Every week someone asks us the same question: should I put my money into Facebook and Instagram, or into Google? It's usually asked as though one platform is simply better than the other. It isn't. They do fundamentally different jobs, and picking the wrong one for your situation is the fastest way to conclude that “ads don't work for my business”.
Here's the distinction that matters more than any feature comparison: Google captures demand that already exists. Meta creates demand that doesn't. Everything else follows from that.
The intent gap
When someone types “emergency plumber near me” into Google at nine o'clock at night, they are not researching. They have water somewhere it shouldn't be and they are going to call one of the first three results. That search is worth a great deal, and Google charges accordingly.
Nobody opens Instagram wanting a plumber. They open it to look at their friends, their hobbies and whatever the algorithm decided to show them. Your ad interrupts that. Which sounds like a disadvantage, and for emergency services it often is.
But consider a med spa, a remodelling contractor or a wedding venue. Nobody searches for a service they don't yet know they want. Meta's strength is putting a compelling offer in front of a precisely defined local audience and creating the want. Google can't do that, because you can't bid on a search nobody is making.
What each platform actually costs in 2026
Cost per click is the wrong metric, but people ask about it, so here are realistic ranges for local service businesses in the US and Canada. Treat these as ballpark figures — your market and category will move them significantly.
| Google Search | Meta (Facebook/Instagram) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical local CPC | $3 – $18 | $0.60 – $2.40 |
| Competitive categories | $25 – $90+ (legal, insurance) | $3 – $6 |
| Typical cost per lead | $35 – $150 | $18 – $70 |
| Lead quality | Higher — active intent | Mixed — needs qualifying |
| Minimum viable budget | ~$1,000/mo | ~$600/mo |
Notice that Meta leads are cheaper and Google leads are better. This is the trade-off in a single table. A $40 Google lead who is actively searching may close at 25%. A $22 Meta lead who saw an ad while scrolling may close at 8%. Do the arithmetic on your own numbers before deciding either is cheaper.
Speed to results
Google is generally faster to first lead. Demand already exists; you're bidding to be seen by it. A well-built search campaign can produce qualified calls in the first week.
Meta usually takes longer to stabilise. The algorithm needs conversion data before it finds your buyers, and creative needs testing to discover which angle resonates. Expect two to four weeks before performance settles, and don't panic in week one.
Where each one breaks
Google's failure modes
- Broad match keywords with no negative list — you pay for searches from job hunters, students and DIYers.
- Conversion tracking measuring page views instead of calls, so Google optimises for the wrong outcome.
- Display Network quietly opted in, spending your search budget on app placements.
- Sending clicks to a slow homepage instead of a page matching the ad.
Meta's failure modes
- Boosting posts instead of running structured campaigns, which optimises for likes rather than customers.
- No pixel or Conversions API, so nothing can be attributed and nothing can be optimised.
- Targeting a 40-mile radius when you only profitably serve twelve.
- Running one creative until it fatigues, then concluding the platform stopped working.
So which should you pick?
If you can only afford one platform right now, choose using these questions rather than a coin flip.
- 1Do people search for what I sell? Check the search volume for your main service plus your city. If there's meaningful volume, Google is capturing real demand right now.
- 2Is my service urgent or considered? Urgent problems (burst pipe, lockout, toothache) live on Google. Considered purchases (cosmetic treatment, kitchen remodel, wedding photography) do better on Meta.
- 3Do I have good visual proof? Before-and-after photos, finished work, transformations — these are Meta's fuel. Without them, Meta is much harder.
- 4What's my monthly budget? Below roughly $1,000 in ad spend, Google search in a competitive category will struggle for data. Meta stretches a small budget further.
The honest answer: eventually, both
The businesses that grow fastest run both, and not because they're spending twice as much. They run both because the platforms compound each other.
Meta creates awareness. Someone sees your work three times over a fortnight and forms an impression of your business. Later, when they need the service, they search — and now they recognise your name at the top of Google. Your click-through rate rises, your quality score improves, and your Google costs fall because of work Meta did.
That's the case for running both, and it's why our Pro plan covers both platforms rather than making you choose. But if you're starting today with a limited budget, pick the one that matches how your customers actually buy, run it properly for ninety days, and add the second once the first is paying for itself.