Written by Adele Webb
7 min read - 2nd July, 2025
Digital marketing gives you plenty of ways to connect with your audience, and paid search and paid social are two of the most effective. They both play unique roles, reaching customers at different points in their journey and capturing their attention when it matters most.
The best choice for your business depends on your goals, your audience's habits and your budget. Know the strengths of each channel, and you can make smarter marketing decisions and get the most out of your investment.
Let's get started:
Paid search advertising reaches people exactly when they're searching online. These are the ads you see at the top of search engine results pages, right where users are actively looking for products or services like yours. Google Ads is the most popular platform, but Bing Ads offers a solid alternative, often with less competition.
When someone searches for something like best running shoes or plumber near me, paid search puts your business right in front of them at the exact moment they're looking for answers. That's what makes this approach so successful: you're engaging people who already want what you're offering.
Paid search operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, which means you only pay when someone actually clicks your ad. This setup makes it affordable and flexible for businesses of all sizes, and you can control your daily budget and adjust your bids based on what's working best.
The key to successful paid search is choosing the right keywords. By bidding on the terms your customers are searching for, you make sure your ads show up at the right time. Just keep in mind that keyword costs vary by industry, and some competitive phrases can be pricier than others.
Paid search performance metrics
Paid search usually delivers higher conversion rates than many other digital marketing channels. Recent data shows the average conversion rate for Google Ads is around 4.40% on the search network, compared to just 0.57% on the display network. That difference really shows how valuable it is to reach people who have clear intent when they search.
Conversion rates do vary quite a bit by industry. Dating and personal sites top the charts with rates over 9%, while sectors like legal, consumer services and automotive also typically perform above average. Knowing what’s normal for your industry helps you set realistic goals and measure your campaigns accurately.
Another important factor to keep in mind is your cost per click (CPC). The average CPC for search campaigns across all industries is roughly £2. If, however, you're bidding on financial or insurance-related keywords, expect higher costs as those areas are particularly competitive.
Paid social ads pop up right in people's social media feeds, even if they're not actively looking for what you're selling. Instead of relying on search queries, these ads blend naturally into the content people already enjoy and reach them based on things like their interests, demographics or browsing habits.
You can run paid social campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest. Each of these channels has its own vibe and audience, so choosing the right one depends on who you're trying to reach.
Paid social is especially good at getting your brand noticed early on, even before someone’s actively thinking about buying. It’s perfect for eye-catching visuals, storytelling and connecting with potential customers in a more relaxed, engaging way.
Paid social performance metrics
Conversion rates for social media usually differ quite a bit compared to paid search. On Facebook, for instance, the average conversion rate across industries is about 9.21%, but this varies widely depending on your sector. Fitness ads perform especially well, converting at around 14.29%. At the other end, technology ads typically convert closer to 2.31%.
It's also important to remember that each platform defines a conversion differently. ecommerce services brand MikMak, for example, counts a conversion when someone clicks through to a brand’s website. Other platforms might track actual sales instead, which makes it tricky to directly compare results across platforms.
Generally speaking, social media traffic converts to actual sales at lower rates. Social media brings in around 1.08% of total e-commerce sales. But even if the immediate sales numbers seem modest, social media still plays a big role by influencing purchases that eventually happen somewhere else.
When do you choose paid search over paid social? Here are a few things that are worth looking out for.
Capturing customers with high intent
Paid search is great at reaching people who are actively looking for what you're selling. If your goal is to reach customers ready to buy, paid search usually delivers quicker, more immediate results.
Driving quick conversions
If you need results fast, paid search is often your best bet. Because you're targeting people who are already searching for solutions, they tend to convert sooner.
Budget-friendly for small businesses
If your marketing budget is tight, paid search lets you spend smartly by targeting only users actively looking for your products or services. You can start small and scale up once you see what's working.
Local business promotion
If your business focuses on a specific area, paid search is perfect for connecting with local customers. It's especially helpful if you offer services such as plumbing, electrical work or run a restaurant.
