May 28, 2025

Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing

Growth Strategy for SMEs: SEM Agency in Singapore Weighs in on Google Ads Against Meta Ads

Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are increasingly advertising online to stay ahead. The two most prominent are Google Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram). But which offers better results for Singapore SMEs? This guide explains how the two platforms operate, their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can determine which one is best suited for your business goals.

Google Ads: Reach Users Ready to Purchase

Google Ads is based on a search-intent model. This means your ads only appear when someone is actively looking for something particular, such as “emergency plumber Singapore” or “best bakery in Tanjong Pagar”. High-intent targeting can be beneficial for services and products that people need immediately. You can have your ads displayed in such a variety of different venues, such as:

Google Search
YouTube
Google Display Network (website, app, Gmail, etc.)

If your business depends on inbound leads, bookings, or local search, Google Ads can do just that—get your business in front of prospects and customers at the right place at the right time.

Meta Ads: Get People to Engage and Discover Your Brand

Meta Ads (it includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Meta’s Audience Network) allows you to reach users before they search. Rather than targeting people who search for specific terms, you focus on individuals based on their special interests, demographics, behaviours, and life stages.
Meta’s three main unique selling points are:

Highly visual ad formats (video, carousel, reels)
Detailed audience targeting
Lowest CPC Ads – Get low-cost per-click ads with high-quality traffic.

If you’re in a product or service category that benefits from getting seen—fashion brands, F&B outlets, fitness classes, or eCommerce—Meta Ads can generate buzz and route traffic in before intent is formed.

Audience Targeting: Precision Versus Behaviour-Based Reach

The keyword-based intent is what Google Ads SEM campaigns are all about. You’re targeting users based on what they’re actively searching for, their device type, location, and the time of day. This strategy works well for very targeted and time-sensitive demand.

Meta Ads also offer behavioural targeting. You can refine your audience by age, gender, lifestyle, job title, purchasing behaviour, and even relationship status. For instance, a wedding planner in Singapore may want to target ads only to women who have been engaged within the last six months, live in Central Singapore, and are between 25 and 35 years old.

For niche markets or visually aspirational businesses, Meta offers more creative and emotional ways to connect with the right people through paid ad campaigns.

Ad Formats: Text Vs Visual Storytelling

Google Ads, as is, are text- and intent-based (search ads, shopping ads, YouTube pre-rolls). They’re excellent for conveying information quickly. Meta Ads excel at visual storytelling. Meta’s formats are designed to interrupt the scroll and be noticed, whether it’s a quick video of your product in use or a carousel of customer testimonials.

For creative industry SMEs, Meta Ads means gaining more freedom to share your brand’s personality and engage emotionally with your audience.

Cost: Which SEM Service Offers You The Best Value?

Google Ads, in particular, can be pricier to pursue in terms of cost-per-click, especially in competitive sectors such as legal, finance, and home services. However, with a high purchase intent among users, conversion rates are higher, and the cost is justified, provided the content is well optimised.

Meta Ads typically receive a lower cost per click, allowing your campaign to go further. Although users will not necessarily convert immediately, those who drive traffic from ads often require retargeting and nurturing in other campaigns.

Analytics and Competitiveness: What Is More Difficult to Manage?

Google offers robust data analysis capabilities, particularly when combined with Google Analytics or GA4. You’ll learn how users discover you, what they do on your site, and what keywords convert.

Meta also offers robust analytics through Meta Pixel and Ads Manager. However, setting up these tools may be more cumbersome for newcomers, particularly if you want to track custom conversions or employ sophisticated funnel strategies.

Both favour iterative businesses in testing and optimising ads, creatives, and landers. If you’re not tracking your progress, you’re wasting your budget.

Which Platform is Suitable for Your SME in Singapore?

It all depends on your industry, goals, and audience. For the quickest leads and sales, Google Ads is your best option. This advice is particularly relevant for services-based SMEs, such as those in tuition, legal, medical, or certain repair services.
Whether you want to increase brand visibility, expand your following, or boost engagement, Meta Ads deliver a more engaging and creative experience, perfect for product-driven companies or lifestyle brands. However, the reality is that the best campaigns often do both.

When It's Best to Combine Meta Ads Campaign and Google Ads SEM Campaign

Instead of choosing sides, many Singaporean SMEs use both Google Ads and Meta Ads in a comprehensive, full-funnel strategy.

Here’s how that could look:

Leverage AdWords to reach those already searching for your service.
Keep your brand’s memory fresh for them with Meta Ads, featuring retargeting, promotions, and visual storytelling in an information-rich format.
Bring Meta traffic to Google and back to increase conversions.
The combined effects of both platforms enhance awareness, engagement, and conversion more than either could do on its own.

Don’t Decide on Hype – Decide on Strategy

Deciding between Google Ads and Meta Ads does not come down to determining a winner. It’s knowing how your audience behaves, your product, and your marketing goals.

Whether you are a local SME in Singapore that wishes to expand, downloading and reviewing both platforms can be a powerful tool when used strategically. Test, track, and adapt. This is the key to long-term success in digital advertising.

Our experts can help you plan a high-performing advertising strategy explicitly tailored to your business in Singapore. Whether paid search, paid social, or both, we can help make every dollar count. Let’s grow your business. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Adverdize SEM Agency in Singapore: Scaled Growth with Google Ads & Social Media Campaigns

Adverdize is a Google Ads and social media performance agency in Singapore that helps businesses scale by leveraging innovative advertising!

Our Google Ads Management option simplifies PPC ads for you. From keyword strategy to copy creation and ongoing optimisation, our team of Google-certified experts always keeps you ahead of the game, delivering leads, clicks, and tangible ROI.

Adverdize also runs managed campaigns across social channels, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, with full-funnel activity—connect, engage, and convert each with the correct story and market. We manage all of your paid ads and digital marketing campaigns – from ad creation and audience targeting to A/B testing and optimisation on the fly.

With a creative and data-backed team for each campaign, at Adverdize, you stay visible, competitive, and ahead in the digital game. Contact us today if you need help with your ad campaigns.

Adverdize SEO

Jetson Lam is an SEO Specialist with a keen interest in online marketing, who is fascinated by analytics, metrics, SEO best practices, and conversions. He founded Adverdize, which is a high-performance SEO Marketing agency based in Singapore.

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