In the world of performance marketing, “Should we scale Google Ads first or Meta Ads?”

If you’re running paid ads to drive sales, leads, or installs, both platforms—Google Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)—offer massive reach, robust targeting, and sophisticated optimization capabilities. But when it comes to scaling, choosing the right channel first can significantly impact your ROAS, CAC, and long-term marketing efficiency.

In this deep dive, we’ll break down how each platform works, their pros and cons, and most importantly—when, why, and how to scale either depending on your business stage, product type, and creative bandwidth.

Part 1: The Basics — How Do Google Ads & Meta Ads Differ?

Before we compare which one to scale first, let’s understand how they fundamentally differ:

🟢 Google Ads (including Performance Max)

• Intent-based platform: People are actively searching for something.

• Ad formats: Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Performance Max

• Best for: High-intent purchases, branded queries, retargeting, B2B lead gen, D2C eCommerce

• Performance Max campaigns: Leverage AI and automation to deliver omnichannel visibility—especially for shopping and product feeds.

• Strength: Captures demand.

🔵 Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)

• Interest-based platform: You create demand by interrupting scrolling behavior.

• Ad formats: Reels, Carousels, Stories, Image, Video, Collection

• Best for: Visual storytelling, UGC, impulse purchases, app installs, subscriptions

• Strength: Generates demand.

Key takeaway: Google captures existing interest. Meta creates it.

Part 2: Scaling Defined — What Does “Scaling” Actually Mean?

In performance marketing, scaling is not just increasing budget. It’s about:

• Improving profitability at higher spends

• Maintaining or reducing CAC

• Increasing LTV and ROAS

• Expanding market reach through optimized campaigns

Scaling requires creative testing, funnel alignment, channel segmentation, and data-driven experimentation.

Whether it’s Meta Ads or Google Ads, scaling should never be linear. It must be strategic.

Part 3: When to Scale Meta Ads First

✅ Choose Meta Ads first when:

1. You’re in an impulse-buy or discovery-driven category

Examples:

• Skincare

• Wellness

• Apparel

• Food & beverage

• Home décor

People aren’t always searching for your product—but they’ll buy when they see it if the creative hits hard.

2. You have strong UGC or video creative

Meta’s algorithm thrives on scroll-stopping visuals, especially UGC and testimonial-style ads. If you can consistently produce strong creative content, scaling is smoother on Meta.

3. You’re early-stage and testing messaging

Meta lets you test offers, angles, and audience reactions before investing in high-intent keyword search.

4. You’re targeting broader geographies or Tier 2/3 cities

Meta’s CPMs are usually lower in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, offering better reach and lower CAC.

5. You want to warm up top-of-funnel traffic

Meta is unmatched in top-funnel storytelling. You can later retarget these audiences on Google (via branded search or shopping).

Part 4: When to Scale Google Ads First

✅ Choose Google Ads first when:

1. You’re in a high-intent category

Examples:

• Legal services

• B2B SaaS

• Electronics

• High-ticket items

• Insurance, finance, real estate

If people are already searching for your solution, go after them with search ads.

2. You have solid branded demand

Already have brand awareness? Then branded search + Performance Max can offer high ROAS and low CAC.

3. You sell standardized products with known keywords

If people search “buy protein powder online” or “best office chair,” Google Shopping + Search is the most efficient acquisition channel.

4. You want stable scaling with intent-driven traffic

Google Ads scaling is less volatile compared to Meta Ads. Performance Max especially helps reach audiences across YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and more.

5. Your landing page and funnel are optimized

Google Ads traffic is expensive. If your website is fast, conversion-friendly, and has strong CRO elements (like trust badges, reviews, urgency), you can scale Google Ads profitably.

Part 5: Google Ads vs Meta Ads – Scaling Considerations by Funnel Stage

A good performance marketing agency will build both channels into a multi-touch funnel strategy.

Part 6: What Happens When You Scale the Wrong Channel First?

Scaling the wrong channel can:

• Inflate CAC

• Exhaust your budget with poor ROAS

• Skew attribution and tracking

• Result in audience fatigue or creative burnout

Example:
A skincare brand spends ₹3L/month on Google Ads with no branded traffic or demand. Low CTR, high CPC, and a ROAS under

1.Had they started with Meta Ads, built demand using UGC creatives, and then introduced Google Shopping + retargeting—they would have cut CAC in half.

Part 7: Blended Strategy — The Ultimate Scaling Formula

Smart scaling doesn’t mean choosing one channel over the other.
It means sequencing and balancing them based on goals, spend levels, and customer journey.

Phase 1: Demand Generation with Meta

• UGC videos to test hooks and value props

• Retarget video viewers and website visitors

• Run collection ads and DABA (Dynamic Ads for Broad Audiences)

Phase 2: Intent Capture with Google

• Use branded search campaigns

• Build out Performance Max with feed-based shopping

• Test competitor keyword conquest campaigns

Phase 3: Funnel Sync & Automation

• Share first-party audiences across platforms

• Use Meta to build segments that convert on Google

• Run Lookalikes from high-intent users tracked via Google Analytics

Part 8: What About Performance Max? How Does It Change Scaling?

Performance Max is Google’s AI-powered campaign type that automatically serves your ads across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, and Maps.

When to scale with Performance Max:

• You have a well-optimized product feed

• You want to scale across multiple placements at once

• You’re running Shopping campaigns but want more automation

• You want incremental conversions beyond branded search

PMax can significantly amplify Google Ads performance, especially in mid-to-bottom funnel stages. Combine it with top-funnel Meta traffic for best results.

Part 9: Creative & CRO Still Win the Game

Scaling Meta Ads or Google Ads isn’t just about platform strategy—it’s about creative quality and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

• Your ads are only as good as your visuals and hooks

• Your conversions depend on your landing page experience

• Your scaling depends on your testing culture

Whether it’s Meta or Google, creative fatigue, poor messaging, or weak CRO will kill your scaling potential.

Part 10: Key Metrics to Watch When Scaling

Use Google Analytics 4, Meta Events Manager, and UTM tracking to monitor cross-channel attribution.

Conclusion: So, Which Should You Scale First?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your:

• Product type

• Budget size

• Creative capabilities

• Funnel maturity

• Demand vs discovery balance

The smartest brands (and agencies) scale both—but with timing, sequencing, and optimization.

Work With a Performance Marketing Agency That Gets Both

At Sqroot, we specialize in scaling eCommerce and D2C brands using a blended performance marketing strategy that leverages the best of Meta Ads, Google Ads, and Performance Max.

We help you:

• Choose the right platform to scale based on your data

• Build high-converting creative assets

• Optimize feeds, funnels, and audiences

• Track ROI across the full funnel

👉 Book a Free Strategy Call
👉 Scale Smarter. Scale Profitably.