In the podcast:

01:15 – Adwords or Facebook
01:48 – Considerations why use Adwords Platform
02:38 – The sheer reach that Adwords has
03:41 – Adwords is vast
04:01 – Search network
04:13 – GDN (Google Display Network)
05:29 – YouTube
06:06 – Advertising on the search network
07:52 – Adwords strictly a CPC platform
08:45 – Considerations why use Facebook Platform
08:58 – Number of people using the Facebook platform
10:08 – Facebook targeting is far superior to Google
11:13 – Facebook as a social network and people can share your ad
12:10 – Facebook algorithm

In this episode we discuss the differences between AdWords and Facebook and how you can decide which platform you should advertise on. Be sure to visit talkingwebmarketing.com for the show notes as well

If you’re talking about a really interesting topic today that really regardless of what industry your business in or the work you’re in, you probably ask yourself this question at some point because as somebody who owns a digital agency, I deal with clients all the time as well as somebody who trains a lot of people with our coaching program. I find everyone ask me this question at some point.

Should you Advertise on Google Adwords or Facebook Ads

Now it is worth mentioning that when I do get asked this question by clients or coaching students often my answer is both. I’m mindful that it might not be viable for you in your business due to lots of reasons. And often the most common reason is due to budget which I’m obviously very respectful of. But being an ad person and running an ad agency, I do see the merits in both of the advertising platforms.

But today we will be discussing the considerations that you might be making before you sort of plunge your money into one particular ad platform. So let’s get stuck into the topic.

4 Reasons to Consider Using the Adwords Platform

So before you spend a cent or a dime on any advertising, you first need to stop and think about:

• Who exactly is your target customer?
• Where do they hang out online?
• What behaviour do they exhibit?
• Are they searching for something on Google?
• Are they reading certain articles on certain kind of websites?
• Are they watching videos on YouTube?

Because these are the different ways that you can access them through the Adwords platform.

So here are the reasons why you need to consider using Adwords platform.

1. The sheer reach that Adwords has and Google and a bunch of other publications

Have done some studies to try and quantify just how many people are using the Google platform. And in some countries, it’s as high as 90% of all internet users. So as a business owner trying to advertise and get your ad in front of your target customer, you will most likely be able to do so through the Google platform for the sheer reach that AdWords has. The sheer fact that 90% of all internet users in some countries not all are using the Google platform in some form.

Therefore you just have to get creative as an advertiser to put your ad in front of that person in the right format. That’s the first main reason. And really, I think the most important reason why you might consider the AdWords platform.

2. Adwords is vast

Actually most people don’t realize actually the full suite that the AdWords platform provides to people.

3 Main Pillars of Google

1. Search Network

So everyone’s familiar with the first main pillar of AdWords which is called the search network. It is where everyone would go to search for something.

2. GDN (Google Display Network)

Essentially your ability to show ads on other people’s websites. So if you own a website that you allow Google ads on their as an advertiser you can publish your ads on that site. And there are literally millions and millions of third party websites or published websites that allow Google ads on their site which means that you can’t have your ads on their website if you’re in America.

New York Times for example allows Google ads on their site. Here in Australia like the Sydney Morning Herald or The Age and these sort of major news publications websites, they have very very high traffic websites allow Google ads as well as eBay and like literally millions and millions of websites that you have heard of as well as websites you’ve most likely never ever heard of. The GDN and is actually a topic for another article. But it’s probably the most underutilized tool within the AdWords platform. I do genuinely believe and I love advertising on the GDN because we get really good results.

3. YouTube

We have all these YouTube before and Google have even said that it’s the second largest search engine in the world amazingly. So you could have video ads that play before a video that you’ll be watching as well as banners on YouTube. So as you can see, the search network, the gdn, and YouTube, it’s vast. There’s no doubt that you have the ability to target your ideal customer and access them and put an ad in front of them through AdWords.

3. Advertising on the search network

Because of the intent factor with pretty much any other kind of advertising. It’s called interruption marketing. Now if you’re advertising on Facebook for example you’re interrupting someone from looking at their friends and family photos. However with the search network, there’s an intent there somebody has gone to Google and they have actually typed in something specific that they want to know or find an answer to.

