Paid advertising is one of the most powerful tools for businesses to drive traffic, increase conversions, and boost visibility online. At Appledew UK, we specialize in helping brands scale using the two dominant advertising platforms: Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
What is Paid Advertising?
Paid advertising refers to online campaigns where businesses pay platforms like Google and Facebook to display their ads to targeted audiences. Unlike organic traffic, it delivers instant visibility and faster results.
Key Features:
- Immediate exposure
Paid advertising allows your brand to appear instantly in front of your target audience. Unlike organic strategies that take time to build momentum, platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads start displaying your content as soon as the campaign goes live. This is ideal for promotions, product launches, or time-sensitive offers where quick visibility is crucial.
- Targeted audience reach
With advanced targeting tools, you can display your ads only to people who are most likely to engage or convert. On Google Ads, this is done through keywords, demographics, and locations. On Facebook Ads, you can narrow your audience by age, interests, behavior, and even create custom or lookalike audiences. This ensures your marketing budget is spent on reaching relevant users.
- Trackable results
One of the biggest advantages of paid advertising is full transparency and measurable performance. You can track metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost-per-click (CPC), and return on ad spend (ROAS). Both Google and Facebook provide detailed dashboards, helping you analyze what’s working and what needs improvement.
- Scalable budget
Whether you’re a startup with a limited budget or a large enterprise with extensive marketing funds, paid advertising is flexible. You can start with as little as £10 a day and scale up as your campaigns deliver results. Most platforms allow you to pause, adjust, or expand your budget anytime, offering total control over your spending.
Why Paid Advertising is Crucial in 2025
In a competitive digital market, relying solely on organic marketing is no longer sufficient. With the rise of AI-driven ad targeting, paid ads give you a strategic edge.
Reasons to invest now:
- AI-powered ad platforms
Modern advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads now heavily rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize campaigns. These systems analyze billions of data points in real-time to determine the best audience, time, and ad creative for maximum performance. AI helps in automated bidding, smart ad placement, and audience prediction, making your campaigns more efficient and cost-effective.
- Declining organic reach
Over the years, organic visibility on platforms like Facebook and even Google search has significantly decreased. Algorithm changes, competition, and saturated content have made it harder for brands to reach audiences without paying. Paid advertising fills this gap by guaranteeing visibility, especially when you’re launching a product or need fast engagement.
- Better ROI with smart targeting
Paid advertising lets you target the exact demographics, interests, and behaviors of your ideal customers. With features like retargeting, custom audiences, and keyword targeting, you’re able to connect with people who are already interested in your products or services. This precision targeting typically leads to higher conversion rates and a better return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional or broad marketing.
- Scalable results for every budget
One of the biggest benefits of paid ads is scalability. Whether you’re a small business spending £10/day or a large company running £10,000/month campaigns, the platform adjusts accordingly. You can start small, test strategies, and scale successful campaigns for greater reach and revenue, all while maintaining control over your budget.
Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads: A Quick Comparison
Feature Google Ads Facebook Ads
Ad Type Search, Display, YouTube Image, Video, Carousel
Targeting Keywords Interests, Demographics, Behavior
Intent High buying intent Discovery and brand awareness
CPC Usually higher Usually lower
Understanding Google Ads
Google Ads is a pay-per-click (PPC) platform where you bid on keywords to show ads in Google Search or the Display Network.
Key Networks:
- Search Network: Text ads on Google search results.
The Google Search Network shows your text-based ads directly on Google search results pages when users enter queries related to your keywords. These ads appear above or below organic search results, giving you prime visibility to users who are actively searching for products or services you offer. It’s ideal for capturing high-intent customers who are ready to take action.
- Display Network: Banner ads on partner websites.
The Google Display Network (GDN) allows you to place visual banner ads on a vast network of over two million websites, apps, and Google-owned properties like Gmail and YouTube. This network is excellent for brand awareness and retargeting, as it helps you reach users while they browse their favorite websites—even if they’re not actively searching for your product.
- YouTube Ads: Video ads before or during YouTube videos.
With YouTube Ads, you can showcase your message using engaging video content. These ads can appear as:
- Skippable ads (before or during videos)
- Non-skippable ads
- Bumper ads (6-second quick videos)
This format is perfect for storytelling, demonstrating products, and building brand trust through visual engagement.
- Shopping Ads: Product-based ads shown in Google Shopping.
Google Shopping Ads are specifically designed for e-commerce stores. These ads display your product image, price, store name, and more directly in Google’s Shopping tab and even within regular search results. They’re triggered by product-related searches and provide a visual, informative experience that often leads to higher conversion rates.
