For B2B lead generation on about €1,000 a month, Google Search is usually the better first choice if people already search for what you sell, and Meta is the better choice when you must create demand with a strong offer. Either way, run one channel properly rather than splitting the money, because at this budget each platform needs all of it to produce enough data to learn from.
This is the decision we walk small B2B companies through in the first call. The numbers below are illustrative assumptions to show the reasoning; use your own market’s costs and conversion rates.
Why not split the budget?
Split €1,000 into €500 and €500 and each channel spends about €16 a day. If a B2B click costs €3 on Google, that is about five clicks a day, around 150 a month. With a 4 per cent click-to-lead rate you would get around six leads a month on Google, and the Meta half would produce its own small, noisy numbers. Neither gives you enough data in three months to optimise anything. Concentrating on one channel doubles the data and halves the time to a reliable answer. Our post on the minimum budget to start Google Ads or Meta Ads explains the arithmetic of learning.
What is the core difference between the two?
Google Search captures existing demand: someone types a query and your ad appears. Meta creates or interrupts demand: you reach people based on who they are, and they were not looking for you at that moment. That one difference drives most of the decision.
| Google Search | Meta (Facebook and Instagram) | |
|---|---|---|
| Intent | High; the person is searching | Low to medium; the person is browsing |
| Typical cost per click for B2B | Often higher, depending on keyword | Often lower |
| Volume at a small budget | Limited by search demand | Easy to spend, harder to qualify |
| Targeting B2B roles | By keywords and intent | By interests, lookalikes, retargeting; job targeting is limited |
| Creative effort | Mostly text | Image or video, refreshed regularly |
| Lead quality | Usually higher per lead | Varies; often needs qualifying steps |
Cost figures vary widely by country, industry and season, so we do not publish a single benchmark. Check Google’s keyword planner for search costs and treat Meta’s estimates as a starting point only.
When does Google Search win?
Choose Google first if all three of the following are true:
- Buyers search for it. Type five phrases a customer would use and look at the results. If you see ads and the phrases look like buying questions (“payroll software for small businesses”, “ISO 27001 consultant”), demand exists.
- Your deal value can absorb the click cost. If a click costs €4 and 1 in 25 clicks becomes a lead, a lead costs about €100. If 1 in 5 leads becomes a customer worth €2,000 in margin, you can afford it.
- Search volume is enough. If your total monthly search volume in the target area is a few hundred queries, Google will not spend €1,000 efficiently.
Keep the account tight at this budget: exact and phrase match, a short negative keyword list, one or two ad groups, and a dedicated page. Our Google Ads audit process and search terms report routine show what to check each week. Leave automated, broad-reaching campaign types until the data supports them; see Target ROAS on a small budget.
When does Meta win?
Choose Meta first if:
- Demand is low or new. Few people search for your solution because they do not know it exists.
- You have a compelling offer. A free audit, a benchmark report, a webinar or a calculator gives cold audiences a reason to respond.
- You can make creative. You can produce a few decent ads each month and refresh them when fatigued.
- You have a list to start with. Customer or contact lists allow lookalike audiences and retargeting.
Expect lower lead quality per lead than search, so qualify with a short form or a booking step. We compare formats in Meta lead form ads vs. landing page ads, and show how to avoid wasting retargeting spend in retargeting on Meta in 2026.
What about LinkedIn?
LinkedIn offers precise B2B targeting by job title and company, but its click costs are much higher, and €1,000 buys few clicks. For most small budgets it is a second-stage channel rather than a first one. Our LinkedIn Ads for B2B cost benchmarks post gives the reasoning.
Do the arithmetic before you choose
Use this formula for each channel:
Leads per month = budget ÷ cost per click × click-to-lead rate
Here is an example with invented inputs for a B2B service:
| Input | Google Search | Meta |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €1,000 | €1,000 |
| Assumed cost per click | €3.50 | €1.20 |
| Clicks per month | about 285 | about 830 |
| Assumed click-to-lead rate | 5% | 1.5% |
| Leads per month | about 14 | about 12 |
| Cost per lead | about €70 | about €80 |
| Assumed share that are qualified | 50% | 25% |
| Cost per qualified lead | about €140 | about €320 |
These inputs are assumptions chosen to show the logic; real rates may be better or worse. The pattern is common, though: Meta can generate cheaper clicks, but cost per qualified lead depends on how many of them are real prospects. Change the inputs with your own estimates and see which row wins, then compare cost per qualified lead with what a customer is worth.
How to run a clean 90-day test
- Pick one channel using the criteria above.
- Set up tracking and test it end to end before spending.
- Write your rules: the maximum cost per qualified lead you accept, and the lead volume needed to continue.
- Run for about 90 days, changing one thing at a time. Our Meta learning phase post and the Google routines above help avoid constant resets.
- Decide: continue, change the offer, or try the other channel with a fresh €1,000.
If the first channel works, add the second at a smaller budget for retargeting or to reach a different audience. If neither does, the cause is usually the offer or the page, not the platform; see our post on running a conversion audit on your own website.
Is €1,000 enough?
It is enough to test one narrow offer in one place, and to learn. It is rarely enough to build a pipeline in a competitive market. If your customer value is low, your market is crowded or your sales cycle is long, you may need either a larger budget or a different channel mix. If you are weighing the cost of managing it yourself against hiring help, in-house ads vs. a paid media agency sets out the costs, and paid media agency pricing in 2026 explains the fee models.
FAQ
Is Google Ads or Facebook Ads better for B2B?
Neither is better in general. Google Search tends to capture buyers already looking, while Meta suits demand creation with a strong offer. The right answer depends on search volume, deal value and your creative capacity.
How many leads can I expect from €1,000 a month?
It varies widely with industry and country. Using the formula above with your own cost per click and conversion estimates is more reliable than any generic figure.
Can I run both channels at €500 each?
You can, but each will gather data slowly and optimisation takes longer. We usually advise one channel first unless the budget is higher.