Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which Channel for Your SME?
Google Ads or Facebook Ads for your Quebec SME? Compare cost per click, targeting, ad formats, and the best sectors for each platform.
Read the articleOnline Advertising
This blog category covers how Greater Montreal businesses use Google Ads and Facebook and Instagram advertising to bring in customers, in plain language. Articles are written for owners and managers who run their own campaigns or work with an agency.
Latest articles
Digital Marketing for Montreal Restaurants: Social Media Guide
How Montreal restaurants can master social media, Google Business Profile, online reviews, Facebook Ads and local SEO to attract more diners and stand out.
Read the articleLocal B2B Search Ads: Reaching Merchants Without Paying for Consumer Clicks
How to structure a Google Ads search campaign that reaches merchants and business owners, without wasting budget on clicks from curious consumers.
Read the articleReading the Google Ads Search Terms Report to Cut Waste
How to read the Google Ads search terms report to spot wasted search terms, group them by theme, and add exclusions at the right account level.
Read the articlePerformance Max Replaces Smart Shopping: A Transition Plan for Online Stores
Google is automatically moving Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max between July and September. The plan I run before an account switches.
Read the articleiOS 14.5 and Facebook Ads: Measuring Results After App Tracking Transparency
What changed in your Facebook Ads reporting since iOS 14.5: domain verification, eight prioritized events, and why results now arrive with a delay.
Read the articleDental Advertising in Québec: What the Professional Order Allows in an Ad
What Québec's Code de déontologie des dentistes allows in a Google Ads campaign, and the checklist I use with dental clinics before an ad goes live.
Read the articleInstagram for Hair Salons: Taking Bookings From Your Profile
How I set up the booking button on a hair salon's Instagram profile, and what to measure afterward to know whether it's actually bringing in clients.
Read the articleGoogle Ads Smart Campaigns: When a Local Business Should Avoid Them
What a Google Ads Smart campaign hides from a local business, and how to tell if a standard Search campaign is worth the extra setup time and cost.
Read the articleAdWords for Plumbers: Setting a Realistic Starting Budget and Service Radius
The formula (target calls x close rate x job value) I use to set a realistic starting AdWords budget and service radius for a plumbing business.
Read the articleThe Facebook Pixel for Restaurants With No Online Store
How a restaurant with no online ordering can use the Facebook pixel to track reservations, menu views and phone calls, without a Purchase event.
Read the articleFrequently asked questions
Google Ads or Facebook and Instagram ads: where should I start?
It depends on intent. Google Ads catches an active search, useful for an urgent service like a plumber. Facebook and Instagram reach people who are not searching yet, useful for a salon or restaurant trying to get noticed. Many Greater Montreal businesses run both platforms together.
What actually affects how fast online advertising delivers results?
Budget, competition on your keywords or in your sector, ad quality and the tracking you have in place matter more than the platform itself. An account with call and conversion tracking set up correctly shows what is working sooner, so you can adjust the campaign.
How do I know if my online ads are actually working?
Clicks alone are not enough to judge a campaign. Every ad needs to connect to a real outcome: a call, a quote request or a booking. That tracking shows which campaign, keyword or audience is actually converting into customers, which makes it easier to put budget where it works.
Does call tracking change anything for my Google Ads campaigns?
Yes. Without call tracking, a campaign generating plenty of clicks but few calls can look like it is working when it is not converting. Connecting every inbound call to the ad and keyword that triggered it tells you which budget to cut and which to increase.
Who is this online advertising section for?
Owners and managers of Greater Montreal businesses who run their own Google Ads or Facebook and Instagram campaigns, or who want to understand what their agency is doing. Articles cover platform choice, measuring results and common mistakes to avoid.