How Google Ads Work
When a user types a query, Google runs an auction using:
- Bid Amount
This is the maximum amount you’re willing to pay when someone clicks on your ad. It’s a key factor in determining your ad’s placement. A higher bid can increase your chances of winning the auction, but it doesn’t guarantee the top position—Google also considers the relevance and quality of your ad. You can set bids manually or use automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or ROAS.
- Ad Quality Score
The Quality Score is Google’s rating of the overall user experience your ad provides. It’s based on factors like:
- The relevance of your keywords
- The quality and clarity of your ad copy
- The landing page experience
- The expected click-through rate (CTR)
A higher Quality Score can lead to lower costs per click and better ad positions, even if your bid is lower than competitors.
- Expected CTR (Click Through Rate)
The Expected CTR predicts how likely users are to click your ad when it’s shown. Google uses your past performance data and the relevance of your ad to estimate this. A higher expected CTR improves your ad rank, often allowing you to pay less for a better position. It’s a strong indicator of how compelling your ad is to searchers.
Your ad rank determines your ad position.
Setting Up a Google Ads Campaign
- Choose a campaign goal (sales, leads, traffic).
The first step is to select a goal that aligns with your business objectives. Google Ads lets you choose from various goals such as:
- Sales – to drive online or offline purchases
- Leads – to capture customer information through forms, calls, etc.
- Website Traffic – to bring more visitors to your site
Your selected goal helps Google recommend the most effective campaign settings and features.
- Select campaign type (Search, Display, Shopping, Video).
Once the goal is set, choose a campaign type that suits your strategy. Each type reaches your audience in a different way:
- Search – Text ads shown in Google search results
- Display – Visual banner ads on websites and apps
- Shopping – Product listings in Google Shopping
- Video – Video ads on YouTube
Your choice depends on your business model and where your audience spends time.
- Set target location, language, and audience.
Targeting ensures your ads are shown to the right people. You’ll define:
- Location – Countries, cities, or custom areas
- Language – Languages your customers speak
- Audience – Demographics, interests, or remarketing lists
This step is crucial for minimizing wasted ad spend and focusing on the most relevant users.
- Add keywords using Google’s Keyword Planner.
Keywords are the backbone of a successful Search campaign. Use Google’s Keyword Planner to:
- Find high-volume, low-competition keywords
- Analyze search trends
- Group keywords into themed ad groups
Adding the right keywords ensures your ad appears for the most relevant searches.
- Write compelling ad copy and set budget.
Now, craft engaging ad copy that:
- Highlights your unique value proposition
- Includes a clear call-to-action (CTA)
- Aligns with your landing page content
Set your daily or monthly budget based on your campaign goals. You can also choose a bidding strategy (manual or automated) that suits your performance objectives.
Tip: Use negative keywords to avoid irrelevant clicks.
Google Ads Bidding Strategies
Google Ads offers several bidding strategies:
- Manual CPC – You set the bids.
Manual CPC (Cost-Per-Click) bidding gives you full control by letting you set the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for each click on your ad. This method is ideal for advertisers who want to closely manage their budget and bids for each keyword or ad group. However, it requires more hands-on optimization and performance monitoring.
- Enhanced CPC – Adjusts your bid based on the chance of conversion.
Enhanced CPC (ECPC) is a semi-automated bidding strategy. While you still set your base bids, Google automatically increases or decreases them based on the likelihood of conversion. For example, if a user is more likely to buy based on historical data, Google might slightly raise your bid to win that click. It offers a balance between control and automation.
- Target CPA – Optimizes for cost per acquisition.
With Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition), you tell Google how much you’re willing to pay for a conversion (e.g., a lead, sale, or sign-up). Google then uses machine learning to adjust bids in real time to get as many conversions as possible at your target CPA. This is ideal for advertisers focused on lead generation or sales and who want to keep costs predictable.
- Target ROAS – Focuses on return on ad spend.
Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) allows you to bid based on your desired revenue return for every pound spent. For example, a ROAS of 400% means you want £4 in return for every £1 spent. Google optimizes bids to prioritize higher-value conversions, making it perfect for e-commerce businesses that want to scale profitably.
Choosing the right bidding strategy depends on your goals.
Introduction to Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads are shown across:
- Facebook Feeds
Facebook Feed ads appear directly in the main news feed as users scroll through posts. These ads blend seamlessly with organic content, making them highly engaging and less disruptive. You can use images, videos, carousels, or slideshows. It’s a great option for generating likes, comments, shares, and website clicks from a broad audience.
