Tips to improve your gain in the online marketing game

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To Google or to Facebook? That is the question for most small businesses looking to maximize their marketing dollars in the ever-evolving internet marketing world. When examining the options of using Google AdWords and/or Facebook Ads, these tips can help you make the right decision.

You can advertise on both

Like advertising on radio and television, there is nothing to stop your business from advertising on both Google and Facebook. Nor are they the only games in town. With no fixed price for Google AdWords or Facebook Ads – you can spend as little or as much as you want – perhaps it is wise to spread your advertising dollars across both platforms.

Google, arguably the largest search engine on the planet, clearly dominates the search game, owning 78.7% of the search engine click share in the third quarter of 2012. Facebook, on the other hand, is arguably the largest social networking site on the planet, surpassing one billion active users in the fourth quarter of 2012 .

How Google AdWords and Facebook Ads Compare

After viewing a couple of very informative tutorials on YouTube - one discussing Google Adwords and one discussing Facebook Ads - you quickly will learn how similar both Google AdWords and Facebook Ads are when compared side by side. For example, Both Google's and Facebook's advertising platforms both are primarily pay-per-click (PPC) advertising channels, even though both offer other advertising options.

Moreover, Google and Facebook offer largely self-service advertising set-up for businesses. Google provides a four-step process to set up and complete your ad, while Facebook provides a three-step process. You choose your budget, create your ad, select your keywords (for Google), enter your billing information, and voila! You have created your Google or Facebook ad. 

What is Your Advertising Aim?

The number one question to ask when comparing Google AdWords and Facebook Ads is what is your goal for the campaign? The answer to that question will help you better identify whether Google AdWords or Facebook Ads more closely fits your campaign’s needs.

Are you looking to sell something specific or are you trying to bring more awareness to your brand? With Google AdWords, users find you because they are searching for what you are selling, or at least similar to what you are selling. Conversely, Facebook is more interest-based. What this means is that your ad(s) will appear on the pages of users with relevant interests that you chose when you created your ad. While Facebook users are not necessarily in search mode, they may click on your ad if they find it interesting and appealing. Thus, Facebook may be the ideal marketing vehicle to increase brand awareness of your product and/or service. 

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Winning the Online Marketing Game

With any sort of advertising, the endgame is a good return on investment, or ROI. Many people still subscribe to the notion that ROI is immeasurable for online marketing such as Facebook Ads and Google AdWords. With recent advancements in web metrics, that simply is not true. As a matter of fact, it may be far easier to measure ROI of online marketing campaigns than traditional advertising methods such as print and television.

Moreover, internet advertising may be one of the most cost-effective means to reach your audience. With the ability to advertise for as little as $5 a day, you could easily utilize Google AdWords to sell your products/services and Facebook Ads to increase brand awareness. Ultimately, you want to reach as many consumers as possible while maximizing ROI, right?