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YouTube Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which One Is More Suitable for Your Business?

Choosing between YouTube’s 2.7 billion users and Facebook’s 3.07 billion users can make or break your marketing budget. Would billions of users bring billions of dollars to your business? And what if you need to choose only one platform for digital advertising?

We’ll try to answer these questions by analyzing their cost models, ROI, audience targeting options, and users’ intent. We’ll also compare advertising on YouTube vs Facebook in general, provide the typical use cases for both, and present Coupler.io dashboards for efficient PPC analysis. With all these instruments at hand, you can understand which platform meets your marketing objectives best.

Quick overview of YouTube Ads

YouTube is the second most-visited website in the world after Google Search. In 2025, it has more than 2.53 billion users, each spending around 49 minutes daily on this platform.

These numbers are impressive, so YouTube appears very attractive to marketers globally. Advertising on YouTube can bring outstanding results for businesses. Feel free to check our blog post on how to maximize YouTube ROI.

Types of YouTube Ads

Given that YouTube is a video-sharing platform, it integrates video-like advertisements. For some ad types, it accepts thumbnails instead.

Let’s explore the most common types of YouTube ads and their respective costs together.

Benefits of YouTube Ads

Let’s discover why it’s worth including YouTube advertising in your marketing campaign.

Example: A Boston-based baby food shop owner can specify their target audience by selecting users between 20 and 45 years old who have at least one child and reside in Boston or nearby areas.

Example: A global car manufacturer has decided to promote its new electric cars with in-feed YouTube ads, encouraging users to place a pre-order by clicking on the CTA button. This company can track ad performance by paying attention to such KPIs as clicks, conversion rate, CPC, and CTA metrics.

Example: Businesses can track their YouTube Ads campaign performance in Google Ads, on the Overview tab, right after the campaign launch and verification. Pay attention to the metrics that correspond to the selected bidding strategy (CPC, CPM, etc.) and compare them to the industry average values. That way, you will understand whether the ads are efficient enough or not.

Example: Advertising on YouTube is available even for startups. It’s possible to start with $2 as a daily budget and increase it depending on the ad performance goals.

Example: A Boston-based baby food shop owner can specify their target audience by selecting users between 20 and 45 years old who have at least one child and reside in Boston or nearby areas.

Learn more about PPC optimization.

Example: A global car manufacturer has decided to promote its new electric cars with in-feed YouTube ads, encouraging users to place a pre-order by clicking on the CTA button. This company can track ad performance by paying attention to such KPIs as clicks, conversion rate, CPC, and CTA metrics.

Example: Businesses can track their YouTube Ads campaign performance in Google Ads, on the Overview tab, right after the campaign launch and verification. Pay attention to the metrics that correspond to the selected bidding strategy (CPC, CPM, etc.) and compare them to the industry average values. That way, you will understand whether the ads are efficient enough or not.

Example: Advertising on YouTube is available even for startups. It’s possible to start with $2 as a daily budget and increase it depending on the ad performance goals.

Quick overview of Facebook Ads

Facebook is the largest social media platform nowadays, with 3.07 billion active users, spending around 31 minutes daily on it. It’s also the most widely used tool for advertising among marketers. In 2024, around 86% of marketing teams used it for their campaigns.

Facebook Ads are utilized by companies of all sizes and across various industries worldwide. Learn more about Facebook advertising nuances in our dedicated blog post.

Types of Facebook Ads

The ad types on Facebook correspond to the content elements available on this platform. You can add promotional photos or videos, make carousels, create collections, and publish stories as ads.

Benefits of Facebook Ads

Let’s find out what advantages you can get from employing Facebook advertising in your marketing campaigns.

Example: A local restaurant can target food enthusiasts aged 25-45 within a 10-mile radius, reaching an estimated 15,000 potential customers for under $50 per day.

Example: Any business can benefit from the built-in Facebook Ads analytics tools since they provide a quick view of the campaign performance. It’s possible to compare the current KPIs (CPC, CPM, impressions, etc.) to the industry standard values to understand whether the campaign is profitable.

Example: An e-commerce shoe store may want to promote a new line of high-heeled shoes for the spring-summer season. For that, it may opt for a Facebook collection ad, which is the most appropriate type of advertising for such purposes.

Example: A local restaurant may create an image ad and include a link to their Facebook business profile page. That way, users can explore their menu, look at the restaurant photos, and even book a table.

YouTube Ads vs Facebook Ads comparison

To understand which platform shows better results and higher ROI for ad campaigns, it’s worth comparing both platforms based on these five fundamental criteria.

