"Should I advertise on Facebook or on Google?" It's one of the questions I get asked most, and it's almost always framed wrong — because they don't compete. They solve different moments in the customer journey. Understanding that decides where you put your money.
The key difference: demand vs discovery
It all comes down to one idea:
- Google Ads captures demand that already exists. When someone searches "plumber near me" or "emergency dentist in Caguas," they already want the service. Your ad shows up right there, with very high purchase intent.
- Facebook and Instagram Ads drive discovery. They put your offer in front of people who weren't looking for you, while they scroll. They had no intent — you have to spark it with a good ad.
One captures intent; the other creates it. It's not about which is better — it's about which matches what you sell.
When to start with Google
If you sell something people actively search for:
- Emergency services (plumbing, locksmith, towing).
- Trades and well-known categories ("mechanic in Ponce," "accident lawyer").
- Anything where the customer already knows they need it and is just looking for who to call.
That's where Google wins: the person searching already wants to buy. The click costs more, but it's worth more.
When to start with Meta
If you sell something driven by discovery or impulse:
- Products or services people don't search for but find interesting once they see them.
- New offers, personal brands, things you have to show to spark desire.
- When you want to build an audience and brand in your area.
That's where Meta wins: it reaches a lot of new people at a lower cost per click, and with good creative it sparks interest.
What almost nobody measures right: cost per customer, not per click
The classic mistake is comparing the cost per click. Google is more expensive per click — but those clicks come from people ready to buy. Meta brings more cheap clicks, but with less intent. What matters is how much a customer ends up costing you, not a click. To see it clearly you need a dashboard that connects spend to sales.
The answer for most: both, in their moment
The businesses that scale the most use both:
- Google to capture the person already searching.
- Meta to fill the funnel with new people and run retargeting on those who already saw you.
But if your budget is small, master one first. Splitting a small budget across two platforms almost never works. Before scaling either one, have a CRM that captures the leads — otherwise you burn budget on both.
Next step
If you don't know which one fits what you sell, don't guess. Book 15 minutes and, based on your offer and your customer, I'll tell you where to put your budget so it pays off.