Google Ads
Catches people already looking.
Someone types “dentist Birkirkara” or “wedding venue Malta”. Your ad appears next to the results. The intent is high, but you only reach people who search.
Facebook & Instagram ads · Comparison
Facebook ads or
Google ads?
How to choose in Malta.
Google Ads shows your business to people already searching for what you sell. Facebook and Instagram ads put your offer in front of people who are not searching yet, but are likely to want it. Which is better depends mostly on one thing: whether people in Malta actively search for your product or service.
By Malta Digital · Published · Updated · 5 min read
How they differ
Catching demand
or creating it.
Facebook & Instagram ads
Reaches people before they search.
Your ad appears while people scroll. They were not looking, so the ad has to catch attention and make the offer clear. You can reach far more people who fit your customer.
Neither is better in general. They do different jobs. Google is strong when demand already exists. Meta is strong when you need to show people something they did not know to look for, or remind people who already showed interest.
In Malta, the difference is sharper than in large countries. Search volumes for many local services are small, while most people still scroll Facebook and Instagram every day. That shapes where a small budget goes furthest.
When Google wins
When to start
with Google Ads.
- Urgent needs, where people search and call straight away: repairs, emergency services, locksmiths.
- Services people compare by searching, such as accountants, lawyers or specialist clinics.
- Specific products people already know the name of.
- Business-to-business services where buyers research before they contact anyone.
If your customers usually start with a search, Google is where you meet them. The limit is the number of searches. You cannot buy more searches than people make.
When Meta wins
When Facebook and
Instagram ads win.
- Visual products and experiences: food, interiors, fashion, events, tours.
- Offers and launches people do not know to search for yet.
- Restaurants, salons, gyms and clinics that want locals to try them.
- Online shops that need to show products to new customers and remind past visitors.
- Businesses where the search volume in Malta is simply too small.
Meta lets you reach people by location, age and interest, and by what they did on your website. That makes it useful for small local markets where searches are few.
The Malta factor
Why Malta’s size
changes the choice.
When we checked Google’s search suggestions for Malta in October 2026, many service searches with “malta” at the end showed few or no suggestions. Phrases like “facebook ads malta” returned none at all. Suggestions are not a measure of volume, but they are a useful sign that some local searches are rare.
For a niche service, that means Google Ads may only find a handful of searches a week. Meta can still reach the people who fit your customer, even if they never search. For popular searches, such as “web design malta”, Google can work well.
Check your own market. Type your service and “malta” into Google and see what it suggests. Then look at whether competitors are advertising on those searches. If there is little search activity, start with Meta.
By business type
Where to start,
by type of business.
These are starting points, not rules. Your own results should decide in the end.
Restaurants and cafés
Start with Meta to show food and atmosphere to people nearby. Keep your Google Business Profile complete for “near me” searches.
Clinics and salons
Often both. Meta to introduce treatments and offers, Google for people searching a specific treatment or problem.
Trades and urgent services
Start with Google. People with a leak or a broken lock search and call.
Online shops
Start with Meta to find new customers and remind past visitors. Add Google Shopping or search once you know which products sell.
Tours and accommodation
Meta to reach travellers while they plan, Google for people already searching for a specific trip or place.
Professional services
Google for searches with clear intent, Meta to stay visible with a useful guide or offer.
Whatever you start with, a clear page for people to land on matters as much as the ad. A good ad sending people to a confusing page wastes money on either platform.
Costs
How the costs
work differently.
Both are auctions
You compete with other advertisers for the same people or searches. Prices move with competition, season and how relevant your ad is.
How you are charged
Google search ads usually charge when someone clicks. Meta campaigns are often charged by impressions, the number of times your ad is shown, though some options charge per click.
Management time
Both need regular work: new creative for Meta, keyword and search term checks for Google.
What we offer
Our main focus is Meta ads, from €1,250 a month plus ad spend. Google Ads is part of our Growth Partner package where it suits the business.
Measuring fairly
How to compare them
fairly.
The platforms report results in their own way, and each tends to give itself credit. A fair comparison needs one view across both.
- Count the same result on both: a form, a call, a booking or a sale.
- Ask every new customer how they found you, and note it.
- Compare by the cost of a real customer, not the cost of a click.
- Allow for the fact that people often see a Meta ad first and search on Google later.
That last point matters. A customer might discover you on Instagram, then search your name on Google a week later. Google gets the click, but Meta started it. Looking only at last-click numbers can make Meta look weaker than it is.
Using both
Using both without
wasting money.
Many businesses end up using both. The order matters.
01
Start where demand is
If people search for you, start with Google. If they need to discover you, start with Meta.
02
Track the same result
Count enquiries, bookings or sales the same way on both, so you can compare fairly.
03
Retarget visitors
Use Meta to remind people who visited your website from Google but did not enquire.
04
Move budget to results
Every month, put more behind whatever brings customers at a cost you are happy with.
A few straight answers
What you might be wondering.
Which is better for a small business, Facebook ads or Google ads?
It depends on how customers find you. If they search for your service, Google Ads is a strong start. If they need to discover you, or searches in Malta are rare, Facebook and Instagram ads usually work better.
Which is cheaper, Facebook ads or Google ads?
Neither is cheaper in general. Both are auctions, and costs depend on competition, season and your offer. Compare them by the cost of a real enquiry or sale, not by the cost of a click.
Should I run both at the same time?
Only if you can track both properly and give each enough budget to learn. Many small businesses do better starting with one, then adding the other.
Do you manage Google Ads?
Our main focus is Meta ads. Google Ads is included in our Growth Partner package where it suits the business.
Which works better for restaurants in Malta?
Usually Meta, because food and atmosphere sell visually and people discover restaurants while scrolling. Google helps with searches like “restaurant near me”, which also depend on your Google Business Profile.
Keep reading
Related guides.
Are Facebook ads worth it?
When Facebook and Instagram ads pay off, when to wait, and how to judge results honestly.
Instagram ads vs Facebook ads
Same tool, different apps. What changes between Instagram and Facebook ads, and how to choose.
Facebook ads vs boosted posts
Boosting is quick. Ads Manager gives you control. What the difference means for enquiries and sales.
A useful first step
Show us what
you’re running.
We’ll look at your offer, campaigns, tracking and landing page, then explain what we would change first. Initial review at no charge.