Comparison criteriaFacebook AdsYouTube Ads
Ad formatsPhoto, video, story, carousel, collectionVideo: in-feed, in-stream skippable / non-skippable, bumper, YouTube Shorts
Setup complexityBeginner-friendlyModerate (requires video creation)
Content requirementsImages, short videosHigh-quality video content
TargetingCreate audience groups and add them to campaign settings.Create a new audience segment during campaign configuration or add an existing audience group.
Audience behaviorCasual browsingIntent-driven viewing
Cost modelThe campaign cost model depends on the specified bid strategy, campaign objective, performance goals, and daily budget.The cost model (CPA, CPC, CPM, or CPV) depends on the chosen ad type. In some cases, it’s set automatically, while in others, you can select it yourself.
PerformanceThe Ad Reporting dashboard inside Facebook Ads Manager provides the key metrics for ad campaign performance. They can also be downloaded into a CSV file.The Overview and Insights tabs on Google Ads depict the key metrics of campaigns. Select the specific YouTube campaign in the dashboard area to check its KPIs.
Typical ROI timeline1-2 weeks2-4 weeks
Best forFacebook is suitable for promoting specific products or services, driving traffic to a website, increasing brand awareness, boosting sales, etc.YouTube video ads are often used to boost brand awareness, drive traffic to the website, and enhance user engagement.

Facebook Ads vs YouTube Ads audience targeting

Before specifying audience groups, you should gather details on your current clients and visitors first. This information is available from YouTube Analytics, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager, and Meta for Business tools.

Another important aspect to consider is the Facebook Ads vs YouTube Ads audience’s intent. Facebook users are typically in ‘discovery mode’, making it an ideal platform for introducing new products. Meanwhile, YouTube users are typically in ‘research mode’, making it an ideal platform for detailed product demonstrations and tutorials.

Both Facebook and YouTube let you create audience segments for precise targeting.

On Facebook Ads, navigate to the Audiences tab and click Create to add an audience segment. Proceed with the on-screen instructions and provide all the requested details, and then save it. When configuring ad campaigns, you will be able to select the previously created audiences from the list.

On Google Ads, specify the audience details when setting up an ad campaign. Alternatively, pick up an already existing audience from the previous campaigns.

Ads cost models of Facebook Ads and YouTube Ads

The cost model is usually selected automatically based on the campaign type, performance goals, and some other factors. The most common bidding approaches are CPC, CPM, and CPV. Their average value depends on industry, campaign objective, and ad type for each platform.

However, here are some generalized costs for these popular KPIs:

As for ROI, the first tangible results become visible after 1-2 weeks on Facebook and 2-4 weeks on YouTube. The average ROI varies from industry to industry, but usually it’s between 400% and % 1000% for Facebook, and 200% for YouTube.

In case you don’t get the expected ROI, consider cost optimization strategies for your ad campaigns. The most effective ones include retargeting, ad creatives adjustment, keyword choice, and bidding strategy change.

When comparing YouTube Ads vs Facebook Ads, they both let you set the daily budget and campaign duration. Learn more about PPC budget management.

On Facebook Ads, provide the details in the Budget & schedule section when setting up the campaign. The cost model will be applied based on your performance goal, campaign type, conversion location, etc.

For Google Ads, the cost model is defined under the Bid strategy section. Depending on the campaign category, ad type, and performance goals specified during the initial steps of ad campaign configuration, the cost model will either be set automatically, or you will be able to select one from the Bid strategy drop-down list. In the Budget and dates section, feel free to indicate the daily budget and campaign duration.

Facebook Ads vs YouTube Ads performance comparison

Facebook Ads Manager provides the reporting mechanism for campaign results overview. Check the Ads Reporting tab, select the reporting period and campaign to view the outcomes.

On Google Ads, visit the Overview tab or Insights tab to get a general overview of your campaign performance. In the upper panel, select YouTube campaigns that interest you to view specific results.

When comparing YouTube vs Facebook Ads reporting mechanisms, they both provide the key metrics on ad performance. The most common KPIs for each social media platform are provided in the table below. 

Facebook AdsYouTube Ads
CPM
CPC
CTR
Impressions
Views
Reach
Amount spent
Ad frequency
Converions
Cost per conversion
Impressions
Views
Clicks
Avg CPV
Avg CPM
View rate
CostInteractions
Interaction rate
Converions
Conversion rate
Conversion value
ROAS

Although YouTube and Facebook provide built-in reporting tools, they are insufficient for comprehensive analytics. For instance, the Facebook Ad Reporting solution is too overwhelming to manage. Meanwhile, the Google Ads reporting dashboard can depict only four metrics at most.

Given all these inconveniences and imperfections of Facebook Ads or YouTube Ads reporting, businesses search for better solutions. Coupler.io can be your all-in-one ad campaign analytics platform since it opens up incredible opportunities for business reporting and data management:

Don’t hesitate to experience all these benefits on your own. Coupler.io offers a free plan with no limitations on available data sources, with the possibility to upgrade to a paid plan later. Connect your Facebook Ads and YouTube Ads accounts to keep an eye on all your ad campaigns in a single space!

Track Facebook Ads or YouTube Ads performance effectively with pre-designed dashboards

Coupler.io dashboards simplify KPI tracking and accelerate campaign analysis. You don’t need to spend days creating dashboards from scratch and picking up the metrics for it – everything is already there. You just need to connect to your YouTube Ads or Facebook Ads account and select the preferred reporting platforms. It will take you no longer than 5 minutes!

