New to Online Ads?Start Here
Google, Meta, TikTok, Reddit, Microsoft, even ChatGPT now sell ads. It’s a lot of options for a small business owner to sort through. This page breaks down what each platform is actually good for, how new advertisers can get ad credit to try them out, and how paid ads are different from showing up in AI search results.
Free audit · No pressure · I’ll point you the right direction even if it’s not with me
What Each Platform Is Good For
Every platform has current signup offers for new advertisers. Click through to see what’s live right now.
Search & local intent
Google Ads
Shows up when someone actively searches for what you offer. Best for businesses with clear demand already out there, like “plumber near me” or “med spa botox.”
Microsoft Ads
Runs on Bing and shows up on a lot of work computers. Usually cheaper competition than Google, and a solid add-on once your Google campaigns are working.
Apple Ads (Apple Maps)
Shows up in Apple Maps search. Best for local, physical-location businesses that want to be the pin someone taps on when they’re already nearby.
Social & visual
Meta Ads
Facebook and Instagram. Best for reaching people who aren’t searching for you yet, building brand awareness, and showing off photo or video work.
TikTok for Business
Short video, younger audience, high energy. Best for businesses that can create fun, casual video content and want to build a following, not just a click.
LinkedIn Ads
B2B focused, targets people by job title, industry, and company. Best for businesses selling to other businesses, like financial services, IT/MSP, or B2B professional services.
Niche, local reviews & emerging
Reddit Ads
Niche and community driven. Best for products or services with a passionate following in a specific hobby, interest, or industry.
Yelp Ads
Puts you above competitors on Yelp’s own search and profile pages. Best for local service businesses people are already comparing and reading reviews for, like salons, repair shops, or med spas.
OpenAI / ChatGPT Ads
Brand new. Shows up inside ChatGPT answers. Best for businesses that want to get in early on where people are starting to search instead of Google.
Pick Based on Your Strategy, Not the Platform
The right platform depends on how people already find businesses like yours.
- If people search for what you do when they need it right now (a plumber, a storage unit, a lawyer), start with Google.
- If your product looks good in a photo or video and you’re trying to reach people before they’re searching, start with Meta or TikTok.
- If your budget is small and you’re testing the waters, one platform done well beats three platforms done halfway.
- Not sure which of those describes your business? That’s exactly what the free audit below is for.
Turn $500 Into $1,000 in Ad Spend!
I stay on top of every ad credit offer across every platform, so you never leave free money on the table. Spend $500 with a platform and most will match it with $500 in free ad credit, that’s $1,000 in ads running for your business. That free $500 basically covers my first month fee, so you’re getting full setup, tracking, and GA4 at close to no real cost!
I’ll make sure your account is set up the right way from day one so you actually qualify. Your first $500 turns into $1,000 before you’ve paid me a dime more!
Curious about a new platform like Google or ChatGPT? I know exactly which offers are live right now, so testing it out costs you half as much as it normally would.
Paid Ads vs. SEO / AEO
People often assume these do the same job. They don’t, they solve different problems, and knowing what each is built for helps you spend smarter.
Fast, controllable results
Google Search ads, Meta ads, and the other platforms above. You control the budget and targeting, and you can be live and generating leads within days. Best when you want results now, or want to test a new offer, service, or location quickly.
Compounding, long-term visibility
Showing up in regular Google search results and in AI answers from tools like ChatGPT, without paying per click. It takes longer to build, usually a few months, but it keeps paying off in the background once it’s established.
Most businesses run both: Paid Ads to drive results today, SEO and AEO to build lasting visibility underneath it.
Showing Up When People Ask AI Instead of Google
More people are asking ChatGPT and similar tools for recommendations instead of typing into Google. AEO (AI search optimization, sometimes called GEO) is making sure your business is the one those tools mention back.
- Same underlying goal as SEO, being findable and trusted, just optimized for how AI tools read and summarize the web instead of how a traditional search results page ranks it.
- Worth prioritizing if your industry or customers are the type to ask AI for a recommendation before they’d Google it.
- I offer this as its own service, or bundled with SEO. Happy to walk through whether it’s worth it for your business specifically.
Let’s Figure Out Your Starting Point
Fill out the form and I’ll reach out to start your free audit. No pressure, just a conversation about what makes sense to try first.
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