Since Instagram is owned by Meta, you can run ads on both platforms from the same Ads Manager. Instagram ads appear in:
- Instagram Feed
- Instagram Stories
- Instagram Reels
These visually rich ad placements are ideal for brands with strong visuals or products targeting younger demographics who spend more time on Instagram.
- Messenger
Messenger ads let you place ads in the Messenger app or create ads that open a conversation with your business. This placement is excellent for businesses that want to:
- Generate direct customer interactions
- Provide instant support
- Use chatbots for automation
It’s especially powerful for lead generation and personalized customer experiences.
- Audience Network (partner sites/apps)
The Audience Network extends your Facebook ad reach to third-party apps and websites that partner with Meta. Your ads can appear in:
- Mobile apps
- Games
- External mobile websites
This expands your ad visibility beyond Facebook and Instagram, giving you access to new audiences while still leveraging Facebook’s robust targeting.
It’s all managed from Meta Ads Manager.
Unlike Google Ads, Facebook is a discovery-based platform where users see your ad as they browse—not when they’re actively searching.
How Facebook Ads Work
Facebook collects user data on:
- Age
Facebook Ads allow you to target users based on specific age ranges. Whether you’re promoting a product for young adults (18–24), middle-aged professionals (35–44), or retirees (60+), you can customize your campaign to reach the most relevant age group. This helps in creating age-appropriate messaging and offers, improving overall engagement and conversions.
- Location
You can target your audience based on geographic location, including:
- Countries
- Cities
- Regions
- Zip/postal codes
- A specific radius around a location
This is ideal for local businesses, service areas, or location-specific promotions. It ensures your ads are shown only to people in the areas you serve.
- Gender
Facebook lets you choose between targeting men, women, or all genders. This is particularly useful if your product or service is designed for a specific gender group. Tailoring ad creatives and messaging based on gender preferences can lead to higher engagement and ROI.
- Interests
Interest targeting allows you to reach people based on things they like or are passionate about. Facebook gathers this data from:
- Pages liked
- Ads interacted with
- Activities on and off Facebook
Examples include fitness, technology, parenting, travel, and thousands more. This ensures your ad reaches users with relevant lifestyle or hobby preferences.
- Behavior
Behavioral targeting is based on user actions, such as:
- Purchasing habits
- Device usage
- Travel behavior
- Online activity
For example, you can target frequent travelers, online shoppers, or people using specific mobile devices. It’s a powerful tool for narrowing down your audience to those most likely to convert.
You can build Custom Audiences (your site visitors or customer list) or Lookalike Audiences (similar to your best customers).
Setting Up a Facebook Ad Campaign
- Choose an objective (Awareness, Consideration, Conversion).
The first step in creating a Facebook ad campaign is selecting your campaign objective, which tells Meta what your main goal is. Options include:
- Awareness: For increasing brand or product visibility
- Consideration: To drive engagement, traffic, video views, or app installs
- Conversion: For sales, leads, or sign-ups
Choosing the right objective ensures the platform optimizes delivery for users most likely to take the action you want.
- Define audience and location.
Next, you’ll define who sees your ads by setting:
- Demographics (age, gender, education)
- Interests and behaviors
- Custom or Lookalike Audiences
- Geographic targeting (country, city, zip code, or radius)
This ensures your ad reaches the right people in the right place, increasing the likelihood of clicks and conversions.
- Set budget and schedule.
Determine how much you want to spend and how long your campaign will run. You can set:
- Daily budgets (amount spent per day)
- Lifetime budgets (total spend over the campaign duration)
- Start and end dates
This gives you control over ad spend and campaign duration, making it easy to test, manage, or scale based on performance.
- Choose ad placements (automatic/manual).
You can let Facebook decide where to place your ads (automatic placements) or choose specific placements manually. Options include:
- Facebook Feed
- Instagram Feed or Stories
- Messenger
- Audience Network
Manual placements are great for fine-tuned control, while automatic placements are better for broad reach and optimization.
- Upload creatives (images, videos, carousels).
Upload the actual content that will be shown in your ads. Creative formats include:
- Single image or video
- Carousel (multiple images/videos)
- Slideshow or collection ads
Make sure your creatives are high-quality and aligned with your messaging, brand identity, and campaign goals. Great visuals lead to higher engagement and lower costs.
- Launch and monitor.
After everything is set up, launch your campaign and closely monitor performance using Facebook Ads Manager. Track key metrics like:
- Clicks
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
- Cost per result
- Conversions
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Use this data to optimize, pause, or scale campaigns based on what’s working.
Always test multiple creatives and copy to find what resonates.
