When a business starts investing in online advertising, it's common to split the budget evenly between Google Ads and Meta Ads "to cover all bases" without first testing which one actually performs better. That decision, made without data, usually costs money that could have been invested more profitably.
What each platform actually measures better
Google Ads captures demand that already exists: people already actively searching for what you offer. Meta Ads generates demand that didn't exist yet: it shows your product or service to someone who wasn't searching for it, but who might be interested once they see it. They're different mechanisms, and the budget split should reflect that.
How to know which one your business needs more budget for
If your product or service already has active searches with purchase intent ("kitchen renovation Madrid", for example) Google Ads usually performs better right off the bat. If your product is something people don't actively search for because they don't know they need it, Meta Ads is usually more effective at generating that initial interest.
The most reliable method: test before committing a large budget
A small, controlled test budget on both platforms for a few weeks, measuring cost per lead or per sale on each, gives real information about where your specific business performs better, instead of relying on what worked for a different business.
Frequently asked questions
How much test budget is needed for reliable data?
It depends on your industry's cost per click, but as a general guideline, it's worth having enough budget to generate at least a few dozen conversions on each platform before drawing firm conclusions.
Is it better to put the whole budget into the best-performing platform right away?
Not always immediately. It's usually more prudent to gradually shift budget toward the platform that's performing better, rather than making an abrupt change, to confirm the good performance holds up as spend scales.
Should TikTok Ads also be part of this split?
It depends on the business's target audience. For brands with a younger audience it can make sense to include it in the initial tests, though for most SMBs it's worth starting with Google and Meta before adding a third platform.