Google’s network is the biggest and best-known platform to advertise and reach target audiences, but it’s not the only way to get results. Google Ads is the leader in pay per click (PPC) advertising with expansive targeting options that helps advertisers reach their desired audiences. With it being the number one search engine, it’s easy to see why so many businesses choose Google. If it’s so great, why would anyone consider an alternative to Google Ads?
Why You Should Consider Google Ads Alternatives
There are several reasons businesses look for alternatives to Google Ads—one of them is cost. Because so many advertisers compete for the same keywords, ad placements are highly competitive which drives the cost up.
Besides cost, diversification is the best reason to find an alternative to Google Ads. Casting advertising efforts across multiple platforms allows you to reach different segments of your target audience on other channels. Though the Google partners network is huge, your audience is likely scrolling on other platforms where they won’t see Google Ads. Diversifying can help with increased visibility and improve digital marketing strategies.
If you’re ready to try an alternative to Google Ads, here are a few we recommend:
Microsoft Ads (Bing). Microsoft Bing serves 16.6 billion desktop searches every month and is the closest competitor to Google Ads. Because it’s less competitive it can lead to better ad placements at lower costs. Another benefit of Microsoft Ads is they can easily import campaigns from Google Ads.
- Ad formats offered: Expanded Text ads, Dynamic Search ads, Audience ads, Multimedia ads, Product ads, Responsive Search ads, Bing Smart Search ads, and Vertical ads.
- Targeting options: Age, Device, Gender, Location, Location intent, Radius (zip code, landmark or area), and day/time criterion.
Meta. One of the most popular advertising platforms for reaching broad and diverse audiences is Meta with 3.4 billion users as of March 2025. The platform offers advanced targeting capabilities that display on Facebook and Instagram. Advertisers choose Meta ads for visually engaging ad formats. It’s powerful in reach and is proven with advanced analytics to provide detailed performance insights.
- Ad formats offered: Image ads, Video ads, Carousel ads, Slideshow ads, Reels and Stories ads, Dynamic ads, Messenger ads, In-stream ads, Instant articles ads, Marketplace ads, and Right column ads.
- Targeting options: Age, Gender, Location, Lookalike audiences, Meta Advantage audiences (machine learning), retargeting, and Detailed demographics including Education, Financial, Life events, Parents, Relationship, Work, Interests, Behaviors,
LinkedIn. More than 1 billion professionals use LinkedIn and three of four users are business decision-makers. It’s the go-to platform to reach professional audiences for B2B advertising. Advertisers choose LinkedIn Ads for its precise business targeting options.
- Ad formats offered: Image ads, Video ads, Carousel ads, Event ads, Document ads, Thought Leader ads, Message ads, Lead Gen Form ads, and Article and Newsletter ads.
- Targeting options: Job titles, Job function, Job experience, Company, Industry, Education, Demographics, Interests, Location, and Retargeting.
TikTok. There are 1.59 billion TikTok users and they spend an average of 52 minutes a day in the app. Video-based ad campaigns on TikTok deliver exceptional ROI, especially for brands that target Gen Z and millennials. Brands choose to advertise on TikTok for high engagement rates, reach, creative freedom, and easy in-app shopping features.
- Ad formats offered: In-feed ads, TopView ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges ads, Branded effects, and Global app bundle ads.
- Targeting options: Demographics, Interests, Behaviors, Device, and Custom Audiences.
These are just a few options, there are a multitude of networks with valuable ad features that could align with your targeting goals. There are countless factors unique to your brand to take into consideration when deciding which platforms to run ads on. A new ad campaign on a new-to-you network will cost time and money, so it’s important to have clarity on what’s best suited for your business objectives.
If you need guidance diversifying your advertising strategies in today’s competitive market, Greenleaf Media can help! Send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 608-240-9611.