Ad Formats: Google vs. Facebook
Format Type Google Ads Facebook Ads
Text Ads Yes (Search) No
Display/Banner Yes (GDN) Yes (Facebook/Instagram)
Video Ads Yes (YouTube) Yes (Facebook/Instagram Reels)
Shopping Ads Yes No
Lead Forms No Yes (Lead Generation Ads)
How to Track Performance (Google & Facebook)
Use built-in analytics tools:
- Google Ads Dashboard
The Google Ads Dashboard is your central control panel for managing and monitoring all Google ad campaigns. It provides detailed insights into:
- Campaign performance (clicks, impressions, CTR, CPC, conversions)
- Ad group and keyword data
- Device and location metrics
- Budget pacing and bid adjustments
It helps you identify what’s working, where your budget is going, and how to improve campaign performance in real time.
- Facebook Ads Manager
Facebook Ads Manager is Meta’s all-in-one tool for creating, running, and analyzing ads across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. It allows you to:
- Track performance metrics (reach, engagement, CTR, CPC, conversions)
- A/B test creatives and audience segments
- Set and manage budgets and schedules
- Analyze breakdowns by age, gender, location, and more
It’s essential for continuously optimizing your Facebook ad strategy and maximizing ROI.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for cross-platform tracking
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics, offering enhanced tracking across web and app platforms. When linked with Google Ads or Facebook Ads, GA4 provides:
- Deeper audience insights
- Attribution modeling (understanding which channels contribute to conversions)
- Event-based tracking (e.g., form submissions, purchases)
- Funnel visualization and user journey mapping
GA4 helps you understand the full customer journey and accurately measure how paid ads contribute to your business goals.
Key Metrics to Monitor:
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
Click-Through Rate (CTR) measures how often people click on your ad after seeing it. It’s calculated by dividing the number of clicks by the number of impressions, then multiplying by 100.
Formula:
CTR = (Clicks / Impressions) × 100
A high CTR usually indicates that your ad is relevant and engaging. It also improves your ad quality score on platforms like Google Ads and reduces your cost-per-click.
- CPC (Cost Per Click)
Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. It’s a key metric for budgeting and comparing ad performance.
Lower CPC = more traffic for less money, but it should still bring in quality leads. Google Ads and Facebook Ads both allow manual or automated bidding to control CPC based on your goals.
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) measures how much you spend to get one conversion (a lead, purchase, sign-up, etc.). It’s essential for understanding the profitability of your campaign.
Formula:
CPA = Total Spend / Number of Conversions
A low CPA means you’re acquiring customers efficiently, which is crucial when optimizing for sales or leads.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a key profitability metric that shows how much revenue you earn for every pound (or dollar) you spend on ads.
Formula:
ROAS = Revenue Generated / Advertising Cost
For example, if you spend £100 and earn £400 in sales, your ROAS is 4x (or 400%). The higher the ROAS, the more profitable your campaigns are.
- Conversions
A conversion is the desired action taken by a user after clicking on your ad. This could be:
- Making a purchase
- Submitting a form
- Signing up for a newsletter
- Downloading an app
Tracking conversions helps you measure real business results from your ad spend. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads offer conversion tracking via tags or pixel codes.
Best Practices for Google Ads
- Use Exact Match and Negative Keywords
Exact Match keywords ensure your ads are only shown when a user searches for a very specific phrase—great for targeting high-intent users and reducing irrelevant traffic.
On the other hand, Negative Keywords help you exclude terms that may trigger your ad but are not relevant to your offering. For example, if you sell premium software, you might exclude keywords like “free” or “cheap.”
This improves ad relevance and saves budget by avoiding wasted clicks.
- Optimize landing pages for conversions
Once users click your ad, they land on a specific page—called the landing page. This page must be:
- Fast-loading
- Mobile-friendly
- Focused on a single offer or call-to-action
- Consistent with your ad copy
A poor landing page experience can increase bounce rates and reduce conversions, even if your ad is well-targeted.
Use tools like A/B testing and heatmaps to improve performance.
- Schedule ads based on business hours
Ad scheduling lets you control what times or days your ads appear. This ensures you’re reaching users when they’re most likely to engage or convert.
For example:
- A B2B company might run ads during office hours.
- A food delivery service may focus on evenings and weekends.
This avoids spending budget during low-conversion periods and improves campaign efficiency.
- Use ad extensions (callouts, sitelinks, phone)
Ad Extensions add extra information and clickable links to your Google Search ads. Common types include:
- Callout Extensions: Add short, value-driven phrases (e.g., “Free Shipping”)
- Sitelink Extensions: Add direct links to important pages (e.g., “Contact Us”, “Pricing”)
- Call Extensions: Add a phone number so users can call you directly
These extensions improve your ad’s visibility, click-through rate, and quality score—often without additional cost.
