You've set aside ₹50,000 for ads. It's real money, and you want to know it's going to bring in customers, not just likes. The first big decision is where to spend it: Google, or Meta's Facebook and Instagram.
There isn't one right answer. But there is a right answer for your business, and it's easier to find than you'd think.
The key difference: intent vs discovery
Google Ads (mainly search ads) show up when someone types a search. They're already looking for a solution: "AC repair Malad", "GST consultant near me", "IELTS coaching Dadar". You're catching demand that already exists.
Meta Ads show up while people scroll Instagram and Facebook. They weren't looking for you, but you can target them by location, age, interests and behaviour. You're creating demand by putting something interesting in front of the right people.
Which suits your business?
| Google Ads tends to win when... | Meta Ads tends to win when... |
|---|---|
| People already search for what you offer | Your product is new and people don't know to search for it |
| The need is urgent (repairs, medical, legal) | Your product is visual (food, fashion, decor, events) |
| You sell services with a clear buying moment | You want to build awareness in a specific area |
| Customers compare a few options before deciding | You want to re-engage people who visited your site |
Sample ways to split ₹50,000
These aren't rules, just sensible starting points you'd adjust once you see results.
A service business people already search for
Think clinics, CAs, coaching classes or repair services. Put around ₹35,000 into Google search ads targeting your main services in your area, and around ₹15,000 into Meta to show ads to people who visited your website and to build local awareness.
A visual product or a new brand
Think a bakery, a clothing label or a home decor store. Flip it: around ₹35,000 into Meta for Reels and image ads to local audiences, and ₹15,000 into Google for people searching your brand name and product terms.
Something genuinely new
If almost nobody searches for what you offer yet, Google search won't have much to work with. Put most of the budget into Meta, and test a small Google campaign later once people start searching.
Budget for tax: both platforms add 18% GST to ad spend in India. If you're GST-registered you can usually claim it back as input credit, but plan for it in your cash flow.
Before you spend a rupee
The setup matters more than the platform. Most wasted ad budgets we see aren't caused by picking the wrong platform. They're caused by skipping these steps:
- Set up conversion tracking. Track form submissions, calls and WhatsApp clicks. Without this you're guessing what works.
- Send people to the right page. An ad for "root canal treatment" should land on your root canal page, not your homepage.
- Keep the area tight. If customers won't travel more than 5 km, don't pay to show ads to all of Mumbai.
- On Google, check search terms weekly. Add negative keywords so you stop paying for searches like "free", "jobs" or "course" that will never become customers.
- On Meta, don't just press "Boost post". Set up a proper campaign in Ads Manager with a clear goal, like leads or messages.
- Give it time. Run a campaign for three to four weeks before judging it. Both platforms need data to learn.
Measure what actually matters
Clicks and likes feel good but don't pay rent. The number to watch is cost per lead (or cost per sale): total spend divided by the enquiries or sales it produced. Compare that to what a customer is worth to you, and you'll know very quickly which platform deserves the next ₹50,000.
Ads bring results quickly but stop when you stop paying. SEO is slower but keeps working. Most businesses do best with both. Read how long SEO takes to work to plan the balance.
Want your ad budget to work harder?
We set up and manage Google and Meta campaigns with proper tracking, so you know exactly what each rupee brings in.