If you own or run a business in Australia, you’ve probably asked yourself: Should I use Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads? Which is the best advertising platform for me?
It’s a very common question for business owners and one that’s definitely worth asking.
Each advertising platform has different features. Some are great for selling to people who are ready to buy. Others are better for showing off your brand or building trust over time.
Choosing the right platform to advertise your product or service is important because it helps you:
- Reach the right people
- Spend your money wisely
- Grow your business faster
This blog will walk you through how ad platforms work and help you figure out which one’s right for your business.
What Is an Advertising Platform?
An advertising platform is a website or app where businesses can pay to show ads to people. These ads might appear in search results, on social media, or on other websites.
There are many platforms out there. The most popular ones for small and medium businesses in Australia are:
- Google Ads
- Facebook and Instagram Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
Every platform has its own method for reaching the right people. Choosing the right one ensures your message reaches the people most likely to become customers.
Why Choosing the Right Advertising Platform Matters
You could have the best product or service in the world, but if your ads don’t reach the right people, you won’t get good results.
For example:
- If you run a plumbing business, your ideal customer is someone searching for help now. Google Ads is a good fit.
- If you sell handmade candles, your customer might be browsing Facebook or Instagram and stop when they see a beautiful photo of your product.
- If you run a B2B business, like accounting or IT consulting, your customer might be a manager or director on LinkedIn.
The right ad platform makes sure your message reaches the right people at the right time.
Which Advertising Platform Should You Use
Choosing the right advertising platform can make a big difference in how fast your business grows. The best one for you depends on who you’re targeting, what you’re offering, and how people make buying decisions in your industry.
Google Ads
If you want to reach people who are currently searching for your product or services.
Google Ads is the world’s biggest advertising platform. It lets your business appear in Google Search when someone types in keywords that match what you offer.
Let’s say someone searches for “emergency electrician in Melbourne.” Your Google ad can show up at the top of the page, right when that person is ready to call or book.
This type of advertising is called intent-based because it targets people who are already interested in something.
Pros:
- You reach people who are ready to act
- You can target by location, time, device, and more
- Results are easy to track
Things to Consider:
- It can be expensive for popular keywords
- You need a well-designed landing page
- You’ve got to keep refining and optimising your ads to get better results.
If people are searching for what you offer, Google Ads is a great advertising platform to help them find your business.
Facebook and Instagram Ads
If you’re trying to find more people with similar interests to your current customers.
Facebook and Instagram (both managed under Meta Ads) are great for discovery-based or interest-based advertising. This means your ads are shown to people based on their interests, location, age, job, and online behaviour even if they aren’t searching for your product right now.
This advertising platform is perfect for building awareness, telling stories, and showing off products through photos and videos.
Pros:
- Highly visual and engaging
- Low cost to get started
- Great targeting options (age, gender, location, interests, and more)
Things to Consider:
- You want to target users based on their interests, behaviours, and life events
- You need strong images or videos
- Your ad message needs to stand out
Facebook and Instagram are perfect if you sell things that look good visually (like fashion, food, gifts) or if your brand has a story to tell.
LinkedIn Ads
If you want to reach business professionals.
With LinkedIn Ads, you can connect directly to the people driving business decisions. This advertising platform is used for B2B (business-to-business) marketing and is great for services with higher price tags or longer buying cycles.
You can target users based on:
- Job title
- Industry
- Company size
- Years of experience
- Skills or education
LinkedIn is ideal for services like consulting, software, recruitment, coaching, and training.
Pros:
- Very targeted for B2B
- High-quality leads
- You can advertise in posts, sidebars, or messages
Things to Consider:
- It costs more than Facebook or Google
- Ads need a clear message and strong offer
- It works better for long-term results than quick sales
If your ideal customer is a business owner or manager, LinkedIn can be your most powerful advertising platform.
Where Should You Advertise?
Here’s a simple way to decide:
-
Know Your Audience
Think about your ideal customer. Are they:
- Searching for a solution? → Use Google Ads
- Browsing social media for fun or inspiration? → Use Facebook/Instagram Ads
- Working in business and making big decisions? → Use LinkedIn Ads
-
Define Your Goals
What do you want your ad to do?
- Bring people to your website or store?
- Grow your social media followers?
- Get new leads or enquiries?
Match your goal to the advertising platform that does it best.
-
Set Your Budget
- For smaller budgets, Facebook and Instagram give you the most value for your ad spend.
- Google can be cheap or expensive, depending on your industry.
- LinkedIn usually needs a bigger budget to work well.
Start with a small budget, test your ads, and spend more when you know what’s working.
Focus on the Platforms That Work for You
Don’t feel like you have to use every advertising platform straight away. It’s better to start with one, learn how it works, and grow from there.
For example:
- Start with Google Ads to capture people already searching.
- Add Facebook Ads to build awareness and retarget visitors.
- If you want to reach decision-makers, LinkedIn Ads are the way to go.
Using platforms together can work well too, but only when you understand what each one does best.
Conclusion
Your choice between the Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn platforms for your advertising effort should match your business, target audience, budget, and objectives.
- Google Ads helps you get in front of people ready to buy or have your service.
- Facebook and Instagram Ads help you grab attention and build trust with great usage of images and videos.
- Or if you’re on B2B, the LinkedIn Ads will help you reach professionals and decision-makers.
Each advertising platform offers unique tools to help your business grow if you use them the right way.