Solved: Google Ads vs. Meta Ads for Copenhagen Reach

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out!

Happy to give you some initial thoughts on your Google Ads vs. Meta Ads question for Copenhagen. Tbh, it’s one of the most common questions we get, and the answer isn't as simple as picking one over the other. The real issue isn't about the platform, it’s about understanding what your customer is actually doing and thinking at the moment you're trying to reach them. Most businesses get this wrong and burn a lot of cash before they figure it out.

Below are my detailed thoughts on how you should approach this. It’s a bit of a deep dive, but it's the framework you need to make the right decision not just now, but for any campaign you run in the future.

We'll need to look at The Core Misconception: It’s Not About the Platform, It’s About Intent

Let's get one thing straight. Neither Google nor Meta is inherently 'better'. They are just different tools for different jobs. Thinking one is superior to the other is like arguing whether a hammer is better than a screwdriver. It depends entirely on what you're trying to build.

The fundamental difference between them boils down to one concept: User Intent.

Google Ads is Intent-Based Marketing (Demand Harvesting)

Think of Google as a massive library. People don't go there to browse randomly; they go with a specific question or problem. They are actively searching for an answer, a product, or a service. They have a need, and they are looking for a solution *right now*. When you run a Google Search ad, you're not creating demand; you are harvesting existing demand. You're simply putting your book on the exact shelf the user is already looking at.

For example, if someone in Copenhagen's water pipe bursts, they aren't going to scroll through Instagram hoping to see an ad for a plumber. They are going to grab their phone and type "emergency plumber copenhagen" into Google. The business that shows up at the top of that search result wins. They've captured the user at the precise moment of need. This is incredibly powerful but also limited to the number of people actively searching for what you offer.

Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) is Interruption-Based Marketing (Demand Generation)

Meta is the opposite. Think of it as a busy city square or a cafe. People are there to socialise, be entertained, catch up with friends, and look at pictures of cats. They are not there to solve a business problem or make a purchase. Your job as an advertiser is to interrupt their scrolling with something so relevant, so compelling, or so interesting that they stop what they're doing and pay attention to you.

You aren't harvesting existing demand here; you are *generating* it. You're making someone who was passively scrolling aware of a problem they didn't know they had, or presenting a solution they never knew existed. For example, nobody is actively searching for a "subscription box for artisanal Danish licorice". But an engaging video ad on Instagram showing the unboxing experience could absolutely stop a foodie in their tracks and create an instant desire. You've introduced a new idea and created a customer out of thin air.

Understanding this distinction is the absolute foundation of a successful paid advertising strategy. Choosing the wrong one is like trying to sell ice to an Eskimo in the library – you're in the wrong place, with the wrong message, at the wrong time. So, before we can decide on the platform, we have to figure out who your customer is and what's going on in their head.

I'd say you need to define your customer's nightmare, not their demographic

Forget the generic, sterile customer profiles you’ve seen before. "Danish female, 25-40, lives in Copenhagen, interested in yoga" is utterly useless. It tells you nothing of value and leads to bland, forgettable advertising that speaks to no one. To stop burning cash, you must define your customer by their pain. Not just any pain, but their specific, urgent, expensive, and maybe even career-threatening nightmare.

Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) isn't a person; it's a problem state. You need to become an obsessive expert in that problem.

Let's make this practical. Imagine you sell project management software to creative agencies in Copenhagen.

A Weak, Demographic ICP would be: "Creative agencies in Copenhagen, 5-20 employees, target the CEO or Project Manager." This is what most people do, and it's why their ads fail.

A Strong, Nightmare-Based ICP sounds like this: "The agency owner who just lost a major client because a deadline was missed due to chaotic communication over email and Slack. They're terrified of their best designer quitting out of frustration, and they lie awake at night staring at the ceiling, wondering how they'll make payroll next month if this happens again. Their nightmare isn't 'needing a project management tool'; it's 'my agency is falling apart and it's my fault'."

