Google is approaching its 16th birthday, and the service is unquestionably important for the majority of online businesses. Over the past decade companies large and small have used the search engine giant to reach customers from all over the globe.
And although a few challengers rose, not many have been able to put up a fight in the contextual and online advertising domain.
The social media explosion, on the other hand, is now termed as real alternative to Google’s online advertising dominance, with both Facebook and Twitter at the forefront.
However, even with their recognition, and rising costs and competition in online advertising, social sites are yet to take the fight to Google. Facebook, for instance, is still considered a place to educate customers of your offerings, rather than having them buy products.
People, when they buy things online, usually head to a search engine to research, and when they are ready, buy what they need.
The reality is people rarely buy from Facebook.
And although this might change in the future, entrepreneurs and large businesses both see much more consistent results from Google, and its ability to drive meaningful clicks.
Still, with rising costs and several PPC keyword auctions easily reaching $10 per click, it becomes nearly impossible to make a profit in these niches — unless you have a conversion-friendly website.
But if you add Facebook to your online marketing efforts, then it is very possible to drive traffic to your website at a significantly lower cost. This hold particularly true for seasons and trends.
If you can predict the demand, and target your social audience, then Facebook ads are always worth it.