Google Ads or targeted ads? In short: Google catches people already searching for what you sell, while targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram create demand among those who aren't looking for you yet. Usually the right answer is the combination, not a single choice, but on a small budget it matters to start with the channel that fits your business model.

When Google Ads wins

Google Ads works on existing demand. Someone searches "fridge repair Chișinău" because they already have the problem and are ready to pay. Intent is high and conversion can be fast, especially for services and products people actively search for. The downside: in competitive niches, clicks can be expensive, and if nobody is searching for your new product yet, there's no one to catch.

When targeted ads win

Ads on Facebook and Instagram create demand by showing the product to people who didn't even know they wanted it. They work best for:

  • Visual products and impulse purchases.
  • Branding, awareness and new product launches.
  • A precisely defined audience by city, age, interests and behavior.

Budget and business stage

On a small budget, focus where your customer makes the decision. For services people search for, Google brings warmer leads. For impulse, visual products, social media creates fresh demand. As you grow, run both channels: Google catches demand, social media creates it and retargeting closes the sale. Then shift budget toward whatever brings more leads at a lower cost.

Measure, don't guess

Whatever the channel, set up conversion tracking from day one. Without data on cost per lead and on which campaign brings real customers, any choice between channels stays an expensive guess.

Think too about where you send the traffic. The best ad fails if the landing page is slow, unclear or hard to use on a phone. Whatever the channel, make sure the page you send people to loads fast, has a clear message and a single obvious call to action. Often the problem isn't the channel, but what the visitor finds after the click. So before raising the budget on any platform, it's worth checking that the page and the offer are ready to turn clicks into customers, otherwise you're paying for traffic you waste.

At shadowforge we choose the channel based on your goal, product and budget, then optimize on real results, not impressions. Let's figure out together where you should start so you don't waste your first budget.