We get this question at least twice a week: “Should we run Meta Ads or Google Ads?”
The framing is wrong. It’s not either/or — but it is a sequencing decision. And the right answer depends on three things: whether demand for your product already exists in Kenya, what your margin looks like, and how long your sales cycle is.
Here’s how to think about it.
The Fundamental Difference
Before we get into Kenya-specific context, the most important thing to understand is what each platform is actually doing.
Google Ads captures demand that already exists. When someone searches “best real estate agent Nairobi,” they’re already in buying mode. You’re showing up at the moment of intent. The work of convincing them they need a real estate agent has already been done — you just need to convince them to choose you.
Meta Ads creates demand. Your ad interrupts someone who was scrolling through their feed to see what their cousin posted. They weren’t looking for you. You need to stop the scroll, create interest, and then nurture that interest into a purchase. The work is harder — but the audience is far larger.
When to Start with Google Ads
If any of the following are true, Google is where you should put your first shilling:
Your product or service is searched for. If people in Nairobi are typing your solution into Google — “pest control Nairobi,” “school fees loan Kenya,” “laptop repair Westlands” — then Google Search is capturing that intent right now and you’re missing it. That’s money left on the table.
Your sales cycle is short. The customer searches, clicks your ad, enquires, and buys within a day or two. This is common for services, FMCG, and emergency-type products. Google fits this model perfectly.
Your margin supports a higher cost per click. Google Ads can be more expensive per click than Meta — especially in competitive categories like insurance, real estate, and finance. If your margin is high enough to absorb a KES 150–400 click and still be profitable at your conversion rate, Google works.
Rule of thumb
If your customer knows they have a problem and is actively looking for a solution — start with Google. You’re showing up when intent is highest.
When to Start with Meta Ads
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is the right starting point when:
Search volume for your category is low. If almost no one in Kenya is searching for what you sell — maybe you’re selling a new product category or a software tool businesses aren’t yet aware of — there’s no search demand to capture. You need to create it. Meta lets you show your offer to a targeted audience who matches the profile of your ideal customer, even if they’ve never heard of you.
Your customer needs to see the product visually. Fashion, beauty, food, interiors, events — these categories sell on aesthetics. A well-shot photo or video on Instagram can drive an impulse decision in a way a text-based Google search ad never can.
Your margin is tighter. Meta clicks in Kenya are generally cheaper than Google Search clicks. If your product sells for KES 2,000 and your margin is 40%, you can’t afford KES 200-per-click Google traffic. Meta’s lower cost per click and cost per impression makes the math work better for lower-margin products.
You’re building a brand, not just capturing leads. Meta is a brand-building tool as much as a conversion tool. If your goal is to make your name known across Nairobi before the selling conversation begins, Meta is where that happens.
The brand that does the awareness work on Meta is also the brand that gets the Google search later. The two platforms feed each other.
The Kenya-Specific Context You Can’t Ignore
A lot of advice on Meta vs Google is written for the US or UK market. Here’s what’s different in Kenya:
WhatsApp is in the middle of everything. In the Kenyan market, the conversion rarely happens on your website — it happens on WhatsApp. A customer sees your Meta ad, taps the “Message on WhatsApp” button, chats with your team, and buys. Google’s lead forms and landing pages work well for some categories, but a significant portion of the Kenyan market prefers WhatsApp over a website form. Your tracking needs to account for this — or your Google Ads will look like they’re underperforming when they’re actually driving WhatsApp enquiries you’re not counting.
Mobile-first, always. Over 85% of digital traffic in Kenya comes from mobile devices. Your Google landing pages must load fast on a 4G or even 3G connection. If your landing page takes 6 seconds to load on mobile, your Google Ads budget is being wasted. We’ve seen businesses with good ad strategy destroyed by a slow website.
Meta’s targeting in Kenya has improved significantly. Three years ago, Meta’s audience data for Kenya was patchy. Today, with the growth of the platform and improved local data, you can target by location (even specific estates in Nairobi), income signals, business type, and behaviour in ways that weren’t possible before.
The Sequencing Decision
Here’s the framework we use with clients:
Check if search demand exists
Use Google Keyword Planner or Semrush — search for your core keywords and check monthly volume in Kenya. If there are 500+ monthly searches for your category, start with Google.
Calculate your allowable CPA
Work backwards from your margin. If your product makes KES 5,000 in profit and you need a 3:1 return on ad spend, your maximum CPA is KES 1,667. Can Google's click prices support that at your conversion rate? Run the math before you spend.
Test one platform properly
Don't split KES 20,000 across both platforms. Put the full budget into one, run it for 60 days minimum, and gather enough data to optimise. Half-budget, half-attention produces half-results on both.
Layer in the second platform once the first is profitable
Once you have a working, profitable channel — a proven CPA and creative that converts — layer in the second platform. Meta warms audiences that eventually search on Google. Google converts intent that Meta created.
The Answer for Most Kenyan Businesses
If you’re a local service business (real estate, legal, accounting, education, healthcare) — start with Google. Your customers are searching for you right now and you’re not there.
If you’re selling a consumer product (fashion, food, beauty, home goods) — start with Meta. Your customer buys with their eyes, not their keyboard.
If you’re a B2B business selling to other companies — start with LinkedIn Ads (which we also manage), not Google or Meta. The targeting is more expensive but the audience quality is dramatically better for B2B.
Not sure which applies to you?
This is exactly what our free Digital Health Check is designed to answer. We look at your specific business, your search volume, your competitive landscape, and tell you exactly where to put your first shilling. No guesswork. Get your free audit →
The right answer is rarely “both at the same time from the start.” It’s usually one platform, properly funded, properly optimised — and then the second platform once you have a baseline of what works.
The businesses that try to do everything at once, with a split budget and divided attention, end up with mediocre results on every channel and no idea which ones are actually working.
Start focused. Scale from proof.