Two platforms dominate the paid advertising landscape for Australian businesses: Google Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram). Most Melbourne businesses will run one or both at some stage. The question is which one to prioritise, how to split your budget, and what to expect from each.
This guide gives you an honest, practical comparison so you can make a confident decision for your business — not based on what is trending, but based on what will actually work for your goals, your customers, and your industry.
The Core Difference: Pull vs Push Advertising
Before getting into costs and features, the most important thing to understand is the fundamental difference in how these two platforms work.
Google Ads is pull advertising. It captures demand that already exists. When someone types "commercial lawyer Melbourne" or "best running shoes" into Google, they are signalling clear intent. Google Ads lets you appear in front of that person at the exact moment they are ready to act. You are not creating desire — you are meeting it.
Meta Ads is push advertising. It interrupts people who are not actively looking for what you offer. They are scrolling through Instagram, watching a Reel, or catching up with friends on Facebook when your ad appears. This means your creative has to work harder to earn attention, but it also means you can reach audiences who have never heard of you and introduce them to something they will want.
Neither approach is inherently better. They serve different strategic purposes, and the best campaigns often use both in combination.
Head-to-Head Platform Comparison
| Factor | Google Ads | Meta Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Trigger | User's search query (intent-based) | User demographics and interests (profile-based) |
| Best For | Capturing existing demand | Creating demand and awareness |
| Average CPC (AU) | $2–$50+ depending on industry | $0.50–$3 for most industries |
| Typical Conversion Rate | Higher (intent-driven) | Lower (discovery-driven) |
| Creative Requirements | Mainly text-based copy | Strong visual/video creative |
| Speed to Results | Fast (days to weeks) | Moderate (requires testing phase) |
| Audience Targeting | Keywords + demographics + location | Demographics, interests, behaviours, lookalikes |
| Retargeting | Yes (Display + YouTube) | Yes (very strong) |
| B2B Suitability | High | Moderate |
| Ecommerce Suitability | High (Shopping campaigns) | Very High |
Google Ads: A Closer Look
How Google Ads Works
Google Ads operates on an auction system. When a user searches for a term that matches your keywords, your ad competes with other advertisers for placement in the search results. Your position is determined by a combination of your bid, your quality score (a measure of ad relevance and landing page experience), and your campaign settings.
Because you are paying for clicks from people who have already declared intent, the conversion rate from click to enquiry or sale is typically higher than on Meta. A person who searches "emergency dentist Melbourne" and clicks your ad is far more likely to book an appointment than someone who sees your dentistry ad while scrolling through Instagram.
Google Ads Formats
Google offers several ad formats beyond search, including:
- Search ads: Text ads in Google search results — the core of most campaigns
- Shopping ads: Product listings with images and prices, ideal for ecommerce
- Display ads: Banner ads across millions of websites in the Google Display Network
- YouTube ads: Video ads before and during YouTube content
- Performance Max: AI-driven campaigns that run across all Google channels simultaneously
For most Melbourne businesses, Search campaigns and Shopping campaigns (for ecommerce) deliver the strongest direct response results.
Google Ads Costs in Australia
Cost-per-click varies enormously depending on your industry. Some illustrative Melbourne examples:
- Legal services: $20–$60+ per click (highly competitive)
- Dental and medical: $5–$25 per click
- Trades (plumbers, electricians): $5–$20 per click
- Ecommerce (general retail): $0.50–$5 per click
- Software and SaaS: $10–$40 per click
High CPCs do not mean Google Ads is not worth running — in competitive industries, a single converted customer may be worth thousands of dollars. What matters is your cost per acquisition relative to customer lifetime value.
Explore Ven Agency's Google Ads management services to learn how we structure campaigns for Melbourne businesses.
