Google Ads, Meta or LinkedIn: where should your ad budget go?

Short answer: put your first dollars where your buyers already are. If people search for your service, start with Google Search. If you need to create demand or sell to consumers, use Meta (Facebook and Instagram). If you sell to businesses or government and need to reach people by job title, use LinkedIn. Most businesses do best with one channel done well before adding a second.

Google Search: catch people ready to buy

Google Search ads show when someone types a problem or service into Google, such as "video production Canberra" or "roof repairs near me". The intent is high, so it is usually the fastest channel to produce enquiries.

• Best for: services people actively search for
• Watch out for: broad keywords that burn budget on the wrong searches
• Needs: conversion tracking and a landing page built for one action

Meta: create demand and stay top of mind

Facebook and Instagram ads reach people before they start searching. They work well for consumer brands, events, recruitment and retargeting people who visited your website but did not enquire.

• Best for: consumer offers, events, ticket sales and retargeting
• Watch out for: creative fatigue, as the same ad stops working after a few weeks
• Needs: a steady supply of fresh video and static creative

LinkedIn: reach decision makers

LinkedIn costs more per click than the other two, but it lets you target by role, industry and company size. For B2B services and government suppliers, one good lead can be worth far more than the extra cost.

• Best for: B2B, professional services and recruitment
• Watch out for: audiences that are too small to optimise
• Needs: lead forms or a focused landing page, and thought leadership content

Creative matters more than the platform

Most underperforming campaigns we audit have the same problem: one or two tired ads running for months. We make ad creative in house, so new variations can go live every month and tired ads are replaced before results drop.

What managed ads cost

Our ad management starts from $2,000 per channel per month. Media spend is paid direct to the platform, so you can always see exactly what was spent. Ad creative and landing pages are quoted separately, or bundled into a monthly retainer. Paid ads management is included in our $14,000 a month marketing retainer.

Common questions

How much should we spend on ads?

It depends on your market and goals. We recommend a starting budget in the plan, then move money to what is working once results come in.

Which platform is best for government suppliers?

LinkedIn for reaching people by role and agency, and Google Search for people looking for a specific service.

How do you report results?

A plain English report every month covering leads, cost per lead, spend against plan and what we will change next, with a call to walk through it.

Do you make the ad creative?

Yes. Video and static ads are made in house.

Get an ads plan

See our paid ads management or start your quote and we will recommend where your first budget should go.