Google Ads vs Facebook Ads for NZ Businesses: Do you need both?

Do you actually need both? One of the most common questions we get is: should I be running Google Ads or Facebook Ads? And the honest answer is… it depends. They’re both powerful. They both work. But they work in very different ways. The right choice comes down to your product, your audience, and how people typically decide to buy from you. Let’s break it down in simple terms.

Facebook and Instagram advertising is what we call interruptive marketing. People aren’t actively looking for your service when they see your ad. They’re scrolling, watching videos, checking updates. Your ad interrupts that experience.

That’s not a bad thing. In fact, for many businesses, it’s incredibly effective.

Facebook Ads work well when:

• Your product or service can spark impulse interest
• People might book or enquire on the spur of the moment
• You can visually showcase what you offer
• Your audience has clear lifestyle interests

For example…

• Sports clubs, studios, classes or coaching
• Restaurants and cafes
• Tourism attractions and activities
• Skincare and beauty services
• Home renovation companies
• Events and workshops
• General retail products

Facebook’s targeting allows you to reach people based on interests, behaviours, location, demographics and recent online activity. So for example, if someone has shown interest in golf, renovations, skincare, or dining out, you can place your brand in front of them even if they haven’t searched for you yet. That’s powerful for building awareness and generating new demand.

Retargeting is one of Facebook’s strongest tools.

It works like this:

• Someone visits your website
• They don’t book or enquire
• Later, they see your ad again on Facebook or Instagram

You’ve probably experienced this yourself. You look at something once, and then it seems to follow you around online.

Retargeting keeps your business front of mind. It’s especially effective because people often need multiple touchpoints before making a decision. Instead of losing that traffic, you’re giving them a second or third reminder to act.

For many NZ businesses, combining cold targeting with retargeting can significantly lift conversions.

Google Ads works differently. Instead of interrupting someone’s scroll, you’re showing up when someone is actively searching for what you offer.

For example:

• “Accountant Christchurch”
• “Emergency plumber near me”
• “Best vet in Christchurch”
• “Storage solutions Canterbury”

With Google Search Ads, you bid on specific keywords. When someone types those words into Google, your ad can appear at the top of the search results.

This is called intent-based marketing. The person is already looking. They have a problem to solve, or a service or product to find. Your job is simply to show up at the right moment.

Google Ads tends to work well when:

• Your service solves a clear problem
• People actively search for it
• The decision is more considered
• The value of each lead is higher

Professional services like accountants, lawyers, mortgage brokers, and trades often perform strongly on Google because customers are already in buying mode.

Neither is universally “better”. They just serve different roles.

Facebook is often better for:

• Building brand awareness
• Showcasing visual products
• Lifestyle-based services
• Generating interest Retargeting website visitors

Google is often better for:

• Capturing ready-to-buy customers
• High-intent searches
• Local service businesses
• Higher-value services
• Problem-solving industries

Some businesses only need one platform. Others benefit from both. For example, a renovation company might use Facebook to inspire homeowners and build brand awareness, while using Google to capture people actively searching for renovation quotes

Not always. If your customers regularly search for your service, Google may be your priority. If your service benefits from strong visuals or impulse interest, Facebook may be more effective.

If you want to:

• Build awareness
• Stay visible
• Capture active searches
• Retarget interested visitors

Then using both strategically can create a powerful full-funnel approach.

Running ads without a clear strategy often leads to wasted budget. The platform matters less than:

• Your targeting
• Your messaging
• Your landing pages
• Your offer
• Your follow-up process

At Webmad, we help NZ businesses decide which platform makes sense, set up campaigns properly, and connect advertising with website performance and SEO.

If you’re unsure where to invest your ad budget, we’re happy to take a look and point you in the right direction.

Sometimes it’s not about doing more marketing. It’s about doing the right kind.