When Google Ads Is the Right Choice
Google Ads works best when:
- People are actively searching for your product or service
- Your buying cycle is short (people search and convert quickly)
- You need leads fast and want predictable, measurable returns
- You operate a service business where urgency is a factor (medical, legal, trade services)
- You have an ecommerce store with products people are already searching for
- You operate in a B2B category where buyers use Google to research solutions
Meta Ads: A Closer Look
How Meta Ads Work
Meta's advertising platform covers Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. Rather than targeting what people are searching for, Meta targets who people are. The platform's algorithm uses a vast amount of demographic, behavioural, and interest data to show your ads to people most likely to respond.
This audience-first approach means you can reach very specific customer profiles — for example, Melbourne women aged 28–45 who are interested in home renovation, have recently purchased furniture online, and follow particular interior design accounts. That level of granularity is not possible on Google.
Meta Ads Formats
- Image ads: Single static images in the feed or Stories
- Video ads: Short-form video content — particularly effective in Reels
- Carousel ads: Multiple images or videos in a swipeable format, excellent for showcasing products
- Collection ads: Immersive product catalogues, ideal for ecommerce
- Lead generation ads: In-platform forms that capture contact details without requiring a website visit
Creative quality matters enormously on Meta. An engaging, visually compelling ad will dramatically outperform a generic one, regardless of how well the targeting is set up.
Meta Ads Costs in Australia
Meta Ads typically offer lower CPCs than Google in most categories, though conversion rates are also generally lower because users have lower immediate intent. Typical Australian benchmarks:
- Average CPC: $0.50–$3 for most industries
- Average CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions): $8–$20 depending on audience and placement
- Cost per lead: $10–$80 for most B2C categories
Meta requires a testing phase where the algorithm learns which audiences and creatives perform best. Budget for at least 4–6 weeks of data collection before drawing conclusions about performance.
Learn more about Meta Ads management and how Ven Agency creates high-performing social campaigns.
When Meta Ads Is the Right Choice
Meta Ads works best when:
- You sell physical products with strong visual appeal (fashion, beauty, food, homewares)
- Your product or service is not something people typically search for — you need to introduce it
- You want to build brand awareness at scale
- Retargeting website visitors is a priority
- You have strong creative assets (photography, video, compelling copy)
- Your target audience is highly specific and defined by demographics or interests
- Your buying cycle is longer and you need to nurture leads over time
Real-World Examples for Melbourne Businesses
Example 1: Emergency Plumber in Melbourne
Someone's pipe has just burst. They are not browsing Instagram — they are straight on Google. Google Ads is the clear choice here. A well-managed search campaign targeting "emergency plumber Melbourne" and related terms will generate calls within hours of launch. Meta Ads would generate minimal relevant traffic for this use case.
Example 2: Melbourne Homewares Brand
A local homewares brand selling artisan candles and ceramics has beautiful product photography and a strong Instagram presence. Their ideal customer — women aged 25–45 who follow interior design accounts — is not searching Google for "artisan soy candles Melbourne"; they are discovering new products on Instagram. Meta Ads, particularly carousel and collection formats, will outperform Google here.
Example 3: B2B Accounting Software Firm
A SaaS company targeting Melbourne SME owners needs to reach people who are actively researching accounting software. Their buyers use Google to compare options. A Search campaign targeting high-intent keywords like "accounting software for small business" and "Xero alternative Melbourne" is the priority. Meta Ads can supplement this with retargeting and LinkedIn-style audience targeting for awareness.
Example 4: Melbourne Gym
A new gym wants to attract members. Google Ads captures people searching for "gym near me" or "24-hour gym Melbourne" — high-intent searches. Meta Ads can build awareness in the local area, retarget website visitors who checked out membership options but did not sign up, and run promotional campaigns to lookalike audiences based on existing members. Both platforms working together will outperform either one alone.
See how Ven Agency has delivered results for similar businesses in our case studies.
Running Google Ads and Meta Ads Together
For most Melbourne businesses with sufficient budget, the most effective strategy combines both platforms. Here is why the combination works:
- Google Ads captures people who are ready to buy right now
- Meta Ads builds awareness among people who are not yet in the market but will be
- Meta retargeting re-engages people who visited your site from Google but did not convert
- Meta lookalike audiences built from your Google Ads converters let you scale prospecting efficiently
This multi-channel approach creates a full-funnel strategy: Google captures the bottom of the funnel (high intent), Meta works the top and middle (awareness, consideration, retargeting). Together, they cover more of the customer journey than either platform can alone.
