Splitting Ad Spend Across Platforms
Most businesses advertising on more than one platform fall into the trap of splitting budget evenly without asking whether each platform actually fits the goal. Search platforms like Google capture demand that already exists. Social platforms like Meta and TikTok create demand among people who were not actively searching. A budget split should start from which of those two jobs the campaign actually needs done, not from an arbitrary even divide.
Average CPM and CPC by Platform
| Platform | Typical CPM | Typical CPC |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search | N/A (CPC model) | $1 to $6 |
| Meta (Facebook / Instagram) | $7 to $14 | $0.40 to $1.50 |
| TikTok | $6 to $10 | $0.30 to $1 |
| $30 to $65 | $5 to $9 |
LinkedIn’s premium pricing reflects its B2B audience precision rather than poor efficiency. A B2B business targeting decision-makers by job title often finds LinkedIn’s higher cost justified by a much shorter path from click to qualified lead than a cheaper, broader platform would deliver.
Which Platform Fits Which Goal
Google Search fits bottom-of-funnel intent, meaning someone already looking for a specific product or service. Meta fits a mix of awareness and retargeting, with strong visual ad formats and detailed interest targeting. TikTok fits awareness and discovery for younger audiences and works best with native, unpolished video content rather than repurposed traditional ads. LinkedIn fits B2B lead generation where job title and company size targeting matter more than broad reach.
A Simple Starting Framework
A business with strong existing search demand should weight budget toward Google Search first, since that spend is capturing intent that already exists. A business trying to build awareness in a new market should weight budget toward Meta or TikTok instead, since those platforms are better suited to creating demand from scratch. A B2B business selling a high-value product should reserve a meaningful slice for LinkedIn even at its higher cost, since the audience precision often shortens the sales cycle enough to offset the premium price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I split my ad budget across platforms?
Start from the job each platform is best at rather than splitting evenly. Weight Google Search toward existing demand, weight Meta or TikTok toward building new awareness and reserve a slice of budget for LinkedIn if the business sells to other businesses.
Why is LinkedIn advertising so much more expensive than Meta?
LinkedIn’s CPM and CPC run higher because its targeting by job title, industry and company size reaches a narrower, higher-value B2B audience than Meta’s broader consumer targeting typically reaches.
Is TikTok cheaper than Meta for advertising?
TikTok’s CPM and CPC both tend to run slightly lower than Meta’s on average, though actual cost depends heavily on audience, creative quality and competition within a given niche at any given time.
Should a small business advertise on more than one platform at once?
It depends on budget size. A very small budget often performs better fully concentrated on one platform rather than spread thin across several, since each platform’s algorithm needs enough spend and data to optimize effectively.
What is the difference between CPM and CPC budgeting?
CPM charges per thousand impressions regardless of clicks, which suits awareness goals. CPC charges only when someone clicks, which suits performance goals where the click itself is the valuable action.