So you’ve eliminated the variable of does somebody want whatever it is that you’re offering or a service that you’re providing. That is huge because that means that you just have to craft an ad that’s an enticing enough for them to click on it and hopefully send them somewhere that is going to convert into a lead or a customer. But you’ve eliminated the variable of intent. And I like to think of it like this analogy like you’re effectively sliding your business card under the noses of someone at the very instant that they’re looking for it. So that’s an amazing advertising opportunity I believe.

That is a huge reason why you would most likely consider AdWords for some businesses where it is perhaps a new product or a new business and there is no one searching for it. Then obviously you can’t. Well not that you can’t but advertising on the search network might not be an obvious starting point for you. But for many many businesses that are offering something or a service that people already know exists, that’s a logical place for people to start.

4. It is a strictly a CPC platform

It’s a cost per click platform which means that you’re only paying for the people who are interested enough in your product or service and click on your ad. Anybody who sees your ad and does not click on it, you don’t have to pay for. So there is a ton of free branding that you will get especially if you do the GTA or even YouTube as well. But the people who see the ad and don’t click on it and therefore it has not cost you a set. I also think that’s a really strong benefit to why most likely want to consider AdWords and I feel that AdWords for most businesses, you could find a way to make it work. So I struggle to find a way that you cannot adwords for most industries.

4 Reasons to Consider Using Facebook Platform

So let’s get stuck on Facebook. I do love Facebook ads. They are an amazing marketing opportunity. Let’s get into the reasons.

1. How many people use the platform

Facebook have openly, I guess posted and advertise or reported that they have two billion. That’s B with a B, billion active users and by active users they mean people who have logged in in the last 30 days. So amazing reach that they’ve got.

So yes, as an advertiser, you want to put an ad in front of your target customer. Most likely in some form they are your target customer would be using Facebook ad platform. Yes they might be easier strictly for personal use and they probably most likely wouldn’t go to Facebook to find and purchase brake pads for their car. No. But there’s no doubt that they are using Facebook ad platform and therefore it’s your job as an advertiser to craft your ad in such a way that it does it feel like an ad and it gets them at the right point, at the right time, with the right message as well.

2. Their targeting is far superior to Google

So the sheer fact that 2 billion active users and growing. Most likely your target customer is their second big big reason you’d most likely consider Facebook. So your ability as an advertiser to hone in almost with laser focus on your target customer be at lots of different factors. You can do that with Facebook.

And that’s because as a Facebook user, people input lots of data about themselves. They obviously to their name with an obvious personal details like their date of birth and even what school they went to, what study if they went to college. What did they study at college or university often. Where do they live. Etc. etc. as well as Facebook pages that they like what products do they use. What books do they read. What podcasts often do they listen to. So if you can do it good enough, audience research to determine what are the qualities and attributes of your target customer. Then you can access them through the Facebook ad platform. No doubt about it.

3. It’s a social network and people can share your ad

In fact it still astounds me that people will share ads and you certainly are not able to share any google ads. There is no share button directly in that ad and by sharing your ad or commenting and tagging friends and liking it.

We’re doing air quotes that builds social proof into your ads which is the ultimate endorsement so that social aspect and the fact that your audience often your customers will endorse you in the ad directly is a great advertising opportunity because we all trust our friends and any endorsement from a friend or family that they give. So the ability to do that straight into your ad as a marketer is amazing.

4. Facebook algorithm

The Facebook algorithm is essentially Facebook way of helping you grow and build your ad account in a profitable way by skewing your ads to show ads to people who are more likely to do engage with your ad as opposed to people who are likely not to take any action at all. So the algorithm is something that you can use to your advantage when you learn how to kind of use it to your advantage and it will help you really grow and scale your business.

So I hope you found these considerations helpful. Have a think about how they might apply to your business. And answer those questions about who your target customer is. Are they hanging out anywhere specifically online? In which case you use AdWords. Are they searching for something in particular? Do they use any kind of search queries that used the Google search network or do they like certain competitors, what attributes they have that should use Facebook and maybe like me you might say that you want to advertise on both advertising platforms.