Budget Allocation: How to Split Your Spend
There is no universal formula, but here are practical starting points based on common business scenarios:
Service Business with High Search Intent (e.g., trades, legal, medical)
Start with 70–80% of your paid advertising budget on Google Ads. Once that is generating consistent leads, add Meta Ads retargeting with 20–30% of your budget. This provides broad search coverage while using Meta to recapture warm audiences.
Ecommerce Brand with Strong Product Creative
A 50/50 split is a common starting point. Google Shopping captures people searching for your products; Meta Ads drives discovery among new audiences and retargets cart abandoners. Adjust the split based on which platform delivers the stronger return on ad spend as you gather data.
Brand Building and Awareness Focus
If your primary goal is building brand recognition rather than immediate conversions, skew towards Meta Ads (60–70% of budget) and use Google to maintain visibility for branded and category searches.
Measuring Performance: What to Track on Each Platform
One of the most common mistakes Melbourne businesses make is evaluating their paid advertising based on the wrong metrics. Here is what actually matters on each platform.
Key Google Ads Metrics
- Cost per conversion: How much are you paying for each lead or sale? This is the headline number that tells you whether your campaigns are working.
- Conversion rate: What percentage of clicks convert to a desired action? A low conversion rate usually points to a landing page issue rather than a campaign problem.
- Quality score: Google's measure of ad and landing page relevance. Higher quality scores mean lower CPCs and better ad positions.
- Impression share: What percentage of available impressions are your ads capturing? Low impression share on high-value keywords suggests you need to increase bids or budget.
- Return on ad spend (ROAS): For ecommerce, this tells you how much revenue you are generating for every dollar spent on ads.
Key Meta Ads Metrics
- Cost per result: The cost of achieving your campaign objective — whether that is a purchase, a lead form submission, a video view, or a link click.
- Frequency: How many times the average person in your audience has seen your ad. High frequency (above 3–4) often leads to ad fatigue and declining performance — a signal to refresh your creative.
- Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of people who see your ad and click it. A strong CTR indicates your creative and targeting are well-matched.
- Relevance diagnostics: Meta's assessment of your ad's quality, engagement rate, and conversion rate relative to other ads competing for the same audience.
- Attribution window: Meta often gets credit for conversions that occurred days after someone saw (not clicked) your ad. Understanding view-through vs click-through attribution is important for accurate ROI calculation.
Attribution: The Complexity Both Platforms Share
Attribution — figuring out which platform or touchpoint deserves credit for a conversion — is one of the most complex challenges in digital advertising. A customer might see your Meta ad, then search Google a week later and click your Google Ad before buying. Both platforms would likely claim credit for the sale.
This is why a holistic view of your marketing performance matters. Look at your total cost per acquisition across all paid channels, track revenue and lead volume over time, and use tools like Google Analytics 4 to get a more complete picture of how customers move through your funnel before converting.
An experienced agency will help you build a measurement framework that gives you accurate, actionable data rather than siloed platform-reported numbers.
Making the Right Call for Your Business
The Google Ads vs Meta Ads debate ultimately comes down to your business model, your customers' behaviour, and your goals. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are my potential customers actively searching for what I offer, or do they need to discover it?
- Do I have strong visual creative assets, or is my competitive advantage in being available when people search?
- Do I need leads quickly, or am I building for the medium term?
- Is my product or service high-intent (people buy quickly when ready) or considered (they research over weeks)?
The answers will point you toward the right starting platform. From there, data will tell you how to refine and where to invest more.
If you want expert input on the right paid advertising strategy for your Melbourne business, get in touch with Ven Agency for a straightforward conversation. We will give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation — not a pitch for whichever service we feel like selling this month.