They do different jobs. Google Ads catches B2B buyers who are already searching for what you sell. LinkedIn reaches the people who will sign off on it but will not search for you yet. Most B2B plans need both. Start with Google if the demand exists, and add LinkedIn when one customer is worth enough to pay for the month.
Our Google Ads page covers how we run search. Our LinkedIn ads page covers the other half.
The difference in one line
Google answers a question someone has already asked. LinkedIn puts your answer in front of someone who has not asked it yet.
What Google Ads does for a B2B brand
Someone types what they need. You are the answer, or you are not.
In B2B, that is the person with a problem and a deadline, searching for something like "commercial cleaning Sydney" or "outsourced payroll for a small business".
Search catches that intent.
YouTube and remarketing keep you in front of people who have already looked.
Microsoft Advertising is worth adding for brands where Bing earns its place.
The limit: Google cannot reach someone who is not searching. If your buyer does not know your category exists yet, there is nothing for them to type.
What LinkedIn does for a B2B brand
LinkedIn lets you reach people by their job. That is the whole point of it.
Sponsored content and lead generation, aimed at the roles that sign the cheque.
Account and role targeting. Narrow audiences, deliberate budgets.
Measured on cost per qualified lead, tracked against what a deal is worth.
The limit: it is among the most expensive channels per click. It is worth it when one customer pays for the whole month. If you sell to consumers, it almost certainly is not, and we will say so before you spend a dollar.
How to choose which comes first
Start with Google Ads if:
People already search for what you sell.
Buyers tend to come to you with a problem they need fixed.
You need enquiries this month.
Start with LinkedIn if:
A single customer is worth thousands.
Your buyer is a specific role at companies you can name.
Your category is new, so nobody is searching for it yet.
Several people sign off on the decision, and they all need to know your name.
Run neither yet if your website cannot turn a visit into an enquiry. Fix that first, or both channels will pay to send people somewhere that leaks. If you are weighing paid search against organic, our post on Google Ads or SEO first covers that call.
Why most B2B plans need both
They work as a pair. LinkedIn builds familiarity with the people who will buy later. Google catches them when the need arrives and they go looking. Some of them will search for you by name.
So we read them together:
Cost per qualified lead on LinkedIn, against what a deal is worth.
Cost per acquisition on Google, as a trend over ninety days, not one good week.
Brand search volume. If more people are typing your name into Google while LinkedIn runs, the work is being remembered.
FAQ
Is LinkedIn better than Google Ads for B2B?
They do different jobs. Google catches people already searching. LinkedIn reaches the people who will not search for you yet. Most B2B plans need both.
How much does LinkedIn advertising cost?
It is among the most expensive channels per click. We tell you before you spend whether the value of a customer justifies it.
Which should a B2B brand try first?
Usually Google, if people already search for what you sell. If they do not, or one deal is worth a lot, LinkedIn can come first.
Should a consumer brand advertise on LinkedIn?
Almost certainly not. For most consumer brands, Meta or Google is the better place to start.
Next step
Selling B2B and not sure where the first dollar should go? See how we run search on our Google Ads page, or get in touch.
Book a free Growth Plan. Thirty minutes with the person who would do the work. No deck, no pitch.