If you run a small business, the question is rarely whether to advertise online. It is where to put a limited budget so it earns its keep. Google Ads and Facebook Ads (which includes Instagram, since both run through Meta Ads Manager) are the two obvious choices, and they work in very different ways.
This guide explains the real difference between them, what each costs in practice, and which one to start with in your sector. There is no single winner. There is usually a right first step.
Google Ads reaches people who are already searching. Someone types "Sunday roast Clapham", "physio near me" or "boutique hotel Marylebone" and your ad appears at the top of the results. They have told Google what they want. You are answering a question, not interrupting.
Facebook Ads reach people while they scroll. They are not looking for you yet. Your job is to stop the thumb, show them something they want and give them a reason to act later.
A simple way to remember it: Google captures demand, Facebook creates it. Most of the advice below follows from that one idea.
Google works best when people already know what they need and search for it by name.
The drawbacks are cost and competition. Popular keywords in London hospitality, fitness and beauty can cost several pounds per click, and you are often bidding against chains and booking platforms with bigger budgets. Google also only reaches people who already know they need you, so it will not build awareness for something new.
The fix for most small businesses is to go narrow. Longer, specific phrases such as "private dining room Soho" or "reformer pilates Clapham" cost less and attract people who know exactly what they want. Add negative keywords from day one ("jobs", "free", "careers") so you are not paying for clicks that will never book.
Facebook and Instagram are visual, which suits businesses whose product looks good: food, rooms, treatments, classes, clothes.
Clicks are usually cheaper than on Google, but the intent is lower. People may need to see you several times before they act, so you need good creative and patience.
One thing has changed in the last few years. Meta now leans heavily on its automated audience tools (Advantage+), and many of the detailed interest options advertisers used to rely on have been reduced. In practice your creative and your own customer data now do more of the targeting work. Strong images, short videos and a clean customer list matter more than clever audience settings.
Both platforms run on auctions, so there is no fixed price. Some general rules hold, though:
If your budget is under roughly £500 a month, focus on one platform first. Splitting a small budget across two channels means neither gets enough data to learn what works. Give a new campaign at least two to four weeks before judging it, then move money towards what performs. Once one channel is profitable, layer in the second.
Use Google for people searching right now: "restaurants open now", "hotel near Oxford Street", "birthday dinner Shoreditch". Add call extensions so people can ring from the results, and schedule ads around lunch and early evening when searches peak.
Use Facebook and Instagram for atmosphere, events and seasonal packages. A short clip of a dish leaving the pass or a room at golden hour does more than any headline. Retarget people who looked at your booking page and did not finish. Hotels can shift budget through the year: more on Meta during inspiration periods, more on Google when people are ready to book. See our guide to Google Ads remarketing for how to follow up those warm visitors on search too.
Google captures "gym near me", "yoga classes Clapham" and "personal trainer" searches, which are people ready to sign up. Facebook is better for showing your community, classes and real members, and for free trial offers. A common pattern is to promote a trial class on Meta, then make sure you appear on Google when those people later search for a studio nearby.
Treatments with clear search demand, such as brow threading, facials, sports massage or teeth whitening, suit Google. Skincare products, wellness retreats and new treatment concepts suit Instagram, where visuals sell. Keep before-and-after images honest and unfiltered. The ASA has ruled against beauty ads that used filters to exaggerate results.
Google Shopping is strong when people search for specific products. Facebook and Instagram are better for introducing new collections, carousel ads of bestsellers and retargeting people who browsed or abandoned a basket. Most shops end up using both: Google for "buy" searches, Meta for discovery.
Both platforms work, but with extra rules. Meta treats housing, credit and some financial products as special ad categories, which limits how you can target by age, postcode and other factors. Any ad that promotes a financial product must also meet FCA financial promotion rules, so get wording signed off before launch. Google search often works well here because people actively research mortgages, lettings and developments.
Once you have budget for both, they reinforce each other:
A typical starting split for a business that mainly wants bookings now is weighted towards Google. A newer brand that needs to be known first might weight towards Meta. Adjust by season and by what your own data shows.
Whichever platform you choose, these matter more than the platform itself:
Facebook usually has a lower cost per click, while Google usually has a higher cost per click but stronger intent. The cheaper platform is the one with the lower cost per booking or sale for your business, which you only find out by tracking conversions properly.
Enough to get meaningful data on one platform. Many small businesses start with a few hundred pounds a month, focused on one campaign, one audience and one goal, then add a second platform once the first is profitable.
If people already search for what you offer, start with Google. If you are launching something new, visual or not widely searched for yet, start with Facebook and Instagram to build awareness.
Yes. Instagram placements are managed in Meta Ads Manager alongside Facebook, so one campaign can run across both. Visually led brands often get their best results from Instagram placements.
Start with the platform that matches your most urgent goal. If you need bookings this month and people search for what you sell, go to Google. If you need to be known, or your product sells on looks, start with Facebook and Instagram. Track everything, review weekly and add the second channel when the first is working.
If you would like a hand, our team runs pay-per-click and Facebook advertising campaigns for small businesses across London. Get in touch and we will help you choose where to start.
Erik Francas
Operations & SEO Manager, Byter Digital · 5+ years experience
Erik is Operations & SEO Manager at Byter Digital, running day-to-day delivery, SEO strategy and the editorial programme. He covers SEO, social media, content creation, and the practical side of running a small business marketing programme in London.
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