The short answer
Google Ads captures existing demand — people actively searching for what you sell. LinkedIn Ads creates demand — putting your message in front of people who match your ideal customer profile but aren't looking for you yet.
If people are already Googling your product category, start with Google. If you're selling something new, niche, or complex where the buyer doesn't know they have a problem yet, start with LinkedIn.
Most B2B companies should eventually run both. But when budget is limited, getting the sequence right matters.
Google Ads: catching people who are already looking
Where it works well
Google Search is unbeatable when there's existing search volume for your product category. If people type "project management software for construction" or "HR compliance platform UK" into Google, you want to be there. The intent is high. The buyer is actively researching. Your job is to show up and give them a reason to choose you.
It also works well for competitor conquesting — bidding on competitor brand names to capture people who are comparing options. And remarketing to people who've visited your site but didn't convert.
Where it falls short
If nobody is searching for what you sell, Google Ads can't help you. This is common with genuinely new product categories, highly niche solutions, or products where the buyer doesn't know the category name. You can't capture demand that doesn't exist.
Google also gives you limited targeting precision for B2B. You can target keywords and locations, but you can't target job titles, company sizes, or industries with anything close to LinkedIn's accuracy. The "B2B" audience on Google is mixed in with everyone else.
Typical B2B costs
Cost per click for B2B keywords on Google tends to run between £2 and £15, depending on how competitive the category is. Software and technology terms sit at the higher end. Cost per lead typically lands between £30 and £150 for well-optimised campaigns — lower if you're driving content downloads, higher if you're pushing demo requests.
LinkedIn Ads: reaching the right people before they search
Where it works well
LinkedIn's targeting is its superpower. You can build an audience of "VP of Operations at manufacturing companies with 500–5,000 employees in the UK" and put your message directly in front of them. No other platform comes close to this level of professional targeting precision.
This makes LinkedIn ideal for account-based marketing, new product launches, brand awareness with specific buyer personas, and promoting gated content to build a nurture pipeline. If you know exactly who your buyer is and you want to reach them by role and seniority, LinkedIn is the tool.
Where it falls short
LinkedIn is expensive. There's no getting around it. The minimum viable budget is realistically £2,000–3,000 per month to generate meaningful data, and cost per click typically runs £5–£15 even for well-optimised campaigns. Cost per lead for gated content sits around £40–£80, and for demo requests you're looking at £100–£300 or more.
The other challenge is intent. People on LinkedIn are scrolling their feed, not searching for solutions. They're in "browsing" mode, not "buying" mode. That means your leads are typically earlier in the funnel and need more nurturing before they're sales-ready. A LinkedIn lead is not the same as a Google Search lead — conflating the two is a common mistake.
The creative tax
LinkedIn also requires significantly more creative effort than Google Search. You need compelling ad copy, strong visuals or video, and a content asset worth downloading. A Google Search ad can be a few lines of text. A LinkedIn campaign that converts needs real creative investment.
How to decide
Start with Google if
- Your product category has established search volume
- Buyers know they have the problem you solve
- You want high-intent leads closer to a buying decision
- Your budget is under £5,000/month and you need efficiency
Start with LinkedIn if
- You're selling into specific target accounts or personas
- Your product is new or niche and buyers don't search for it
- You need to reach senior decision-makers with content
- Your budget is above £3,000/month and you can afford a longer cycle
Run both when
You've proven one channel works and want to add the other. You're ready to build a full-funnel motion — LinkedIn for awareness and nurture, Google for capturing the demand that creates. Your budget supports £5,000 or more per month across both channels.
The mistake most companies make
If you expect LinkedIn to deliver leads at Google Search cost-per-lead, you'll kill the campaign before it has a chance to work.
The biggest error is judging both channels by the same metric. And if you expect Google to build brand awareness the way LinkedIn does, you'll be disappointed by the impression volumes.
Each channel has a role. Google captures demand. LinkedIn creates it. A good B2B paid media strategy uses both in sequence, measures them appropriately, and connects the data so you can see the full picture.
The bottom line
There's no universal right answer. It depends on your product, your buyer, your budget, and how much existing demand is out there. But if you're spending money on either channel without a clear view of cost per lead, pipeline attribution, and lead quality — you're flying blind regardless.
Not sure where to start?
Media Metrics helps B2B companies build paid media strategies that actually connect to pipeline. Our Performance Audit covers your current setup across Google, LinkedIn, and beyond — and gives you a clear picture of where to invest next.