Meta Ads vs Google Ads in Singapore
- Tsamarah Balqis
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
If you’re deciding between Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) and Google Ads in Singapore, you’re really choosing between creating demand and capturing demand and figuring out the right order for your brand. Done well, both can win: Meta finds and warms new audiences with creative; Google harvests people who are actively searching right now.
This guide breaks down the strengths, trade-offs, and a simple playbook to get cheaper conversions without guesswork.
What Each Platform Actually Does
Google Ads = Demand Capture When someone types “teeth whitening price,” “accounting software Singapore,” or “best stroller near me,” they’re declaring intent. Google Search meets them at the moment of need; Shopping drives high-intent clicks for ecommerce; YouTube can assist with short proofs that push people to search or buy. It’s the most direct line from intent → click → conversion especially for bottom-of-funnel queries.
Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) = Demand Creation + Assist Meta is a creative canvas. Reels, Stories, and Feed let you test hooks (“Why I switched,” “3 things to know…,” “Before/After”) and show visible proof (demo, results, social proof). It’s brilliant for discovering messages that resonate, building remarketing pools, and lifting branded search. Think attention → interest → retarget → conversion with creative doing the heavy lifting.
Head-to-Head
Speed to revenue
Google often wins early with brand and “ready-to-buy” terms. You can see qualified leads and purchases within weeks if landing pages are clear.
Meta lands fast traffic and engagement; conversion strengthens as your first three seconds and landing message match improve.
Targeting power
Google: keywords and product feeds give you clean signals. Search queries reveal exactly what someone wants.
Meta: creative is the targeting. Great hooks and native video will beat average creatives, even with the same audiences.
Creative requirements
Google: intent-mirrored headlines, proof-backed descriptions, strong extensions; for Shopping, tight titles and quality images.
Meta: short videos with captions for mute viewing and an unmistakable CTA. Phone-first is fine if the idea is strong.
Landing page demands
Google: answer the specific query immediately headline parity, price/availability, trust signals above the fold.
Meta: repeat the ad’s promise, show proof quickly, and keep steps to purchase/booking minimal.
Choose by Situation
B2B or Services with high intent Start Google Search for pricing, comparison, and “near me” terms. Layer Meta retargeting with proof-led shorts (case outcomes, testimonials, “how it works”) to lift demo show rates and reduce cost per qualified lead.
Ecommerce with 100–3,000 SKUs Start with Shopping + Search anchored by clean feed titles and images. Add Meta for UGC demos, bundles, and offer testing. Promote winning angles back into Google copy and YouTube 15–20s proofs.
New or niche offer with low search volume Start Meta to test hooks and build awareness; collect traffic and email signups, then layer Google to capture brand/category queries as they grow.
Competitive categories with expensive CPCs Split responsibilities: Google handles high-intent keywords you can profitably win; Meta warms broader audiences with cheaper assists that raise branded search and remarketing performance.
Budgets & What to Expect
Lean Test (S$2–5k/month)
Google: brand + essential BOFU keywords, one or two landing tweaks.
Meta: 2–3 distinct hooks, one retargeting set that stays fresh.
Outcome: identify one winning message and a baseline CPA/CPL that doesn’t swing wildly week to week.
Scale (S$5–15k/month)
Google: expand non-brand coverage, clean Shopping feed, add YouTube assist if relevant.
Meta: weekly new hooks, creator/UGC variants, frequency-managed retargeting across 7/14/30-day windows.
Outcome: hold efficiency while volume rises; track MER (blended efficiency) and payback, not just platform ROAS.
Growth (S$15k+/month)
Google: product/category structure, geo/cohort budgeting, robust search term governance.
Meta: multi-angle sprints, seasonal offers, whitelisting strong creator posts for paid.
Outcome: a durable blended system where channels play defined roles Meta creates and assists; Google captures and closes.
KPIs that Drive Decisions
Google core: CPA/CAC, non-brand ROAS, search term performance, Shopping product-set profitability.
Meta core: cost per add-to-cart/lead, first 3–5s hold rate, thumb-stop rate, assisted conversions.
Blended view: MER, payback period, and (for B2B) SQLs/opportunities/revenue.
Cadence: a weekly cut / keep / scale note what to kill, what to leave alone, and what to push budget into next week.
Common Pitfalls
Ad–page mismatch If your ad promises “See pricing today” but the page hides it, you’re paying for bounces. Fix by matching the headline/offer and placing proof (ratings, logos, results) right beside the CTA.
Over-segmentation Tiny campaigns that never exit “learning” waste money. Consolidate and let algorithms gather signal, then branch only when scale requires it.
Neglected product feeds (Google) Vague titles, weak imagery, or missing identifiers will cripple Shopping/PMax. Treat your catalog as targeting clean it first.
Creative refresh without new hooks (Meta) Changing the edit without changing the idea rarely moves CPA. Write new openings that challenge, empathise, or demonstrate, then test three first-seconds variants.
Measuring in silos Meta assists Google and vice versa. Use one scoreboard so channels cooperate, not compete.
The Winning Combo
Discover hooks on Meta. Launch 3–5 distinct angles; watch hold rate in the first 3–5 seconds, saves, and clicks.
Promote winners into Google. Mirror the phrasing in Search headlines; turn proofs into YouTube 15–20s spots.
Align the landing page. The ad’s promise must appear above the fold with price/next step and proof.
Retarget respectfully. Fresh creatives per window (7/14/30 days), frequency caps, and exclusion of converters.
Decide weekly. Cut weak hooks, keep steady performers, and scale the ideas that hold CPA as spend rises.
Quick Decision Guide
Need results this month? Start Google for declared intent; add Meta retargeting for proof and reminders.
New brand or offer? Start Meta to find hooks; add Google as searches grow.
Retail with solid catalog? Start Shopping + Search; layer Meta for UGC and bundles; promote winners back to search copy.
Tight budgets? Keep structures lean, test only a few ideas, and obsess over ad–page match before adding complexity.
Why Consider Paper Cut Collective
Creative that sells on Meta. We write hooks that feel native to Reels/Stories, show visible proof, and get people to the next step fast.
Intent capture on Google. Lean Search and Shopping structures with disciplined negatives and feed hygiene, plus YouTube assists where it genuinely helps.
Page/message match. We ship landing blocks that mirror the ad promise, so every click has a fair shot at converting.
Simple scoreboards. GA4-first reporting with weekly cut / keep / scale decisions you can act on immediately.
Curious how this would look for your category?
Bottom Line
Asking “Meta or Google which is better?” misses the point. The right answer is sequence and fit. Use Google to capture the demand that already exists; use Meta to create and warm new demand and connect both with landing pages that finish the story you started. Keep the structure light, the ideas sharp, and the reporting focused on decisions. Do that, and your CPA drops while volume rises, without burning budget on guesswork.
If you want a plan tailored to Singapore and your budget nothing fluffy, just the moves that matter:
