What are Meta Ads? Breaking Down Performance
What are Meta Ads? Learn how they work, how they compare to Google Ads, and which one attracts more qualified leads for your business
What are Meta Ads? Learn how they work, how they compare to Google Ads, and which one attracts more qualified leads for your business
In 2024, global advertising revenue crossed $ 1 trillion and two platforms captured a lion's share of that spend. So, it is no surprise that when you're trying to reach the right audience, the same two platforms will keep popping up. We are talking about Google Ads and Meta Ads (formerly Facebook Ads).
Both dominate the digital ad space and offer tools that allow you to reach literally billions of users daily.
However, not every platform works for every business goal. This is especially true if you’re in B2B and focused on generating qualified leads.
At Lead Ember, we live and breathe performance marketing. We have seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t. So, in this guide, we’re breaking down what Meta Ads are for you. We will also explore how they work, and, more importantly, how they compare to Google Ads.
Meta Ads are a type of paid digital ad. You can place them across any or all of Meta's platforms, be it Facebook, Instagram, or even Messenger. They are designed to appear in our feeds, Stories, Reels, and even in chat. Basically, they appear wherever we are already scrolling.
A key factor in what makes Meta Ads effective is how well they blend into the user experience. This is because most of them are designed to look and feel just like regular content. Meta's biggest draw is its targeting capabilities. It knows its users' interests as well as their online behavior, job titles, life events, purchase patterns, and more.
For any ad, you will have your goals, your defined audience, a budget, as well as the messaging or visuals you want to show. What Meta Ads does is combine all of these. The platform's algorithm then uses all of this information to place your ad across Facebook, Instagram, and other apps and shows it to people it thinks will be the most interested.
Meta gives you several ways to reach your audience. You can:
Meta also uses machine learning to optimise delivery. It essentially shows your ads more frequently to those who are engaging with it.
Meta Ads can work great and give you results if you have two primary goals: You want to create brand awareness or you want top-of-the-funnel engagement,
This is even more true if you utilize the platform's automated placement strategy, which essentially allows your ads to automatically appear across all of Meta's apps and the Audience Network. This is one of the best ways to maximize your ad's exposure and efficiency.
Sounds impressive? Well, sure, but you also need to remember that a like or view doesn't automatically mean you're getting leads that are ready to take action.
This is where the idea of intent comes in. Because people don't typically go to Facebook or Instagram looking for solutions. They're there to scroll, unwind, or maybe even just catch up with friends. This means that while Meta is great if you want to spark interest around your brand, it’s not always the best at capturing action-ready leads.
Let's explore this further as we compare Meta Ads to Google Ads from a performance perspective.
Google Ads is a pay-per-click (PPC) platform, which means you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. This also means your advertising budget actually goes toward people who are interested in what you offer.
It’s a smart and efficient way to put your message in front of the right people, at the right time.
Let’s look at how that compares with how Meta Ads works.
Google Ads targets people who are already looking for a solution. If someone types “commercial solar panel installation companies UAE” into Google, they’re likely ready to make a decision/take the next step. Your ad is showing up at this crucial moment, thus improving chances of conversion.
Meanwhile, Meta Ads, will be shown based on who a person is and not what they’re actively seeking. Even if you are targeting users with the right job title or interest in your topic, you’re still hoping to catch them at the right moment.
In B2B, where decision-makers are busy and buying cycles are long, search intent almost always leads to higher-quality leads.
Meta’s targeting is based on demographic and behavioural data. You can filter by job title, company, interests, and online behaviour.
Google Ads, on the other hand, lets you target by keywords, device type, audience segment, remarketing list, location, and more. This makes it a better choice when you want to grow your sales pipeline.
In 2025, Meta has over 3.24 billion daily active users. That’s, of course, great for reach, especially when you're running brand awareness campaigns.
However, Google reaches over 90% of global internet users.
Meta may give you broad exposure, but Google gives you visibility when and where it matters most.
Meta Ads are good at getting attention. Video views, page likes, and form submissions are common campaign goals. But when it comes to B2B conversions—whether these are demo requests, consultations, or RFPs—Google Ads consistently drive higher quality leads.
Why so? Because you’re reaching people who are ready to make a decision, not just explore.
B2B audiences behave differently. They do research. They compare options. That’s why Google Ads work so well.
Here’s why Google is a better bet for B2B:
When it comes to performance marketing, it’s not just about getting your brand seen—it’s about being seen at the right time by the right people. That’s where Google Ads consistently outperform Meta. It is truly built for intent-driven marketing, backed by precision targeting, and proven to convert.
At Lead Ember, we’re all about turning search intent into real business outcomes. As Google Ads specialists for B2B brands in the UAE, we focus on what actually moves the needle. Let’s talk about how we can build your next pipeline of ready-to-act leads with smarter Google Ads.
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