Both platforms can genuinely work, but they capture very different types of buying intent, and picking the wrong one for your business model wastes budget fast.
How Google Ads Works
Google Ads shows your business to people actively searching for what you offer, right at the moment they're looking — high intent, since they've already expressed a specific need.
How Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) Works
Meta Ads shows your business to people based on their interests and behaviour, whether or not they're actively searching for anything right now — lower immediate intent, but much stronger for visual products and brand-building.
When Google Ads Makes More Sense
- You sell something people actively search for (services, specific products)
- You want to capture buying intent right when it happens
When Meta Ads Makes More Sense
- Your product is highly visual and benefits from image/video ads
- You're building brand awareness for something newer or less well-known
- You want to target based on demographics and interests, not search behaviour
TikTok Is Also Worth Considering
For younger, mobile-first Kenyan audiences, TikTok ads have become a genuine third option alongside Google and Meta, particularly for visually engaging products and services.
Where Your Ad Budget Actually Lands
Whichever platform you choose, all paid traffic ultimately lands on your website — make sure it's fast and built to convert, or you're paying for clicks that bounce. See our website design service.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Independent digital marketing services like those offered by David Esabwa cover campaign setup across Meta, Google, and TikTok if you'd rather have it managed professionally.