Another reason to try Coupler.io dashboards is the built-in AI insights. You no longer need to spend hours on interpreting data and comparing KPIs to pre-defined goals – an AI-based assistant will do that for you!

Facebook Ads dashboard

The Facebook Ads dashboard was designed by Coupler.io to provide you with a comprehensive overview of your ad campaign performance running on Facebook. It clearly illustrates all the primary and auxiliary KPIs, from clicks to spend dynamics. You can also apply filtering to get a more detailed overview of a specific campaign or ad group.

What can you track with this dashboard?

How to use it?

Feel free to use this dashboard template by clicking on the link below. Then, click Log in or Connect My Data in the upper-right corner of the screen to use this template and connect to your Facebook Ads account. The entire configuration process takes less than 5 minutes, after which you obtain a holistic overview of your Facebook ad campaigns!

Note that the link to the template provided below uses the Coupler.io web app for reporting. The same dashboard is also available for Looker Studio, Google Sheets, and Power BI.

Since YouTube is owned by Google, the ad management takes place on Google Ads. At Coupler.io, we have designed a proprietary Google Ads dashboard that lets you monitor the performance of your advertisements running on YouTube. If you also run other campaigns on Google Search, feel free to add them as well. Otherwise, you might decide to include only the YouTube-related campaigns in the dashboard.

What can you do with this dashboard?

How to use it?

Click on the link below to get a copy of the Google Ads template. This dashboard is available on the Coupler web app, but you can also get the same template for Looker Studio, Google Sheets, and Power BI. Depending on the preferred reporting platform, check the dedicated tab for setup and configuration. It usually takes up to 5 minutes to add your YouTube Ads campaigns data and start exploring it within an interactive dashboard workspace.

At the same time, Coupler.io offers a YouTube dashboard selection for content and YT channel performance analytics.

This dashboard enables you to monitor and compare ad campaigns running on the Google and Meta platforms. Since Facebook belongs to Meta and YouTube is Google’s product, feel free to use this PPC reporting template for analyzing ad performance on both social media platforms.

What can you track with this dashboard?

How to use it?

The Meta Ads vs Google Ads reporting template can be used on Looker Studio. Follow the link below and check the Readme tab. It contains a short video tutorial explaining how to create a copy of this dashboard and configure it. Just link your Meta Ads, Google Ads, and Looker Studio with pre-configured Coupler.io connectors, and there you go!

PPC multichannel dashboard

This dashboard template is useful for businesses running campaigns on Facebook and YouTube, as well as on other ad platforms (Twitter Ads, Bing Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc) simultaneously. It includes all the essential metrics for PPC analysis and allows businesses to evaluate and compare various ad marketing campaigns.

What can you track with this dashboard?

How to use it?

To start using this template, you just need to log into your Coupler.io account, connect to the social media platforms you use, and select the preferred reporting tool. This dashboard is available for the Coupler web app, Looker Studio, Google Sheets, Tableau, and Power BI. Set the scheduling preferences to get your PPC dashboard updated regularly.

Which is better: Facebook Ads or YouTube Ads

The short answer – it depends!

It depends on your goals, budget, and target audience.

Let’s also have a look at recent statistical data and typical use cases that would help you make the right decision.

FacebookYouTube
The 18-45 age group on Facebook comprises 61.8% of all platform users.The 18-45 age group on YouTube constitutes around 56% of all users
The top 10 countries with the most Facebook users are:
1. India
2. USA
3. Indonesia
4. Brazil
5. Mexico
6. Philippines
7. Vietnam
8. Bangladesh
9. Thailand
10. Pakistan
The top 10 countries with the most YouTube users are:
1. India
2. USA
3. Brazil
4. Indonesia
5. Mexico
6. Japan
7. Germany
8. Vietnam
9. Philippines
10. Turkey
Typical use cases:
– Building brand awareness
– Get significant reach with a relatively low budget
– Specific products and services promotion
– Drive traffic to the website
– Increase sales
Typical use cases:
– Increasing brand awareness
– Drive traffic to the website
– Boost engagement

To sum up, YouTube Ads would be appropriate in case you have promotional video content at hand. It also suits businesses that build their brand awareness and strengthen brand authority. YouTube Ads is also a good option if your target audience has research intent and your business adheres to long sales cycles.

Facebook Ads has a lower entry threshold since it doesn’t require sophisticated content for promotion – you can use simple photos and short videos to start. What’s more, it allows businesses to start advertising with a limited budget and gain up to 1000% ROI. With Facebook, you can also target a very specific audience group, indicating such details as parental status and interests.

If you are in doubt, consider launching an ad campaign on both platforms and tracking their performance with Coupler.io dashboards. This strategy is good for those who have a sufficient budget and diverse types of promotional content, including high-quality videos.

With Coupler.io reporting capabilities, you will explore different audience behaviours and key metrics. A dashboard setup is as easy as ABC – it takes only a couple of clicks to connect to your social media platforms and select the preferred reporting platform. The built-in AI assistant will help you interpret the dashboard contents and provide suggestions on your ad campaign refinement. Don’t hesitate to try Coupler.io today!

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