Google Ads vs Facebook Ads

Which platform should you start with?

Start with the platform where your customers already show intent. If they type what you sell into Google, begin there. If they would not think to search for it, begin with Meta. This table applies that rule to common cases.

If your listing on Google Maps is weak, fix it first. Our guide to getting your Cyprus business on Google Maps shows how.

How do the two platforms work differently?

Google shows search ads in response to what someone typed. Meta shows ads in feeds to audiences you define. Google's Ad Rank page lists the search context, including the terms, location and device, among the inputs to the auction. Meta's Business Help Centre says its auction picks ads based on maximum bids and ad performance, and charges the bid needed to win. In both, a relevant ad on a useful page costs less than an irrelevant one.

How do the costs compare?

On published averages, search clicks cost more and Facebook clicks cost less. LocaliQ's figures give the comparison below. Both come from LocaliQ, but they cover different industry mixes, objectives and definitions of a conversion, so read the columns as indicative.

LocaliQ's search page does not state a sample size or date range, and its Facebook page, updated 23 September 2026, gives no sample size or method either, as our Facebook ads cost guide explains. Our Google Ads cost guide shows how to turn the search figures into a monthly budget.

Meta also adds location fees for digital services taxes when ads are delivered to Austria (5%), France, Italy, Spain (3% each), Turkiye (5%) and the UK (2%). Cyprus is not listed. They sit on top of your budget.

Which is cheaper per customer? A worked example

A cheaper lead is not always a cheaper customer, so divide by the close rate. This example is illustrative. It takes LocaliQ's cost per lead for each platform and applies assumed close rates, because the close rate is the number you must supply from your own business.

The formula is cost per customer equals cost per lead divided by close rate. In the second row Google wins even though its lead costs more than twice as much. Facebook would need a close rate of about 12.3% (27.39 divided by 222.30) to match it. Measure your own close rate from a small test on each platform before you scale either.

What does Cyprus change?

Both markets are small, which limits volume on either platform. In our October 2026 data, Google showed about 590 monthly searches in Cyprus for "web design cyprus" and about 90 for "web design limassol". A niche service may not have enough searches to spend a sensible budget on Google alone. On Meta, DataReportal's Digital 2026 Cyprus report, with data from late 2025, gives a Facebook advertising reach of 746 thousand and an Instagram advertising reach of 760 thousand (55.3% of the population), estimates from Meta's tools and not active-user counts. Overlap between the two is likely. Our guide to digital marketing in Cyprus puts both in context.

What is Google Ads Manager, and who should own the account?

"Manager" means two things. On Google, a manager account lets an agency run several accounts from one login. On Meta, Ads Manager is the tool where you build and monitor campaigns. The ownership point matters on Google. Google's help page says that if a manager account creates a client account, the manager automatically becomes its owner, while a manager that links an existing account does not get ownership by default. Open your own Google Ads account first and invite the agency, so you keep control of the data and can end the arrangement. Our page on Google Ads management services covers what to expect from a manager.

Can you use both?

Yes, but sequence them. Get conversion tracking working, run one platform until you know your cost per customer, then add the second and compare. Running both at once on a small budget splits your data into pieces too small to learn from.

If you want help choosing, talk to us. We quote in writing and do not promise results.