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The post Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: Which Is Better for Your Small Business? appeared first on HostGator Blog . Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: Which Is Better for Small Business? Small business owners must make the best advertising decision for their bottom line. It’s a daunting task that requires patience and market research. With so many possibilities, you’ll want to consider your business goals and customers. YourStory contributor Sromona Bhattacharyya , shares her insight: “Selecting the perfect platform for advertisement requires a lot of prior research and efforts… Your customer’s attention is constantly changing from one platform to another… It’s important for any company to decide where their customers pay attention and get back to basics.” Ready to evaluate your advertising options? Here’s a guide to show you when to use Google Ads versus Facebook Ads.   When to Use Google Ads   1. You Want To Reach Local Audiences Most small businesses cater to distinct audiences within their geographical locations. You’re selling winter coats to consumers in Chicago and not folks in Miami. In addition to eCommerce, some businesses have a local storefront. Google Ads makes it easy to become a resource for your local consumer base. With local search ads, you can earn more foot traffic and get more phone inquiries from consumers. Plus, you can provide your audience with critical information, like your address and store hours. If you own multiple stores in a local area, you’ll want to build unique landing pages specific to that area. These pages should highlight the different services and include local testimonials. This strategy ensures site visitors receive information that match their needs. Another idea is to run an ad promotion. Buyers are more likely to visit your store if they know you’re offering a sale. You’ll gain local visibility with Google Ads as part of your plan. More consumers entering into your store means more chances to increase your sales.   2. You Want To Generate Leads Bringing in new customers is key for your small business. But you don’t want every consumer, you need qualified leads that resemble your target audience. Lead generation comes with its own challenges. Acquiring new leads can be expensive. Research shows it costs 7 times more to get a new customer than to retain an existing one. If you don’t want to spend your entire budget on gaining new leads, then Google Ads may be the right solution for your small business. Matt Ackerson , founder of AutoGrow, explains: “If you have a micro budget, you’re going to pinch your pennies. With a Google AdWords account, you can generate more leads without spending a ton of cash. You can then focus your efforts on creating a product or service that will maximize your AdWords ROI.” Google Ads allows you to reach customers with highly-targeted keywords. With lead generation, specificity works in your favor. It’s better to connect with an audience that’s searching for “college basketball shorts,” rather than just “basketball.”   3. You Want a Variety of Ad Types Online shoppers peruse multiple places on the web. You can find them looking for a solution via a search engine or watching endless cat videos on YouTube. It’s important for your advertising to reflect their whereabouts. Google Ads offers your small business various avenues to connect with your audience. Depending on your goals, you want to select a campaign type based on your desired actions from potential customers. For instance, you may develop a Search Network campaign to increase your leads. Then, your team may create a Video campaign to secure sales. Check out the video below to learn which ad campaign type is right for your business. After selecting your ad type, it’s time to think about the actual ad. You want it to speak to the consumers’ needs. It should be specific and build an instant connection. If your team doesn’t possess visual branding expertise, it’s recommended to outsource the task to a design professional . Hire a freelancer to create your graphics or edit your video footage. All these details help attract the right consumers.   When to Use Facebook Ads   1. You Want to Reach Niche Audiences Selling to the masses is a difficult endeavor; it’s hard persuading everyone your product fits their needs. Instead, some small businesses stick to niche audiences—a unique group of consumers in the market. Facebook Ads gives you the flexibility to serve niche audiences. Sherman Standberry , COO and cofounder of LYFE Marketing, explains: “Facebook advertising can help you expand into new markets. If you are bringing a new product or service to market, you can use Facebook advertising to increase its exposure. Facebook advertising will help you test the market, at your own pace.” To advertise to niche audiences, you should collect detailed information about your consumers. You’ll want to target a specific age range, gender, and location. Then, take it a step further by pinpointing their purchasing behaviors, mobile device usage, languages, and connections. Personalization is crucial when developing your first Facebook Ad campaign . Explore ways to develop a brand lifestyle that relates to your niche audience.   2. You Want Brand Awareness Without advertising, small businesses can go unnoticed by consumers. Your marketing campaigns become simply background noise for your large competitors. Facebook Ads helps level the playing field. It can draw awareness to small brands by reaching your targeted audience. The purpose of brand awareness varies based on your customer lifecycle journey. For some companies, it means introducing a brand to a new audience. Other businesses use it as a way to bring their brand to the forefront for interested consumers. With Facebook Ads  awareness campaigns , your team can set its own objectives. The platform focuses on helping you expand your reach, whether it’s a carousel of images or a video. Before launching your ad, consider how you want to tell your brand story. Each ad should build a bridge between your business and the audience. Work with a copywriter to hone your brand’s voice and tone. Learn which words will appeal to your consumers’ emotions and compel them to learn about your products. Your business deserves the attention. Facebook Ads helps you target the right consumers.   3. You Want to Capture Mobile Traffic According to analytics firm Flurry , Americans spend up to five hours per day on their mobile devices. It’s a significant indicator for companies to spend more resources on mobile ads . The experts at Matchcraft offer this perspective: “Mobile traffic is important as smartphone penetration continues to increase and 4G data networks expand. Plenty of people break up their work day by glancing at their phones for some social media time, giving you access to your mobile audience.” Facebook suggests running your ads within its family of apps and services, including Audience Network, Instagram, and Messenger. That way, your advertising spreads across various platforms, earning your business better results. You also can manage Facebook ads on the go. Your team can now pause campaigns, edit budgets, and view insights directly from the mobile app. There’s no excuses for getting key data to operate your small business. Consumers aren’t stationary; they live and shop on the go. So, integrate Facebook Ads into your mobile outreach strategy.   What Works for Your Small Business? Advertising is a huge opportunity for small businesses to attract customers. But with so many different options, it’s overwhelming to choose the best platform. For starters, examine your goals and customers’ behaviors. Google Ads offers better results for local audiences and lead generation. Facebook Ads is useful for niche audiences and brand awareness. Choose your platform. Get the results. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →