Meta and Google are the two dominant advertising platforms. They work differently, and most successful brands use both strategically.
Meta Ads Strengths#
- Demand generation (reaching people who don't know they need you)
- Visual storytelling
- Lookalike audiences
- Lower cost for awareness/consideration
Google Ads Strengths#
- Demand capture (reaching people actively searching)
- High purchase intent
- Brand defense
- Product-specific queries
Budget Allocation#
Most DTC brands start Meta-heavy (70-80%) for demand generation, then add Google for brand search and Shopping. As brand awareness grows, Google's share often increases.
