META ADS VS GOOGLE ADS
Meta Ads vs Google Ads — Where Should Your Budget Go?
Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram) and Google Ads are the two largest paid channels for most NZ businesses. They work on opposite logic — Google captures existing intent, Meta interrupts attention — and they reward completely different creative and targeting approaches.
Compared
A
Meta Ads
B
Google Ads
Audience logic
Interrupt-based — find people based on interests, behaviours, lookalikes
Intent-based — appear when people search for what you offer
Typical NZ cost per click
$0.40–$1.50 depending on creative quality
$2–$8+ in competitive verticals
Creative requirements
High — needs weekly refresh, multiple formats (static, video, Reels)
Low — text ads + occasional copy refresh
Best for
Consumer brands, ecommerce, services with visual appeal, retargeting
High-intent service queries (plumber, lawyer, accountant), competitive product searches
Worst for
B2B with small audiences, low-margin offers where CAC is tight
New brand awareness, products people don't actively search for
Targeting precision
Hurt by iOS privacy changes — needs Conversions API to recover
Largely unaffected by privacy changes (it's keyword-based)
Creative shelf life
2–4 weeks before fatigue sets in
6–12 months for good ad copy
Pick Meta Ads
Pick Meta Ads when your product is visual, when you sell consumer goods, when you want to build retargeting funnels, or when Google Ads CPCs in your category are uneconomic.
See the servicePick Google Ads
Pick Google Ads when your customers actively search for your service, when intent is high (lead-driven services), or when your creative production capacity is limited.
See the serviceRun both
Run both when you have a real funnel — Meta for top-of-funnel awareness and retargeting, Google for bottom-of-funnel intent capture. Most NZ ecommerce brands need both; most NZ service businesses can start with Google alone.
Related pricing guides.
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