Our hot take: for most local businesses, Google Ads wins first. It reaches people already searching for what you sell, so it fits urgent work like repairs, dentists, and lawyers. Facebook and Instagram ads interrupt people who weren’t looking, and suit businesses that sell on looks or repeat visits. Leads average $67 on Google and $27 on Facebook, but they aren’t the same kind of lead.
Picture a homeowner whose water heater just quit. She types “water heater repair near me.” That’s search. Now picture the same person on a Saturday, scrolling past a friend’s vacation photos, when your ad for a tune-up appears. That’s interruption. Same person. Very different mood. And very different odds that she picks up the phone.
What’s the real difference between Google and Facebook ads?
Intent. That’s the whole thing. Google ads show up when someone types a question, so they’re answering a need that already exists. Facebook and Instagram ads show up in a feed, so they’re creating attention for something the person hadn’t thought about yet. Don’t get us wrong, neither one is better in the abstract. They just do different jobs.
Both audiences are big. Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey found 71% of US adults use Facebook and half use Instagram. But when people go looking for a local business, they start somewhere else. In BrightLocal’s 2026 research, 52% of consumers began their most recent local search on Google, and 71% used Google Search at some point along the way. 3 in 4 used more than one channel, so nobody stays in a single lane.
Targeting differs too. Google targets what people type. Facebook targets who people are: where they live, their age, what they follow. That’s why a restaurant can reach everyone within 3 miles on Facebook, while a plumber is better off waiting for the person who typed “burst pipe.”
What do they cost side by side?
LocaliQ publishes 2026 benchmarks for both. The Google figures come from its search advertising benchmarks, and the Facebook figures from its Facebook advertising benchmarks for lead campaigns.
| Measure (LocaliQ, 2026) | Google search ads | Facebook lead ads |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost per click | $5.42 | $1.80 |
| Average click-through rate | 6.64% | 2.70% |
| Average conversion rate | 8.18% | 8.54% |
| Average cost per lead | $66.69 | $27.39 |
| Home & home improvement, cost per lead | $90.92 | $42.95 |
| Dentists, cost per lead | $72.97 | $61.56 |
| Beauty & personal care, cost per lead | $39.25 | $50.91 |
So the headline says Facebook is cheaper per lead... and mostly, it is. But look at the last row. For beauty and personal care, Google leads cost less. Industry beats rule of thumb.
Here’s where most owners get tripped up: they stop at cost per lead. A Facebook lead is often a two-tap form from someone who was scrolling. A Google lead is often a phone call from someone who just searched. We think those are different products, and the cheaper one isn’t automatically the better buy. The only fair comparison is cost per booked job, and you can only see that if you track it. (Our article on measuring marketing ROI shows how.) Also note LocaliQ’s two reports use different sets of advertisers, so treat the table as a guide, not a head-to-head test.
Which one fits your kind of business?
| If you sell… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent repairs (plumbing, HVAC, locksmith) | The customer is searching tonight and calls the first good option | |
| Considered services (dental, legal, remodeling) | People research by searching, though clicks cost $8 to $10 | |
| Food, beauty, fitness, boutique goods | Facebook and Instagram, or both | Looks sell the product, and cheaper clicks suit repeat visits |
| A grand opening, event, or seasonal offer | Nobody searches for your event yet, so you have to put it in front of them | |
| Fewer than 10 new customers a month | Neither, yet | Fix your Google profile and phone follow-up first |
Should you run both?
Eventually, maybe. At first, no. In our book, with $1,000 a month, you put all of it in one channel for 3 months. Split it 2 ways and neither gets enough clicks to teach you anything.
For most local service businesses we’d pick Google first and add Facebook later, to remind people who already visited your site or to promote something timely. For a restaurant or a salon, we’d flip the order. If you’re not sure, a discovery call settles it. We run Google Ads and handle your social media posting and replies, both inside our published retainers. We don’t manage Facebook or Instagram ads. If they’re the better fit for you, we’ll tell you straight and point you to someone who does.
When aren’t ads on either one worth it?
Ads amplify what’s already there. Good or bad. If your Google profile is thin, calls roll to voicemail, or your offer doesn’t give a stranger a reason to pick you, paid clicks leak. Honestly, we think most small businesses buy ads too early. Start with the free fixes in why your business isn’t showing up on Google, and check the math in how much Google Ads cost a small business before you commit a dollar. For the rest of the budget, see what a small business should spend on marketing.
One more thing, and it’s your one thing to do this week if you’re weighing all this: separate the two in your head. Posting on Facebook for free isn’t the same as paying for Facebook ads. Organic social keeps you familiar between jobs. It rarely brings in urgent customers. Our social media page explains who it’s worth it for, and who should wait.
Set the budget before you pick the channel
Enter your revenue, pick your stage, and the Budget Calculator hands you a monthly marketing range with the math shown. Free. No email, no login.
What else do owners ask about Google and Facebook ads?
Is Google Ads or Facebook Ads cheaper for a local business?
Facebook usually costs less per click and per lead. LocaliQ’s 2026 benchmarks show $27.39 a lead on Facebook against $66.69 on Google. But the leads differ, and some industries flip the result: beauty and personal care leads cost less on Google. So compare cost per booked job, not cost per lead.
Do Facebook ads work for service businesses like plumbers and electricians?
They can. But they work much harder for you when the need is planned, like a remodel or a tune-up, than when it’s urgent. Someone with a flooded basement searches Google. Someone thinking about a new water heater next spring may respond to a Facebook ad.
Can I run Google and Facebook ads on a $500 budget?
You can, but honestly, we’d pick one. At $500 a month, a split gives each channel too few clicks to learn from. Put it all on the channel where your customers make the decision, run it for 3 months, and judge it by calls and booked jobs.
Is Instagram a separate ad platform from Facebook?
No. Facebook and Instagram ads are bought through the same Meta ad account, and you choose where they appear. The audiences differ, though. Pew’s 2025 survey found 71% of US adults use Facebook and half use Instagram, and Instagram skews much younger.
Which gets leads faster, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
Both start delivering clicks within days. Google leads tend to be ready to buy now, so a good account can book work quickly. Facebook leads often need a follow-up call or text to warm up. Either way, give the first 3 months to tuning before you judge.
What does Carson Poore Consulting charge to run Google Ads?
Google Ads management runs inside our published monthly retainers: $1,200, $2,400, or $4,800 a month. Ad spend is separate and goes to Google from an account in your name. Our social media work, posting and replies, runs inside the same retainers. 3 months minimum, then month to month.