In summary: Google Ads works best when there's active demand (direct searches) and budgets exceeding 500 euros per month, while Meta Ads excels at discovery and retargeting for new products or niches. The ideal distribution for Spanish SMEs is 60% Google Search, 30% Meta, and 10% TikTok, with average ROAS of 4-6x and 3-5x respectively.
The answer depends on where your customer is in the buying process and what you're selling. There isn't one 'best' platform in abstract. Here's an updated 2026 comparison with real data from Spanish SMEs.
Google Ads wins on high intent (active search). Meta Ads wins on discovery and retargeting. Typical SME: 60% Google Search + 30% Meta + 10% TikTok. Average Google ROAS 4-6x, Meta 3-5x. Both are managed from a single app with BOO Performance (49 EUR/month).
When it makes sense to bet on Google Ads
Google works when demand already exists: someone types what you sell into the search engine. If that's your case, you're capturing intent at the exact moment. It makes particular sense if you manage a budget over 500 EUR/month —below that, automatic bidding algorithms don't have enough data to optimise—, if you know keywords with real volume (Keyword Planner is your first step), or if you have a local business. The combination of Google Business Profile with local campaigns consistently converts in sectors like clinics, workshops, or restaurants.
When it makes sense to bet on Meta Ads
Meta is the discovery platform. If your product is new or belongs to a niche where no one is searching on Google yet, you need to create the demand yourself. It's also home to visual categories —fashion, home decor, food, lifestyle— where video or photo format is the selling point. And it's hard to beat for retargeting: reaching visitors who didn't convert, with creatives tailored to what they saw, remains one of the highest-return uses in paid media.
Direct Comparison
What is the recommended distribution by business type?
There's no universal formula, but these allocations serve as a starting point for most Spanish SMEs, depending on their sector:
- Ecommerce: 50% Google Shopping + 30% Meta + 20% TikTok.
- B2B services: 60% Google Search + 40% LinkedIn.
- Local business (restaurant, clinic): 80% Google Search+Maps + 20% Meta local.
- Lifestyle / fashion: 40% Meta + 30% TikTok + 30% Google PMax.
These are starting points, not dogmas. The optimal mix is dictated by the actual ROAS of each channel after four to six weeks with sufficient data.
Keep exploring
Frequently Asked Questions
Better to start with Google or Meta?
If your product has demand: Google. If it's new or highly visual: Meta.
How much budget to allocate?
500-1,000 EUR is the minimum per channel for useful data. Try 60/40 and adjust by ROAS.
Are TikTok Ads worth it?
If your target is under 35 and the product is visual, yes. Conversion is lower than Meta, but CPC is lower.
How to measure cross-channel attribution?
GA4 with data-driven attribution plus CRM with source per lead. Without that, you're making budget decisions blind.
What is the main difference between Meta Ads and Google Ads?
Google Ads displays adverts to people who are already actively searching for a product or service, so purchase intent is high. Meta Ads, on the other hand, interrupts the user while they're browsing Facebook or Instagram, without them having searched for anything specific. This makes Google more effective for capturing existing demand, while Meta is more useful for generating new demand or raising brand awareness among audiences who aren't yet familiar with it.
What type of business benefits most from Meta Ads?
Businesses with visual or impulse-purchase products typically achieve better results with Meta Ads: fashion, cosmetics, home decor, food, or leisure services. It also works well for companies looking to reach a very specific demographic profile, such as an age group or a particular geographical area, leveraging the behavioural data Meta accumulates on its users.
What's the minimum budget needed to start advertising on Google Ads or Meta Ads?
There's no official mandatory minimum on either platform, but with less than 5 euros per day, results are difficult to interpret. In practice, to obtain sufficient data within a reasonable timeframe, it's advisable to allocate at least 10 to 20 euros daily during the first few weeks. With very low budgets, the optimisation algorithms of both platforms take longer to learn, and costs per result tend to be higher.
Can Meta Ads and Google Ads be used simultaneously?
Yes, and in many cases, it's the most recommended strategy. Both platforms complement each other: Google Ads captures those already searching for what you offer, while Meta Ads builds brand awareness among those who don't yet know you. Combining them allows you to cover different stages of the purchase decision process. However, it's advisable to have sufficient budget to manage them rigorously, because splitting a very small budget between the two can reduce the effectiveness of both.
Start with BOO Performance
Manage Google + Meta + TikTok + LinkedIn with a single AI
From 49 EUR/month. No long-term contract.
Discover BOO Performance