Google Ads and Meta Ads are the two biggest paid channels for lead generation, and they work in opposite ways. Google Ads shows your ad to people who are already searching for what you sell, so leads cost more but arrive ready to buy. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) shows your ad to people who match a profile while they scroll, so leads are cheaper but need more follow-up. For most service businesses the answer is not one or the other: start where your buyers already look for you, then add the second channel once you can measure which leads turn into revenue. This guide covers the numbers, the fit for different businesses and the setup we use when we run both.
The core difference: demand capture vs demand creation
Google Ads captures demand that already exists. Someone types 'emergency plumber near me' or 'HubSpot consultant' and your ad answers a question they are asking right now. Meta Ads creates demand. It puts your offer in front of people who fit your customer profile but were not looking for you today, and its job is to make them interested.
That single difference explains almost everything else: why Google leads cost more, why Meta leads need faster follow-up, and why the right mix depends on whether people already search for what you sell.
Cost per lead: what the benchmarks say
On paper Meta is much cheaper per lead. WordStream by LocaliQ's latest benchmark reports put the average Google search ads cost per lead at around $70, with an average conversion rate of roughly 7.5 to 8 percent and average clicks above $5. Their Facebook benchmarks put the average cost per lead for lead-objective campaigns at under $30.
Those averages hide a wide spread. Legal, home services and B2B software sit far above the average on Google, while some consumer offers generate Meta leads for a few dollars. The more useful number is cost per qualified lead, or better, cost per customer, and that is where the gap between the two platforms often narrows or reverses.
- Google search ads: higher cost per lead, higher intent, higher close rate
- Meta lead campaigns: lower cost per lead, lower intent, more leads that never answer
- What to compare: cost per booked call and cost per closed deal, not cost per form fill
Lead quality and speed to lead
A Google searcher has already decided they have a problem and is comparing providers. A Meta lead often filled in an instant form in a few taps between other posts, sometimes without remembering it an hour later. Both can become good customers, but Meta leads punish slow follow-up much more than search leads do.
That is why the follow-up system matters as much as the ad account. An instant text and email, a call within minutes and clean lead routing to the right person can double the share of Meta leads that turn into booked calls. Where nobody can answer at once, an AI voice agent or a qualification chat can make that first contact.
Which platform fits your business?
These are the rules of thumb we use when a client asks where to start.
- Urgent or local services people search for, such as repairs, legal, dental and home services: start with Google Ads
- B2B services with a clear search term, such as CRM consultants or automation agencies: start with Google Ads, add LinkedIn or Meta retargeting later
- Offers people do not search for yet, such as a new product, a course or a lifestyle service: start with Meta Ads
- Visual or emotional purchases, such as fitness, beauty, events and real estate: Meta Ads usually leads
- Small budgets under about $1,500 a month: pick one platform and do it properly rather than splitting thinly
How to split budget between Google and Meta
When both platforms make sense, we usually start with a 60/40 or 70/30 split in favour of the platform that matches how buyers find you, then move money every month based on cost per booked call rather than cost per lead. Meta also works well as a retargeting layer for people who visited your site from Google but did not convert, which often produces the cheapest qualified leads in the account.
Give each platform enough budget to learn. Meta's delivery system needs around 50 conversions a week per ad set to stabilise, and Google's automated bidding needs steady conversion data. Starving both channels at once usually gives you two weak results instead of one strong one.
Tracking: the part that decides which platform wins
Both platforms optimise toward whatever you tell them is a conversion. If that is a form fill, Meta will happily find you thousands of cheap form fills from people who never pick up the phone. The fix is to send your CRM's later stages back to each platform: booked call, qualified, won. Google calls this offline conversion import or enhanced conversions for leads, and Meta does it through the Conversions API.
We walk through the full setup in our guide to offline conversion tracking from your CRM. Once it is in place, both platforms bid for the leads that actually close, and the Google vs Meta question answers itself in your own numbers.
How we run it
Our media buying service runs Google and Meta campaigns side by side, connected to the client's CRM so every lead is tracked from click to closed deal, with follow-up handled by CRM automation workflows. If you are deciding where your next pound or dollar of ad spend should go, start with the platform that matches how your buyers look for you, and measure it on revenue, not form fills.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Ads or Facebook Ads better for lead generation?
Google Ads is usually better when people already search for what you sell, because it reaches buyers at the moment they need you and those leads close at a higher rate. Facebook and Instagram ads are usually better for offers people do not search for, visual products and building demand. Many businesses get the best results from running both and comparing cost per closed deal.
What is the average cost per lead on Google Ads?
WordStream by LocaliQ's latest benchmark report puts the average cost per lead for Google search ads at around $70, with wide variation by industry. Legal, home services and B2B software typically cost more, while some local and consumer services cost far less.
What is the average cost per lead on Meta Ads?
WordStream's Facebook benchmarks put the average cost per lead for lead-objective campaigns at under $30. Meta leads are cheaper because they reach people who were not searching, so more of them need fast follow-up and qualification before they become customers.
Why are Meta leads lower quality than Google leads?
Meta reaches people while they scroll, and instant forms let them submit their details in a few taps, so some leads have low intent or forget they enquired. Following up within minutes, adding a qualifying question to the form and sending CRM outcomes back through the Conversions API all improve Meta lead quality.
How should I split my ad budget between Google and Meta?
Start by weighting your budget, often 60 to 70 percent, toward the platform that matches how your buyers find you, then rebalance monthly based on cost per booked call or closed deal. With a small budget, run one platform well before adding the second.
Can I track which ad platform produces customers, not just leads?
Yes. Send later CRM stages such as booked call, qualified and won back to the platforms using Google's offline conversion import or enhanced conversions for leads and Meta's Conversions API. Both platforms then optimise for leads that close, and you can compare them on revenue.