Advertising Platform Comparison: Meta vs Google vs TikTok
Choosing the right advertising platform is crucial for campaign success. This comprehensive guide compares Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Amazon to help you select the best platform for your business goals, budget, and audience. For detailed head-to-head platform comparisons with real-time performance data, visit our Platform Comparison Tool.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Best For | Min Daily Budget | Avg CPM | Avg CPA | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | B2C, Visual Products | $5-10 | $8-25 | $15-50 | Visual ads, retargeting, detailed targeting |
| Google Ads | High Intent, B2B | $10-20 | $2-8 (Display) | $20-60 | Search intent, high ROAS, multiple formats |
| TikTok | Young Demos, Creative | $20-50 | $5-20 | $18-50 | Viral potential, creative formats, Gen Z |
| B2B, Professional | $10-20 | $15-50 | $100-300 | B2B targeting, professional audience | |
| Amazon | E-commerce Products | $5-10 | $0.50-2 (CPC) | $10-30 | High purchase intent, product discovery |
These benchmarks are updated regularly. For the latest CPM, CPA, and ROAS data across all platforms and industries, see our Advertising Benchmarks page.
Meta (Facebook/Instagram)
Best For:
- B2C businesses with visual products
- E-commerce and retail
- Brand awareness campaigns
- Retargeting campaigns
- Local businesses
Strengths:
- Excellent visual ad formats (images, videos, carousels)
- Advanced audience targeting options
- Strong retargeting capabilities
- Lower minimum budgets
- Great for testing creatives
Weaknesses:
- Privacy changes affecting targeting
- Higher CPMs than some platforms
- Less effective for high-intent searches
Minimum Budget:
$5-10/day recommended. Use our Daily Budget Calculator to plan your Meta campaigns.
When to Choose Meta:
- You have visual products (fashion, home goods, food)
- Your target audience is 25-65 years old
- You want to build brand awareness
- You need detailed demographic targeting
- You're running retargeting campaigns
Google Ads
Best For:
- High-intent search queries
- B2B businesses
- Local services
- E-commerce with specific products
- Lead generation
Strengths:
- High purchase intent (people actively searching)
- Multiple ad formats (Search, Display, YouTube, Shopping)
- Typically highest ROAS for many industries
- Excellent for B2B targeting
- Strong local advertising options
Weaknesses:
- Higher CPCs than other platforms
- Requires keyword research
- More complex setup
- Competitive for popular keywords
Minimum Budget:
$10-20/day recommended. Higher budgets ($50+/day) work better for competitive industries.
When to Choose Google:
- People actively search for your product/service
- You're in a B2B industry
- You offer local services
- You want the highest possible ROAS
- You have specific, searchable products
TikTok Ads
Best For:
- Gen Z and Millennial audiences (18-34)
- Creative, trendy products
- App installs
- Brand awareness for younger demographics
- Viral content potential
Strengths:
- Engaging video ad formats
- Lower CPMs than Meta
- Viral potential
- Creative, authentic ad styles
- Growing platform with less competition
Weaknesses:
- Higher minimum daily budgets
- Limited to younger demographics
- Requires creative video content
- Less effective for older audiences
- Newer platform with less data
Minimum Budget:
$20-50/day recommended. TikTok's algorithm works better with higher budgets.
When to Choose TikTok:
- Your target audience is 18-34 years old
- You have creative, visual products
- You're promoting apps or digital products
- You want to reach Gen Z
- You can create engaging video content
LinkedIn Ads
Best For:
- B2B businesses
- Professional services
- High-ticket B2B products
- Recruitment
- Thought leadership
Strengths:
- Best B2B targeting options
- Professional audience
- High-quality leads
- Job title and company targeting
- Great for long sales cycles
Weaknesses:
- Highest CPMs and CPAs
- Smaller audience than Meta/Google
- Less effective for B2C
- Requires higher budgets
Minimum Budget:
$10-20/day minimum, but $50+/day recommended for meaningful results.
