is the only way to reach them.
Can I run just one? Yes, to start. Most brands add the second once the first is profitable.
Sources.
- Triple Whale: Facebook Ad Benchmarks by Industry, August 2025 to July 2026
- Triple Whale: Google Ads Benchmarks by Industry, August 2025 to July 2026