You’ve got a modest budget and two platforms shouting for it. The good news: the choice is simpler than the ad industry makes it sound, and it comes down to one question about your customers. Do they go looking for you, or do you need to interrupt them?
The difference in one idea: intent vs interruption
Google Ads is intent advertising. Someone types “emergency plumber Wilmslow” into Google because their kitchen is flooding right now. Your ad appears at the exact moment they want to buy. The demand already exists; your ad just needs to catch it.
Facebook Ads is interruption advertising. Nobody opens Facebook or Instagram looking for a plumber. They’re scrolling photos of their mate’s holiday, and your ad appears in between. You’re planting an idea before anyone has asked for it.
Neither is better in the abstract. They do different jobs, and your business already leans one way.
When Google Ads deserves the £300
Choose Google first if people search for what you sell. That covers most trades and services: plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, accountants, dog groomers, will writers. The demand already exists, you just need to be visible when it happens.
Google also wins when the need is urgent. A blocked drain doesn’t wait for brand awareness. The person searching will call one of the top results within minutes, and ads put you there on day one.
The catch is click costs. In competitive local trades we regularly see clicks costing a few pounds each, so £300 might buy you somewhere between 50 and 150 visits depending on your industry. That sounds thin, but they’re the highest-intent visitors money can buy. If your website converts even a handful into enquiries, the maths can work from month one. Our honest look at whether Google Ads are worth it walks through that break-even sum properly.
When Facebook Ads deserves the £300
Choose Facebook (and Instagram, since one ad account covers both) if nobody is searching for you yet. That covers new products, gifts, food, fashion, home decor, events, courses. Things people buy when shown, not things they hunt for.
Facebook also wins when your product is visual. A cake maker’s best salesperson is a photo of the cake. And because Meta’s targeting works on location, age and interests, a local business can put that photo in front of thousands of nearby people for less than Google charges for a handful of clicks.
The catch is patience. Interruption advertising rarely converts on the first view. Expect to spend some of that £300 learning which image and message people respond to before the enquiries flow. Our guide to what Facebook ads cost in the UK covers realistic budgets by goal.
A worked £300 budget
Say you’re a dog groomer in a market town, £300 to spend, one month to prove it.
| Option | How it splits | What you’re buying |
|---|---|---|
| All Google | £10 a day on “dog groomer near me” searches | Ready-to-book locals, fewer of them |
| All Facebook | £10 a day on a before/after photo ad, 5-mile radius | Lots of local eyeballs, slower to convert |
| Split test | £150 each for the month | Real data on which works for you |
Our honest advice for a service business: put the first £300 into Google, because catching existing demand is the fastest route to a paying customer. Once Google is covering its costs, add Facebook to fill the quieter weeks. Product businesses flip that order.
What it costs to have ads managed
You can run either platform yourself, and plenty of owners do until the settings menus defeat them. If you’d rather hand it over, MarketingDone4U manages Google Ads from £89 a month and paid social ads from £69 a month, per channel. Ad spend is separate in every case: the management fee pays for the strategy, setup and monthly optimisation, and your ad budget goes straight to Google or Meta. You can see what each plan costs on our pricing page.
For the full picture of Google’s side, our guide to Google Ads costs in the UK breaks down management fees and spend properly. And if you’re wondering whether ads are even the right tool versus building free traffic, read PPC vs SEO next.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
Facebook is usually cheaper per click and per thousand views, while Google is more expensive per click but each click carries stronger buying intent. Cheaper traffic isn’t better if it never buys. Judge the platforms on cost per enquiry for your business, not on the click prices in the dashboards.
Can I run both Google Ads and Facebook Ads at once?
Yes, and established businesses often should, because they cover different stages of buying. On a first £300, though, splitting usually spreads the budget too thin to learn anything. Prove one platform works, get it paying for itself, then add the second with its own dedicated budget.
Is £300 a month enough for Google Ads?
For a local service business targeting one town, £300 can be enough to generate real enquiries, especially with tight keywords and a decent landing page. For competitive national terms it won’t stretch far. Start local and narrow, then increase the budget once you know your cost per enquiry.
Do Facebook ads work without a big following?
Yes. Facebook ads reach the audience you pay to target, not your followers, so a page with 50 likes can put an ad in front of thousands of local people. Followers help with social proof when people check your page, but they’re not what determines who sees your ads.
Is ad spend included in a management fee?
No, and be wary of anyone vague about this. The management fee pays the person or agency running your campaigns. Ad spend is what you pay Google or Meta directly for the clicks and views. With MarketingDone4U the two are always listed separately, so you know exactly where each pound goes.
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