Meta Ads vs Google Ads: Where Should Canberra Businesses Spend Their Budget?

Two Platforms, Two Mindsets

Google Ads catches people who are already looking for what you sell. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) puts you in front of people who might want what you sell.

That fundamental difference determines which platform is right for your business. Let's break it down.

Google Ads: Capturing Existing Demand

How it works: Someone searches "plumber Canberra" and your ad appears at the top of results.

• Service businesses (tradies, lawyers, accountants, dentists)
• Businesses with high-intent searches (people actively looking for you)
• Emergency services (locksmith, emergency plumber, tow truck)
• Local services with geographic targeting

• Intent is high - people are searching because they need something now
• Pay only when someone clicks
• Measurable return on ad spend
• Works immediately (unlike SEO)

• Competitive keywords can be expensive ($5-30+ per click for some industries)
• Only reaches people who are actively searching
• Doesn't build brand awareness for people not yet in-market
• Requires ongoing management to optimise

Typical Canberra cost: $500-2,000/month for most local businesses, depending on industry competitiveness.

Meta Ads: Creating Demand

How it works: Your ad appears in someone's Facebook or Instagram feed based on their interests, demographics, and behaviour.

• Retail and eCommerce (products people didn't know they wanted)
• Cafes, restaurants, bars (visual, impulse-driven)
• Beauty salons and fitness studios (lifestyle and aspirational)
• Events and promotions
• Brand awareness campaigns

• Incredibly detailed audience targeting
• Visual format great for showcasing products and spaces
• Can reach people before they know they need you
• Lower cost per impression than Google
• Retargeting (showing ads to people who visited your website)

• Intent is lower - people aren't actively searching for you
• Requires strong creative (images, video)
• iOS privacy changes have reduced some targeting accuracy
• More suited to B2C than B2B

Typical Canberra cost: $300-1,500/month for most local businesses.

The Decision Framework

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do people search for what you sell?

If yes → Google Ads should be your primary platform.

People search for "dentist Canberra" and "plumber Belconnen" but they don't typically search for "trendy café near me worth visiting" or "local boutique with nice dresses."

2. Is your product visual?

If yes → Meta Ads has a clear advantage.

Food, fashion, interior design, fitness, beauty - these industries sell through images and video. Meta's visual-first format is ideal.

3. How urgent is the purchase?

High urgency (need it now) → Google Ads. Low urgency (nice to have) → Meta Ads.

An emergency plumber needs Google Ads. A Pilates studio promoting a new class series should use Meta Ads.

4. What's your budget?

Under $500/month → Pick ONE platform and do it well. $500-2,000/month → Start with your primary platform, test the other. $2,000+/month → Run both with different strategies for each.

The Winning Strategy: Use Both (But Differently)

For most Canberra businesses with a decent budget, the answer is both:

Google Ads for capturing people who are actively searching for your services. This is your conversion engine.

Meta Ads for retargeting and awareness. Show ads to people who visited your website but didn't convert. Run awareness campaigns to people in your target suburbs.

This combination covers both ends: catching ready-to-buy customers and warming up future ones.

Real Numbers From a Canberra Client

One of our clients, a Canberra dental practice, runs both:

• Google Ads: $1,200/month → 25 new patient enquiries/month → Cost per lead: $48
• Meta Ads: $600/month → 12 enquiries/month → Cost per lead: $50
• Meta Retargeting: $200/month → 8 enquiries/month → Cost per lead: $25

The retargeting is actually the most cost-effective because those people already know the practice. But you need the other campaigns to fill the retargeting audience.

Common Mistakes

1. Spreading budget too thin across both platforms when you can only afford one
2. No conversion tracking - if you can't measure results, you're guessing
3. Set-and-forget - ads need weekly optimisation, especially in the first 3 months
4. Poor landing pages - the best ad in the world fails if the page it links to is rubbish
5. Wrong platform for your business - a B2B consultancy running Instagram ads is wasting money

Need Help Deciding?

We manage Google Ads and Meta Ads for Canberra businesses. We'll audit your situation and recommend where your budget will work hardest. Get a free ad strategy session.