Best Practices for Facebook Ads
- Use high-quality images or short videos
Visual content is the heart of Facebook and Instagram ads. Using high-resolution images or engaging short videos (under 15 seconds) helps capture attention quickly as users scroll.
Make sure your visuals:
- Are relevant to your product or service
- Highlight your offer clearly
- Match your brand’s style and tone
Compelling visuals improve engagement, lower costs, and boost click-through rates.
- Write short, catchy headlines
Your headline is often the first text users notice. A strong Facebook ad headline should be:
- Clear and concise
- Benefit-driven (e.g., “Save 20% Today”)
- Actionable (e.g., “Book Now,” “Try Free”)
Keep it under 40 characters if possible to ensure it displays well across all devices.
- A/B test different creatives
A/B testing (also known as split testing) involves running two or more versions of your ad with different:
- Images or videos
- Headlines
- Ad copy
- Call-to-action buttons
This helps you identify what resonates best with your audience. Facebook Ads Manager even offers built-in A/B testing tools to simplify the process and optimize results.
- Leverage Lookalike Audiences
Lookalike Audiences are custom audiences built from your existing customers or site visitors. Facebook uses its data to find new people who share similar interests and behaviors, increasing your chances of reaching high-quality prospects.
It’s one of the most powerful features for scaling campaigns efficiently.
- Use retargeting to convert warm leads
Retargeting ads are shown to users who have previously:
- Visited your website
- Engaged with your content
- Added items to their cart but didn’t purchase
These users are already familiar with your brand and more likely to convert. Retargeting helps nudge them back with reminders, offers, or urgency-driven messages.
Budgeting & Scaling Paid Ads
Start Small, Scale Smart:
-
Begin with a test budget (e.g., £10–£20/day).
When starting out, it’s best to test your ads with a small daily budget—typically between £10 and £20 per day. This allows you to gather data on how your audience responds to different creatives, keywords, and targeting options without committing a large investment.
- Monitor performance.
Once your ads are live, consistently monitor key performance metrics like:
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
- CPC (Cost Per Click)
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
- Conversions
Use tools like Google Ads Dashboard, Facebook Ads Manager, and Google Analytics 4 to identify what’s working and where adjustments are needed.
Regular monitoring is critical for long-term success.
- Scale campaigns with the best ROAS.
After identifying high-performing ads, you can increase the budget on those campaigns gradually to maximize results without compromising performance. Focus on campaigns with a strong ROAS (e.g., 3x or higher) and consistent conversion rates.
Scaling too fast can hurt results—so increase budgets incrementally, around 20% every few days.
- Pause or revise underperforming ads.
Not all ads will perform well—and that’s okay. Quickly pause any ad sets or campaigns that show low engagement, high CPC, or poor conversion rates.
Instead of deleting them, try:
- Changing the ad creative
- Tweaking the audience
- Refining your message or CTA
Continuous testing and optimization are the keys to a profitable ad strategy.
Tip: Never set and forget. Paid ads require continuous optimization.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Google or Facebook Ads?
It depends on your business goals:
Choose Google Ads if:
- Your customers are actively searching.
Google Ads is ideal when people are already looking for your product or service. For example, someone searching “best web designer in London” has clear intent.
Your ad appears right at the moment they need you, leading to higher-quality leads.
- You want intent-driven conversions.
Since Google captures high-intent traffic, it’s especially effective for driving direct conversions such as purchases, calls, or form submissions.
If your goal is sales or leads, Google’s Search Network is powerful.
- You run an e-commerce or service-based site.
Google Shopping and Search Ads work very well for:
- Online stores selling specific products
- Local or global services like legal help, repair, or consultancy
These ad formats match user queries with your exact offerings.
Choose Facebook Ads if:
- You want to build brand awareness.
Facebook and Instagram are discovery platforms. People may not be searching for your product—but a well-targeted, visually appealing ad can introduce your brand and generate interest.
- You have visually engaging products/services.
If your brand has great visuals—like fashion, food, design, or lifestyle services—then Facebook and Instagram are the perfect platforms to showcase them.
Use carousels, short videos, and reels to boost engagement.
- You want to retarget site visitors or abandoned carts.
Facebook Ads offer advanced retargeting capabilities. You can:
- Show ads to people who visited your website
- Remind cart abandoners to complete purchases
- Re-engage previous customers with upsells
It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to convert warm leads into paying customers.
For the best results, combine both platforms strategically. At Appledew UK, we help you design tailored ad strategies that balance performance and budget to deliver maximum ROI.
