Do you have a product or service with existing demand that people search for on Google? Start with Google Ads Search. Is your product new, visual and emotionally driven, or do you want to reach an audience that isn't actively looking for you? Start with Meta Ads. The best result: both, but optimised differently.
The main difference: captured demand vs. created demand
This is the fundamental distinction that should guide every budget decision:
You capture existing demand
You create new demand
If someone searches for “cosmetic dentist Cluj” on Google, they are a lead almost ready to book a consultation. On Meta, you show someone who wasn't thinking about their teeth a video of a perfect smile, and you create the desire. Both work, but the mechanics are completely different.
Head-to-head comparison: costs, audiences, formats
| Criterion | Google Ads | Meta Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | CPC (cost-per-click), CPM, CPA | Mainly CPM, CPC available |
| Average CPC, Romania 2026 | 0.80-3.50 lei (varies by industry) | 0.40-1.20 lei (cheaper, but less qualified) |
| Average CPM, Romania 2026 | 15-45 lei (none on Search) | 18-38 lei (varies by season) |
| Total audience in Romania | ~14M active users | ~10M FB + IG users combined |
| Targeting | Keywords, custom audiences | Demographics, interests, behaviours, lookalike |
| Main formats | Search text ads, Display, YouTube video, Shopping | Single image, Carousel, Reels, Stories, Collection |
| Ideal for | Services with active demand, B2B, search-driven e-commerce | Visual products, fashion, HoReCa, awareness, retargeting |
| Optimisation time | 2-4 weeks for sufficient data | 1-3 weeks (Meta's algorithm is faster) |
| Tracking after iOS 14 | Not directly affected (Search) | Significantly affected, requires CAPI |
| Average ROAS, Romania (e-com) | 4-8:1 on Search, 2-4:1 on Display | 2-5:1 (varies with creative) |
| Analytics platform | Google Ads + GA4 | Meta Ads Manager + Pixel |
| Recommended minimum budget | 1,500 lei/month in media | 1,000 lei/month in media |
When to choose Google Ads (Search)
Google Ads is the right answer when there is active, measurable demand for what you sell. If people search Google for your product or service, you want to be there at the moment of intent.
- Professional services (law, accounting, construction)
- Products with active search (“cheap robot vacuum”)
- B2B with a short decision cycle
- Urgent needs: plumbers, doctors, car repairs
- E-commerce with clear product keywords
- You want qualified leads directly, not volume
- The product is new and has no search volume
- You sell impulse buys (food, gadgets, fashion)
- Your media budget is under 1,000 lei/month
- You don't have a dedicated, optimised landing page
- Your industry is so niche that there is no traffic
When to choose Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
Meta Ads shine when you want to create demand or reach people who aren't actively looking for you. Meta's algorithm is exceptional at finding the right people based on their behaviours and interests.
- Visual products: fashion, food, home decor, beauty
- HoReCa: restaurants, events, tourism
- You have lookalike audiences built from existing customers
- Retargeting site visitors or people who engaged
- You're launching a new product with no search volume
- You're building long-term brand awareness
- You have strong visual creative (video, Reels)
- B2B with a long decision cycle and technical decision-makers
- You don't have quality creative (weak photos/video)
- You don't have Pixel and CAPI installed correctly
- Heavily restricted industries (finance, health)
- High active search: you lose warm leads to Google
The omnichannel strategy: combining both
The best result doesn't come from choosing one, but from using both in different roles:
The Full Funnel model
Meta Ads (awareness and consideration): Reels and Stories to introduce the brand, collections and offers. Objective: Reach and Video Views. Budget: 30-40% of the total.
Google Ads (conversion): Search to capture intent when people who saw the brand on Meta now search on Google. Objective: Conversions. Budget: 50-60% of the total.
Meta retargeting (recovery): a custom audience built from site visitors who didn't convert. Objective: Conversions and high ROAS. Budget: 10-20% of the total.
Customers exposed to both platforms convert 23-37% more than those exposed to just one. That is the omnichannel effect: Meta creates the desire, Google fulfils it at the moment of intent.
What changed in 2026
Google: Performance Max dominates
In 2026, Google accelerated the shift to Performance Max (PMax): automated campaigns that run across all networks (Search, Display, YouTube, Shopping). Results are good for accounts with historical data, but they need strong creative and clear campaign exclusions.
Meta: Advantage+ and mandatory CAPI
Advantage+ Shopping campaigns have matured Meta's algorithm. If you run e-commerce, test ASC (Advantage+ Shopping Campaign) against manual campaigns: ASC often wins with 15-30% better ROAS. Without the Conversions API installed, you lose up to 30% of your conversion data.
AI Search is changing search intent
With the rise of AI Overviews in Google, informational queries are increasingly resolved without a click. The implication: Search Ads remain the strongest option for direct commercial intent, but organic content is losing informational traffic.
How to make the final decision
- Check the Google search volume for your product/service (Google Keyword Planner)
- If there is volume (at least 500 searches/month in Romania), start with Google Search Ads
- If the product is visual and stirs emotion, add Meta Ads straight away or as a second step
- Install GA4 + Pixel + CAPI before your first campaign: without tracking, you are flying blind
- Allocate at least 1,500 lei/month per platform so you have enough data to optimise
- Don't judge any platform in under 30 days: the algorithms need time to learn
- Compare real CPL, not just ROAS: a high ROAS from brand traffic is not a win
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