Should I Still Be Spending Money on Facebook and Google Ads in 2026?
The Question Every Marketer Is Asking Right Now
Should I still be spending money on Facebook and Google ads in 2026? It's probably the most common question landing in my inbox lately, and honestly, I get it. The platforms have changed so dramatically that if you took a year off and came back today, you'd barely recognize them.
Between AI taking over bidding, Google morphing into an answer engine, and Meta's algorithm becoming scarily good at finding your customers before you do, it's fair to wonder if these platforms still deserve a chunk of your marketing budget.
Short answer: Yes. But the playbook has completely changed.
Let me walk you through what's actually happening on both platforms right now, where the money's going, and how to make these channels work without burning through cash like it's 2019.
Google Ads in 2026: The Demand Capturer
Remember when Google was just a clean search engine with ten blue links? That Google is dead. In 2026, we're dealing with something entirely different.
AI Overviews Have Changed the Game
Google's AI Overviews now sit at the top of most searches, giving users instant answers without them ever clicking through to a website. This has fundamentally shifted how search advertising works.
Here's what that means for your ads:
The old strategy of bidding on informational keywords and hoping people click through to your blog? That's basically dead. Google is keeping those users on their platform now. Your ads need to target commercial intent keywords—people who are ready to buy, not just browse.
Think "buy running shoes London" instead of "best running shoes 2026." The intent is everything now.
Performance Max Is Running the Show
If you're not using Performance Max (P Max) yet, you're already behind. According to research from ALM Corp, P Max has become the backbone of Google's advertising system in 2026, blending Search, YouTube, Display, and even Maps into one automated campaign type.
The algorithm uses broad match technology to find conversion opportunities you'd never spot manually. I've seen clients discover entirely new customer segments they didn't know existed, simply because the AI found patterns in the data that a human would miss.
But here's the catch: Performance Max is only as good as the data you feed it. If your conversion tracking is messy or you haven't uploaded your customer email list for audience matching, you're basically flying blind.
The Financials Are Brutal (But Worth It)
Let's talk money, because Google isn't cheap anymore.
According to Usermaven's 2026 benchmarks, average CPC varies wildly by industry. Ecommerce brands might see clicks around £0.95, but if you're in legal services or B2B software, you're looking at £6.00+ per click easily.
Why would anyone pay that?
Because the conversion rates are typically 2-3x higher than social media. People searching on Google have intent. They're actively looking for a solution right now. That's worth paying for.
When someone searches "emergency plumber near me" at 11pm, they're not comparison shopping—they're buying. That's the power of search.
Meta Ads in 2026: The Demand Generator
If Google captures demand, Meta creates it. In 2026, Facebook and Instagram have become the platforms where you introduce your product to people who didn't know they needed it five minutes ago.
Advantage+ Is Genuinely Scary Good
Meta's Advantage+ campaigns have reached a level of sophistication that honestly feels a bit creepy. You don't pick audiences anymore—you just tell the algorithm who your best customers are, show it your creative, and it goes hunting.
I recently ran a test where we let Advantage+ run completely wild (no demographic targeting, no interest targeting, nothing) versus a carefully crafted manual campaign. The automated campaign found better customers at a 34% lower cost. The algorithm knew our audience better than we did.
The Reels Revolution Is Real
If you're still running static image ads on Meta in 2026, you're essentially invisible. LeadsBridge reports that brands using Partnership Ads—collaborations with creators—are seeing 29% higher conversion rates than traditional brand-only content.
Why? Because in 2026, people trust people, not logos. A genuine creator recommendation in a Reels video will outperform your polished brand ad every single time.
Meta's AI can even generate creative variants for you now. According to VXTX, full end-to-end AI ad creation is rolling out this year, meaning the platform can test dozens of video variations automatically.
The Cost Advantage Is Significant
Here's where Meta shines from a pure economics perspective.
Average cost-per-click on Meta typically ranges from £0.49 to £1.40—significantly cheaper than Google. But that's not the full story.
The real opportunity is social commerce. ClickForest projects that global social commerce will hit £2.4 trillion by the end of 2026. People are increasingly comfortable buying directly within Instagram and Facebook without ever leaving the app.
If your checkout experience is smooth and your creative is engaging, Meta can drive volume at a fraction of Google's cost.
Why You Actually Need Both: The Full-Funnel Strategy
Here's the mistake I see constantly: businesses picking a favorite platform and going all-in.
That's like trying to win a football match with only defenders or only strikers. You need both.
Think of it this way:
- Meta is your midfielder. It creates awareness, builds desire, introduces your brand to new people, and warms them up.
- Google is your striker. It waits for those same people to search for your solution days or weeks later, and then converts them.
Data from AppsFlyer shows that users are constantly bouncing between devices and platforms. Someone might see your ad on Instagram while scrolling on their phone at lunch, then search for your brand on Google from their laptop that evening.
Businesses running both platforms simultaneously often see a 27% lower blended cost per acquisition because they're covering the entire customer journey from "What is this?" to "Take my money."
The 2026 Reality Check: What You Actually Need
Before you dump money into either platform, make sure you've got these fundamentals sorted.
First Party Data Is Your Superpower
Third party cookies are gone. Dead. Buried. Your own customer email list is now your most valuable marketing asset.
Upload that data to both Google and Meta. The algorithms use it to find "lookalike" audiences—people who behave like your existing customers. This is how small businesses compete with enterprise brands now.
If you're not collecting email addresses, building a quiz funnel, or running surveys to gather zero party data, you're leaving money on the table.
Video Isn't Optional Anymore
Static images are digital wallpaper. Kitss Tech emphasizes that short-form video and interactive ad formats deliver the highest engagement and ROI in 2026.
You don't need a film crew. You need authenticity. A founder talking to camera on their iPhone often outperforms a £10,000 production budget.
The "Human in the Loop" Principle
AI handles the bidding, the targeting, the optimization. That's all automated now and honestly, it's better at it than we ever were.
But the AI can't create your story.
Your job in 2026 is to feed the machine great creative—unique angles, authentic testimonials, content that actually resonates with humans. The algorithm amplifies what works, but it needs something real to amplify.
The Bottom Line: Should You Spend?
If you have a product people genuinely want, a conversion-optimized website, and enough budget to let the algorithms learn (usually 30 days minimum), then yes, you should absolutely still be spending money on Facebook and Google ads in 2026.
But you can't approach it the way you did in 2022 or even 2024. The platforms have evolved, and your strategy needs to evolve with them.
Google captures the need. Meta creates the want. In a world moving this fast, you can't afford to skip either one.
Want to map out a specific budget split between Google and Meta based on your industry and goals? Contact Me and lets discuss how we can improve your current paid media advertising or even get you started.