Most local businesses pick the wrong one first — and burn three months of budget figuring it out. The honest answer isn't "Facebook is better" or "Google is better." It depends on whether your customers already know they want what you sell. Google captures demand that's already there. Facebook (Meta) creates demand that wasn't. Pick the wrong one for your service and you're paying premium prices to do the harder job. Here's how to decide.
1The one question that picks the platform
Do your customers Google "[your service] near me" when they need you?
If yes — emergency plumber, dentist, locksmith, removalist, mechanic — Google Ads first. The demand is already there, fully formed. You're just paying to be the result that gets clicked.
If no — interior designer, personal trainer, cleaner, financial advisor, photographer — Meta first. People don't sit there typing "good personal trainer in Brisbane" at 9pm on a Tuesday. They scroll Instagram, see a transformation reel, and start to consider the idea. You're creating the demand before capture is possible.
2What Google Ads does well (and what it doesn't)
Google Ads catches people at the moment they decide they need something. They typed the words. They want a solution today. Conversion intent is the highest you'll find anywhere on the internet.
What that means for budget: a single click can cost $5–25 depending on your category, but the close rate from those clicks is often 5–15%. The maths usually works for any service where one customer is worth $300+.
Google search ads have a 3.17% average click-through rate and 3.75% conversion rate for local services — WordStream 2024 benchmarks. At Bare Bayside Labs, we see Google consistently win for emergency, urgent, and "named-need" services — anything where the customer already knows what they want when they search.
What Google can't do: convince someone they need something. It can't show off a beautiful piece of work the customer didn't know was an option. It's a capture tool, not a creation tool.
3What Meta Ads does well (and what it doesn't)
Meta (Facebook + Instagram) is interruption advertising. You catch people scrolling, show them something they didn't go looking for, and create an interest that wasn't there 30 seconds ago.
That's powerful for any service that's visual, transformational, or feels "nice to have" until people see proof. A renovation reel, a before-and-after pet groom, a stunning interior shot — all create demand Google can't even reach because the search isn't happening yet.
What that means for budget: clicks are cheap ($0.50–$3 typical for local services) but conversion rates per click are 10–50x lower than Google. You're paying less per click and capturing colder interest.
What Meta can't do: turn around a same-day emergency. If someone's pipe just burst, they're not on Instagram. They're typing "emergency plumber" into Google and calling whoever's at the top.
4The budget logic: how much is enough?
Under $500/mo: Pick one and only one. Spread between both at this level and neither performs. Use the demand question above to choose.
$500–$1,500/mo: Still one platform, but you've got room to test 2–3 ad variations and a couple of audience splits. Most local services see real results in this range when focused.
$1,500–$3,000/mo: The sweet spot for running both. A 70/30 split with the heavier weight on whichever matches your demand profile. Use the second platform to either retarget or fill awareness gaps.
$3,000+/mo: Both platforms, plus YouTube, plus retargeting layers. At this level the question changes — it's about which channels feed each other rather than which to pick.
5The five mistakes that burn budget
1. Splitting too small a budget across both platforms. $250 each on Google and Meta is $500 wasted. $500 on one is a real test.
2. Running ads to a slow or generic landing page. Both platforms penalise sites that take more than 3 seconds to load or feel generic. A great ad to a bad page is money on fire.
3. No tracking on the back end. If you can't tell which click became a customer, you're guessing. Tracking is non-negotiable — see Why Your Ads Aren't Working.
72% of small businesses can't trace a sale back to a specific ad — HubSpot State of Marketing 2024. At Bare Bayside Labs, we see most "Facebook vs Google" arguments are actually tracking arguments — businesses can't tell which one's working because nothing's measured.
4. Using broad geo targets. "Australia" is too wide. "Bayside suburbs within 15km of [postcode]" matches actual buyers and cuts wasted spend.
5. Not watching what competitors run. Both Meta Ad Library and Google Ads Transparency Center show what your rivals are running right now — for free. Most businesses never look.
6A simple decision tree
If you remember nothing else from this article, use this:
- Urgent, named service + budget under $1.5K: Google Ads only.
- Visual, transformational service + budget under $1.5K: Meta only.
- Mixed demand + budget $1.5K–$3K: Google 70%, Meta 30%.
- Mixed demand + budget over $3K: Both, plus retargeting, plus tracking that ties them together.
Key takeaways
- Google captures demand. Meta creates it. Pick based on whether customers already search for what you sell.
- Under $1.5K/mo — pick one platform. Splitting kills both.
- Sweet spot for running both = $1,500–$3,000/mo, 70/30 split.
- Tracking is non-negotiable. Untrackable spend is gambling, not advertising.
- Watch your competitors. Both Meta Ad Library and Google Ads Transparency Center are free.
Common questions
What about TikTok or LinkedIn ads?
For most local service businesses, both are a later layer. TikTok works for visual/young demographics where the awkward part is the demographic match. LinkedIn works for B2B services with high deal values ($5K+). Below that, Meta and Google handle 90% of what you need.
How long before I can tell if an ad is working?
Minimum 14 days, ideally 30. Anything less than 14 days you're reacting to noise. Both platforms need time to learn your audience before they perform.
Should I hire an agency to run ads?
Only if your monthly spend is $3K+. Below that, agency fees ($800–$2,500/mo) eat too much of the budget. At that level, learn the basics yourself and use intelligence tools (like Ad Pulse) to copy what's already working in your category.
What's a good conversion rate for local ads?
Google: 3–8% landing-page conversion for local services. Meta: 1–3% click-through to landing, 2–5% on the landing page itself. If you're well below these, the problem is usually the landing page, not the ad.
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