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The short answer is that neither is "better" — they do two different jobs. Google Ads catches people who are already searching for what you do. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) reach people who are scrolling and haven't started searching yet. Most Tampa businesses do better with both than with either one alone, but if you have to start somewhere, it depends on how your customers buy.
Google Ads is built on intent. Someone types "dock builder near me" or "no water in house" — they have a problem right now and they're looking to hire. Those clicks cost more, but they convert at a much higher rate because the person is already in the moment of need. If your service is something people search for when something breaks or needs building, Google Ads is where your leads come from.
Meta Ads is built on interest and visuals. You show a finished yard, a rebuilt dock, or a clean logo to homeowners in the exact zip codes you serve — people who weren't searching but drive past work like yours every day. The cost per impression is lower, and it builds familiarity so that when they do need you, you're the name they already know. It works especially well for visual, considered purchases like landscaping, remodeling, and branding.
A simple way to decide: if your customers search when they need you, start with Google. If they don't search until they're already sold on the idea — or if your work is the kind of thing that sells itself once people see it — start with Meta. Either way, the goal is to add the second channel once the first one is profitable, so you show up both when people are searching and when they're scrolling.
We run both through our Google and Meta Ads management service — high-intent search campaigns on Google and visual campaigns on Meta, with call tracking on everything so you know exactly what each lead cost.