Customer behaviour is always changing.
Today’s customers don’t always know what they are looking for until they see it and that’s where Meta has become one of the most powerful growth channels available.
Google is still essential. Someone searches for your product, you appear and then they buy. However, businesses that are relying solely on search are missing a significant opportunity.
Google captures existing demand and Meta creates that demand. Modern businesses need both to thrive.
Google Still Wins at Intent
Google remains one of the highest-intent advertising platforms.
People who are searching for
- “Garden furniture”
- “Holiday to Spain”
- “Accounting software”
- “Digital marketing agency”
already know what they want and have high purchase intent.
That’s why Google often delivers excellent conversion rates and should remain a core part of most businesses’ marketing strategy.
Search advertising also allows businesses to appear at the exact moment a potential customer is comparing options, checking prices or preparing to buy.
However, Google is usually the strongest when demand already exists. While it helps businesses capture searches, it is less effective at creating interest among people that aren’t actively searching yet.
Google captures demand. Meta helps create it.
Meta Creates Demand
People spend hours every day on Facebook and Instagram. They aren’t searching and shopping, they’re watching Reels, Stories and scrolling through their feeds.
Despite them not actively shopping, you can target them based on:
- Interests
- Behaviour
- Previous engagement
- Demographics
This means that customers are served content and ads that are highly relevant to them, and if the ads are done correctly, they shouldn’t feel intrusive. They should feel like another piece of engaging content on customers’ feeds.
So many customers discover brands, services and products before they even realise they need them.
A customer might see a clothing brand in an Instagram Reel, save the post and then visit the website later in the day. They may only search for the brand on Google days later. The customer journey isn’t starting on a search engine, it often starts with social media.
For businesses looking to grow, this presents a significant opportunity. You’re not waiting for your customers to find you, you are putting your business in front of the right people who could potentially become customers.
Why the Best Strategies Use Both
The most successful digital marketing strategies don’t treat Google and Meta as competing platforms. They both play a different role in the customer journey.
Google is great at capturing existing demand. When someone is searching for a product or service, they are often comparing options or ready to make a purchase. Whereas Meta generates demand by introducing your brand to people who may not have been actively looking but are likely to be interested based on their behaviour and interests.
Used together, they create a complete marketing funnel. A potential customer might discover your business on Meta to begin with, engage with your content over a few days and then search on Google for your brand or compare you to other businesses before making a purchase. If you are visible at both stages, you increase the likelihood of being chosen by the customer.
Relying on a single channel can limit growth, especially as competition increases and advertising costs fluctuate. By combining Meta and Google, businesses can reach new audiences, nurture interest and capture demand when customers take action.
Looking Ahead
Meta Ads are no longer just an optional addition to a marketing strategy. They have become one of the most effective ways to introduce your brand to new audiences and drive sustainable growth.
The strongest marketing strategies recognise that opportunities arise long before someone types a search query into Google. Meta has evolved from a supplementary channel into a core driver of growth. For businesses looking to scale, it is no longer the case of whether to invest in Meta, it’s about how effectively you use it.
If you are new to Meta ads or looking to improve your existing campaigns get in touch with us today to see how we can help.