See the difference? The second one is a real person with a real, emotional problem. Now you're not selling features like 'Gantt charts' and 'task assignments'. You're selling a good night's sleep. You're selling the confidence to take on bigger clients. You're selling a way to keep their best talent happy.

When you know their nightmare, your entire marketing strategy writes itself. You know what language to use in your ads, what pain points to highlight on your landing page, and crucially, where to find them online.

Do this work first. Talk to your existing customers. Survey them. Find out the real, emotional reason they bought from you. Once you have this nightmare defined, choosing the platform becomes much, much easier.

You probably should map the nightmare to a platform

With a clearly defined customer nightmare, the choice between Google and Meta becomes a simple, logical deduction. You just need to answer one question: "Is my ideal customer actively typing their nightmare into a search engine?"

Let's use a simple flowchart to illustrate this decision process. It's the exact same logic we use for new clients.

When to Prioritise Google Ads:

You start with Google when your customer knows they have a problem and they know a solution like yours exists. Their searches will have high commercial intent.

• Local Services: This is the most obvious one. Plumbers, electricians, cleaners, locksmiths in Copenhagen. Their customers have an urgent need. Google Search and Local Service Ads are non-negotiable.
• Established B2B Software/Services: People search for "accounting software denmark", "copenhagen seo agency", "crm for small business". They know the category of solution they need. Your job is to convince them you're the best option within that category. I've run many campaigns for B2B SaaS where Google Search ads are the primary driver of qualified leads because the audience is actively looking.
• Niche eCommerce: If you sell something specific that people search for, like "vegan leather camera straps" or "refurbished Bang & Olufsen speakers", Google Shopping and Search ads are your best bet. You're catching them at the very end of the buying journey.

Your task on Google is to be the best, most relevant answer to their query.

When to Prioritise Meta Ads:

You start with Meta when your product is new, innovative, or solves a problem people don't realise they have. It's also fantastic for products with a strong visual or emotional appeal.

• Innovative B2C Products: A new type of ergonomic office chair, a smart water bottle that tracks intake, a subscription box for sustainable Danish home goods. No one is searching for these because they don't know they exist. You have to show them in a visually appealing ad and create the desire.
• Disruptive B2B SaaS: If you've built a tool that uses AI to automate a task that people currently do manually, they aren't searching for your solution. You need to target them on LinkedIn or Facebook (based on their job title, interests etc.) with a message like: "Stop wasting 10 hours a week on [painful manual task]. Our AI does it in 5 minutes." One campaign we worked on for a B2B software got 4,622 registrations at just $2.38 each on Meta because we were able to target the right professionals and make them aware of a better way to work.
• Community- or Brand-Driven Products: Things like apparel, courses, events, or anything that relies on building a tribe. Meta's platforms are built for community. You can build an audience, engage them, and then sell to them. One of our clients selling online courses generated $115k in revenue in just 6 weeks using this exact approach on Meta.

Your task on Meta is to stop the scroll and make them care.

Often, the best long-term strategy involves using both. You might use Meta to create initial awareness and then use Google Retargeting ads to capture them when they later search for your brand or solution. But when you're starting out and have a limited budget, you must choose one to focus on. Let the customer's nightmare be your guide.

You'll need an offer they can't ignore

Let's assume you've done the hard work. You've defined the customer nightmare and you've chosen the right platform. You could still fail spectacularly if you make one final, critical mistake: your offer is rubbish.

The "Request a Demo", "Book a Call", or "Learn More" button is probably the most arrogant, high-friction Call to Action in marketing. It presumes your prospect, who is likely a busy decision-maker, has nothing better to do than schedule a meeting to be sold to. It offers them zero immediate value and positions you as just another commodity vendor clamoring for their time. It's the digital equivalent of a cold caller asking for 30 minutes of your day. The answer is almost always no.

Your offer's only job is to deliver a moment of undeniable value – an "aha!" moment that makes the prospect sell themselves on your solution. You must solve a small, real problem for them for free to earn the right to solve their whole nightmare.

