Google or Facebook: Where to spend your advertising dollars?
MEDIA BYTES
By Rev. Marty Levesque
Deciding where to spend your advertising dollars, whether on Google or Facebook depends on various factors, including most obviously your target audience and your goals.
Both platforms offer distinct advantages, so it's essential to assess which platform aligns better with your specific needs and goals.
Google is a search engine, and Google Ads allows you to target users actively searching for interests or information related to your church. This means you can reach an audience already interested in what you offer and can make it easier to convert a seeker to a visitor.
Because Google search is intent-driven, keyword targeting is an essential skill with Google Ads. Using these resources, you can target specific keywords relevant to your church or ministry that will be displayed prominently in a search. This precision can help you reach additional users at different stages of the seeker’s journey.
Meanwhile Facebook excels in demographic targeting marketing, allowing you to reach users based on age, gender, location, interests, and behaviour. And because Facebook is a highly visual platform, this makes it ideal for churches with community events, especially if you have images of the community in action. Ads here will display to a target demographic and may require more impressions to convert a seeker into a visitor.
In many cases, a balanced approach may be the best strategy. Allocating a portion of your ad budget between Google and Facebook can help you reach a broader audience and achieve different marketing objectives simultaneously. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your unique needs and goals.
Rev. Marty Levesque is the rector of All Saints’ in Waterloo. He served as diocesan social media officer.