Meta Ads vs Google Ads for Local Businesses: Where Should You Spend Your Money?
The $1,000 Question Every Business Owner Asks
"Should I run Facebook ads or Google ads?" We hear this every single week. The real answer isn't "both" — at least not when you're starting out with a limited budget. Each platform excels at different things, targets different buyer intent levels, and works best for different types of businesses. Here's the data-driven breakdown.
Google Ads: Capture Existing Demand
Google Ads puts you in front of people who are actively searching for what you offer RIGHT NOW. "Emergency plumber El Paso" — that person has a broken pipe and needs help today. This is high-intent traffic. Google Ads shines for: service businesses (HVAC, plumbing, legal, dental), emergency services, businesses with high average order values, and any business where people actively search for solutions. Average cost-per-lead for local service businesses: $25-$75.
Meta Ads: Create New Demand
Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads puts you in front of people based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics — even if they're not actively searching. This is interruption marketing. It's like a billboard, but hyper-targeted. Meta Ads shines for: restaurants, retail, fitness, beauty, events, e-commerce, and any visually appealing product or service. Average cost-per-lead for local businesses: $10-$40. Lower cost, but lower intent.
The Head-to-Head Comparison
Intent level: Google is high (searching now), Meta is low-medium (browsing). Cost per click: Google is $2-$8 locally, Meta is $0.50-$3. Best for awareness: Meta wins. Best for conversions: Google wins. Visual products: Meta wins. Service businesses: Google wins. Retargeting: Both are excellent. Bilingual targeting: Meta has better language targeting options. Our recommendation for El Paso businesses starting with $1,000/month: put 60% on Google, 40% on Meta.
The Secret Weapon: Use Both Together
The real magic happens when you use both platforms in a coordinated strategy. Here's our playbook: (1) Run Google Ads to capture people actively searching for your services. (2) Install the Meta Pixel on your website. (3) Retarget website visitors with Meta Ads showing testimonials, offers, and social proof. (4) Use Meta Ads to build brand awareness with your target demographic. (5) As brand awareness grows, your Google Ads get cheaper because more people search for you by name. This flywheel effect compounds over time.
Budget Allocation by Business Type
Restaurants: 70% Meta, 30% Google. Service businesses (plumbing, HVAC, legal): 80% Google, 20% Meta. Retail/boutiques: 60% Meta, 40% Google. Fitness/wellness: 50/50 split. Medical/dental: 70% Google, 30% Meta. Real estate: 50% Meta, 50% Google. These are starting points — optimize based on your actual performance data after 30 days.
What $500/Month Can Actually Do
With $500/month managed properly: Google Ads can generate 15-30 qualified leads for a service business. Meta Ads can reach 20,000-50,000 local people and generate 20-40 leads for a restaurant or retail store. The key word is "managed properly." Most businesses waste 40-60% of their ad spend on poor targeting, bad ad copy, or landing pages that don't convert. That's why working with an agency that knows local advertising (and can create bilingual campaigns) pays for itself.
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