Whether you’re building brand awareness or want to take advantage of remarketing opportunities, here is when you should consider paid social.
Building brand awareness
Paid social is ideal for introducing your brand to new audiences, even if they're not actively looking to buy yet. Social platforms provide powerful targeting options, making it easy to reach a wider audience.
Visual product promotion
Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are perfect for showcasing visually appealing products. Businesses focused on fashion, home decor or food often achieve great results with image-driven social campaigns.
Audience targeting precision
Social media platforms have access to extensive user data, allowing you to target precisely based on demographics, interests and behaviours. Having this accuracy means your ads stand a greater chance of reaching the people most likely to become customers.
Remarketing opportunities
Paid social makes it easy to reconnect with people who've already interacted with your brand. Remarketing helps keep your products in front of potential customers as they make buying decisions.
The best digital marketing campaigns usually combine paid search and paid social to benefit from the strengths of both. Using them together gives you a more balanced, effective way to reach your audience.
Using the marketing funnel
Think of paid social as a great way to attract attention and build interest early on. Then, when people are ready to buy, paid search is ideal for turning that interest into action. Together, these two create a smoother journey from awareness to conversion.
Sharing insights between channels
One of the biggest advantages of using both paid search and social together is how much they can teach each other. High-performing keywords from your paid search ads can inspire fresh ideas for social content. Similarly, popular social posts can highlight messaging your customers love and help shape your paid search approach.
Allocating your budget by goals
You don’t have to pick just one channel. Instead, think about your business goals and allocate your budget accordingly. When you want quick results or immediate sales, lean more into paid search. For steady, long-term brand growth, put a bit more into social advertising.
Regular testing and improvements
Both channels benefit from regular testing and fine-tuning. Keep an eye on your performance data, identify what's working well and make adjustments. Small tweaks here and there can significantly boost your results over time.
Accurately measuring results is key to knowing which channels are really working for you. In turn, this will help you make smarter marketing decisions.
The challenge with attribution
One tricky part is that conversions usually don’t happen after just one interaction. For example, platforms like TikTok might seem to underreport conversions because they typically track only those that occur within 24 hours. In reality, customers often take a week or more to buy after first seeing an ad.
It’s helpful to move beyond just looking at last-click attribution. Paid social might trigger interest that leads someone to search later on, ultimately converting through paid search – or vice versa. Understanding these relationships gives you a clearer picture of how each channel contributes.
Tracking the entire journey
Try to use tracking methods that map out the full customer experience, from their first interaction through to the final sale. A complete view helps you see how paid search and social media work together, giving you better insights into how your marketing is performing overall.
A few key points will help you decide how much to invest in paid search versus paid social, depending on your business and goals.
Your industry
Some types of businesses naturally fit better with certain channels. Education or healthcare companies might find social media brings in more customers, while retail or travel brands might see quicker results from search ads.
Think about how your audience shops. Do they usually research for days, or are they impulse buyers? Knowing this makes it easier to pick the right channel. Paid social helps with longer journeys, while search is great for quick decisions.
How long people take to buy
If people usually take a while before making a purchase, social ads can keep them interested and connected until they're ready. But if your customers typically make quick choices, paid search ads get them right when they're ready to buy.
Your budget
Budget can also affect your decision. If your industry's search keywords are expensive, you might find paid social gives you better bang for your buck, especially if you're working with limited funds.
Digital marketing doesn’t mean choosing between paid search or paid social. You’ll get the best results by finding the right mix for your business. Paid search is great for quickly reaching customers who are ready to buy, while paid social builds your brand with people who might need your products down the line.
Most successful businesses combine the two, tweaking their approach as they go based on their goals and what the data tells them. Start with clear targets, experiment, keep an eye on performance and adjust your strategy as you figure out what clicks best for your audience.
After expert guidance? Book a Paid Search or Paid Social audit today.
Back to insights
