Last week, a client asked me the question I get almost daily: “Should I spend my advertising budget on Facebook or Google?”

I used to give the standard consultant answer: “It depends on your business.” But after managing campaigns for over 50 US businesses this year, I realized I was doing my clients a disservice by staying neutral.

The truth is, I’ve seen too many businesses fail by picking the wrong platform. I’ve watched a $50K launch budget get completely wasted because someone chose Facebook when they should have gone with Google. I’ve also seen the opposite—businesses struggling on Google when Facebook would have made them rich.

So let me settle this once and for all, based on real campaigns and real results.

The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

Three months ago, I had two similar clients launch at the same time. Both were selling kitchen gadgets. Both had $12,000 monthly ad budgets. Both had great products and solid websites.

Client A insisted on Facebook ads because “that’s where everyone is.” Client B wanted Google because “people search for kitchen stuff.”

After 90 days:

• Client A (Facebook): 240 sales, $150 spent per sale
• Client B (Google): 600 sales, $60 spent per sale

Same products. Same month. Completely different worlds

That’s when I realized the platform choice isn’t about personal preference or industry trends. It’s about understanding where your customers are in their buying journey.

Here’s What I Actually Learned From 50+ Campaigns

After managing campaigns across everything from local dentists to national e-commerce brands, patterns started emerging that nobody talks about in marketing blogs.

Facebook works when people don’t know they need you yet. It’s incredible for introducing problems and solutions. I had a meal prep company that was struggling to get traction anywhere else, but Facebook allowed them to show busy professionals how much time they were wasting on grocery shopping. Result? 4.8x return on ad spend.

Google works when people already know what they want. When someone searches “emergency locksmith near me” at 2 AM, they’re not browsing—they’re buying. A locksmith client of mine gets an average 8x return on Google ads because he’s catching people at the exact moment they need his service.

But here’s where it gets interesting…

The Industry Patterns That Surprised Me

I started tracking which industries consistently performed better on each platform. Some results were obvious, others completely caught me off guard.

Facebook absolutely crushes it for:

E-commerce brands selling lifestyle products. I have a home decor client who tried Google for months with mediocre results. Within 30 days on Facebook, she was getting tagged in customer photos and building a community around her brand. Sales tripled.

Fitness and wellness businesses. There’s something about Facebook’s visual nature that makes people want to transform their lives. One fitness coach went from 5 clients to 47 clients in 4 months just by sharing transformation stories and workout tips.

Google dominates for:

Local service businesses. Plumbers, electricians, lawyers, dentists—if people search for your service when they need it, Google wins every time. I have a divorce attorney who gets 90% of his clients from Google ads with search terms like “divorce lawyer [city name].”

B2B software and complex services. When someone searches “CRM for real estate agents,” they’re ready to evaluate solutions, not scroll through their social feed.

The Biggest Mistake I See (And I Made It Too)

For years, I was guilty of the same thing most advertisers do: trying to force platforms to work against their nature.

I had a restaurant client spending $9500/month on Facebook trying to get people to “book a table now.” Terrible results. The moment we shifted to showcasing the experience, the atmosphere, the food presentation—basically treating Facebook like the visual storytelling platform it is—bookings increased by 340%.

Same with a law firm that wanted to build “brand awareness” on Google Search. We were bidding on expensive keywords like “personal injury lawyer” and sending people to generic brand pages. Disaster. When we started targeting specific problems like “what to do after car accident” and sending them to helpful content, everything changed.

The lesson: Work with the platform, not against it.

My Current Go-To Strategy (That Actually Works)

I don’t make clients choose between Facebook and Google anymore. Instead, I use what I call the “Customer Journey Mapping” approach.

Think about it: your customer doesn’t live in just one platform. They might discover you on Facebook, research you on Google, come back through Facebook, and finally convert through a Google search.

Here’s how I map it out:

Stage 1 – Discovery (Facebook wins) Show people they have a problem or introduce them to your solution. Great for cold audiences who aren’t actively searching yet.

Stage 2 – Research (Google wins)
Catch them when they’re actively looking for solutions. Perfect for people who now know what they need.

Stage 3 – Decision (Both platforms) Retarget people who’ve engaged but haven’t bought. Facebook for social proof, Google for specific offers.

My clients using this integrated approach see 60% better results than those who stick to just one platform.

The Real Questions You Should Be Asking

Instead of “Facebook or Google,” ask yourself:

Do your customers know they need your product? If not, start with Facebook to create awareness.

Are people actively searching for what you sell? If yes, Google should be your priority.

How long is your sales cycle? Quick decisions favor Google, longer consideration periods favor Facebook.

Is your product visual or experiential? Facebook loves showcasing lifestyle and transformation.

Do you solve urgent problems? Google catches people at their moment of need.

What This Means for Your Business Right Now

If you’re currently advertising on just one platform, you’re leaving money on the table. But don’t just start throwing budget at both—be strategic about it.

Start with where your customers are most likely to convert first. If you’re a local service business, begin with Google. If you’re selling lifestyle products, start with Facebook.

Then add the second platform to capture different stages of the customer journey. Use the first platform’s data to inform your second platform strategy.

Most importantly, track everything. I use tools that show me the complete customer path across platforms. Without this, you’re flying blind.

Why This Matters More Than Ever in 2025

Here’s something most advertisers don’t realize: the platforms are getting better at what they do best, and worse at what they’re not designed for.

Facebook’s AI is incredible at finding people similar to your customers and showing them relevant content. But it’s not great at capturing high-intent search traffic.

Google’s search algorithms are phenomenal at matching search intent with relevant ads. But it’s not built for creating demand where none existed.

The gap is widening, which means choosing the right platform—or using both strategically—is more important than ever.