When to Choose LinkedIn:
- You're selling B2B products/services
- Your target audience is professionals
- You have high-ticket offerings
- You need to target specific job titles/companies
- You're running recruitment campaigns
Amazon Ads
Best For:
- Products sold on Amazon
- E-commerce businesses
- Product discovery
- Competing on Amazon marketplace
Strengths:
- Highest purchase intent
- Lowest CPAs for many products
- Highest ROAS for Amazon sellers
- Multiple ad formats (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display)
- Direct path to purchase
Weaknesses:
- Only works if you sell on Amazon
- Limited to product ads
- Less effective for brand building
- Amazon takes commission on sales
Minimum Budget:
$5-10/day minimum, but can scale quickly with good performance.
When to Choose Amazon:
- You sell products on Amazon
- You want the highest ROAS
- You're competing in Amazon search
- You have products with good reviews
- You want to drive Amazon sales
Platform Selection Decision Tree
Not sure which platform is right for your business? Compare platforms side-by-side with specific metrics for your industry using our Platform Comparison Tool, or follow this decision framework:
Step 1: What's Your Business Type?
- B2C E-commerce: Meta, Amazon, or TikTok
- B2B: Google Ads or LinkedIn
- Local Services: Google Ads
- SaaS: Google Ads or LinkedIn
Step 2: What's Your Budget?
- Under $50/day: Meta or Amazon
- $50-200/day: Google Ads or Meta
- $200+/day: Any platform, consider multi-platform
Step 3: What's Your Goal?
- Awareness: Meta or TikTok
- Traffic: Google Ads or Meta
- Conversions: Google Ads, Amazon, or Meta
- B2B Leads: LinkedIn or Google Ads
Multi-Platform Strategy
Many successful campaigns use multiple platforms. Use our Budget Allocator to distribute budget across platforms:
Recommended Approach:
- Start with one platform to learn and optimize
- Scale successful campaigns on that platform
- Add a second platform once you have consistent performance
- Use each platform for its strengths:
- Google Ads: High-intent searches
- Meta: Awareness and retargeting
- TikTok: Younger demographics
- LinkedIn: B2B targeting
- Amazon: Product sales
Platform-Specific Best Practices
Meta Best Practices:
- Use high-quality images/videos
- Test multiple ad formats
- Set up Facebook Pixel for retargeting
- Use lookalike audiences
- Monitor frequency to avoid fatigue
Google Ads Best Practices:
- Focus on high-intent keywords
- Use negative keywords
- Optimize Quality Score
- Test different match types
- Use ad extensions
TikTok Best Practices:
- Create authentic, engaging videos
- Use trending sounds/music
- Keep videos short and attention-grabbing
- Test different creative styles
- Target broader audiences initially
Budget Allocation Recommendations
Use our Budget Allocator tool, but here are general guidelines:
For E-commerce:
- 50% Google Ads (high intent)
- 30% Meta (awareness + retargeting)
- 20% Amazon (if applicable)
For B2B:
- 60% Google Ads (search intent)
- 30% LinkedIn (targeting)
- 10% Meta (awareness)
For Consumer Brands:
- 40% Meta (visual + targeting)
- 30% Google Ads (search)
- 30% TikTok (if targeting younger audiences)
Testing Strategy
- Start Small: Test one platform with minimum budget
- Measure Performance: Use our calculators to track ROAS, CPA, CPM
- Optimize: Improve targeting, creatives, and landing pages
- Scale: Increase budget on winning platforms
- Expand: Add additional platforms once you have a winner
Related Tools: Plan your multi-platform strategy with our Budget Allocator, track performance with our ROAS Calculator and CPA Calculator, and see benchmarks in our Platform Benchmarks Guide.
Related Guides: Learn more about campaign planning in our Campaign Planning Guide and get started with our Getting Started Guide.