What does a great, low-friction offer look like?

• For a SaaS company: The gold standard is a free trial or a freemium plan, with no credit card required. Let them use the actual product. Let them feel the transformation from their current painful process to your streamlined one. When the product itself proves its value, the sale becomes a formality. You're creating Product Qualified Leads (PQLs) who are already convinced, not Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) for a sales team to chase.
• For a Service Business (like an agency or consultancy): You must bottle your expertise into a tool or asset. Don't offer a "free consultation". Offer a "Free 5-Point Google Ads Audit" that reveals their biggest wasted spend. Offer a "Custom 3-Step SEO Roadmap for Copenhagen Businesses". For our own agency, we offer a 20-minute strategy session where we audit failing ad campaigns for free. We provide real value upfront, which builds trust and demonstrates our expertise far more effectively than any sales pitch.
• For an eCommerce Business: This is more straightforward but still requires thought. A discount is the most common offer, but you can be more creative. Offer a free guide, like "The Ultimate Guide to Brewing the Perfect Coffee at Home" if you sell coffee beans. Offer a quiz to help them find the perfect product for their needs. This builds your email list and provides value beyond the transaction.

Your offer must be an easy 'yes'. It has to feel like a lopsided trade in their favour. If you get this right, your conversion rates will climb dramatically, and your cost per lead will drop. A great offer can make a mediocre campaign profitable, while a poor offer will sink even the most brilliantly targeted campaign.

I'd say you need to calculate your costs for Copenhagen

This is where the rubber meets the road. You mentioned you lack the data to make an informed decision, so let's fix that. While it's impossible to give you an exact number without knowing your industry, offer, and website conversion rate, we can absolutely establish a realistic ballpark for a developed, competitive market like Copenhagen based on our experience.

The cost you pay for a lead or a sale is a function of two main metrics:

1. Cost Per Click (CPC): How much you pay for a single person to click your ad and visit your website.
2. Landing Page Conversion Rate (CVR): What percentage of those visitors take the desired action (fill out a form, buy a product, etc.).

The formula is simple: Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) = CPC / CVR

In developed countries and competitive cities like Copenhagen, we typically see CPCs on Google and Meta in the £0.50 - £1.50 range for most B2C niches. For competitive B2B or high-value services (like law or finance), this can easily jump to £5, £10, or even higher. Your landing page conversion rate for lead generation should ideally be between 10% and 30%. For eCommerce sales, a rate of 2-5% is more typical.

Let's look at what that means for your costs.

To give you a more hands-on feel for this, I've built a simple interactive calculator. Play around with the sliders for CPC and Conversion Rate to see how small changes can dramatically impact your final Cost Per Lead. This should give you the "data feel" you're looking for.

The key takeaway here is that you have two levers to pull to reduce your costs: improve your ads to lower your CPC, and improve your landing page and offer to increase your conversion rate. It's a constant process of optimisation.

You'll need an actionable plan

Theory is nice, but you need a plan. If I were in your shoes, here is the exact process I would follow to decide between Google and Meta and launch a first test campaign with a minimal budget to get real data for your specific business in Copenhagen.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

This systematic approach removes the guesswork. You're not just picking a platform based on a hunch; you're forming a hypothesis, running a cheap experiment, and using real-world data from the Copenhagen market to guide your next steps. This is how you build a predictable, scalable customer acquisition machine instead of just gambling with your marketing budget.

This whole process can seem daunting, and there are a lot of nuances to getting the campaign setup, ad copy, and landing page right. Costly mistakes are easy to make, and a small error in targeting or bidding can easily burn through your test budget with nothing to show for it. This is why many businesses decide to work with an expert who has run this playbook hundreds of times.

We specialise in exactly this kind of strategic approach. If you'd like to have a chat and walk through this process for your specific business, we offer a completely free, no-obligation 20-minute strategy session where we can dive into your customer's nightmare and build out a concrete action plan together.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh