The essentials
- SEA: capture demand that is already expressed (the user is searching); targeting by keywords; high cost per click but strong intent.
- SMA: create demand within a defined audience (the user is not searching); targeting by profile, interests and behaviour; low cost per contact but weak intent.
- How they complement each other: SMA builds awareness and feeds searches; SEA captures them; cross-channel remarketing links the two.
- 2026 benchmarks: Search CPC €1 to €5, Meta CPM €5 to €12, LinkedIn CPC €5 to €12; cost per contact often 2 to 4 times lower in SEA on high-intent queries, but volume is limited.
The aim of SEA (search engine advertising, Google Ads) and SMA (social media advertising: Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest) look alike on the surface: bidding, targeting, click-level measurement. Yet they answer two different moments in the journey: SEA captures demand that exists, SMA creates or reawakens it. This article compares the two levers, gives 2026 cost benchmarks, says when to favour one and how to combine them. The SEA and SEO comparison is covered in SEA vs SEO.
Point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | SEA (Google Ads) | SMA (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment in the journey | The user is searching: explicit intent | The user is scrolling: no intent, you interrupt them |
| Targeting | Keywords, area, time of day, device, audiences as adjustments | Profile (age, job title, company on LinkedIn), interests, behaviours, similar audiences, customer lists |
| Formats | Text (Search), product listings (Shopping), banners, video | Image, carousel, short video, Stories, Reels, native forms |
| 2026 cost (France) | Search CPC €1 to €5 (up to €30 in legal, insurance and B2B software); Shopping €0.20 to €0.80 | Meta CPM €5 to €12, CPC €0.50 to €1.50; LinkedIn CPC €5 to €12, CPM €30 to €60; TikTok CPM €3 to €8 |
| Conversion rate | 3 to 10% on high-intent queries | 0.5 to 3%; higher in remarketing |
| Volume | Limited by the number of searches | Almost unlimited, with diminishing returns |
| Main role | Convert demand, capture the bottom of the funnel | Awareness, consideration, demand creation, visual remarketing |
| Creative | Text and listings; little production | Visuals and videos to renew every 3 to 6 weeks |
| Measurement | Conversions by keyword, reliable click-based attribution | Conversions by audience and creative; attribution weakened by consent and iOS, conversions API required |
When to favour SEA
- Demand already exists: people are searching for your service or product on Google (“plumber Nantes”, “payroll software for SMEs”). Capturing that demand is the most profitable lever.
- Short cycle, quick decision: emergency call-outs, bookings, purchase of a known product.
- E-commerce with a catalogue: Shopping shows the product at the moment the user is searching for it; see SEA and e-commerce.
- Limited budget: concentrate your euros on strong intent.
When to favour SMA
- Nobody is searching yet: a new product, an innovative offer, an unknown category; demand has to be created.
- A target defined by profile rather than by query: finance directors of industrial SMEs (LinkedIn), young parents in one town (Meta), 18-25 year-olds (TikTok).
- A visual or emotional product: fashion, interiors, food, leisure.
- Local or brand awareness at a low cost per contact.
- Rich remarketing: reach visitors again with visuals and testimonials; see retargeting on social media.
Making them work together
| Mechanism | How | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| SMA creates, SEA captures | A social awareness campaign on one target, with Search campaigns on the brand and the category running in parallel | Brand searches increase; SEA converts them at low cost |
| Cross-channel remarketing | Visitors who came from Google retargeted on Meta with visuals; visitors who came from Meta retargeted in Search (RLSA) | Higher conversion rate, falling cost per contact |
| Shared data | The search terms that convert inspire the social hooks; the audiences that respond on Meta guide the geographic and demographic adjustments in Search | More accurate creative and targeting |
| Social proof | The reviews and testimonials collected serve both | Better click-through rates |
| Shared measurement | One dashboard, data-driven attribution, an overall cost per contact | Budget arbitrated on real results |
Splitting the budget by objective
| Objective | Indicative split |
|---|---|
| Generate enquiries for a service people search for (tradesperson, practice, known B2B service) | 70 to 80% SEA, 20 to 30% SMA on remarketing and local awareness |
| Launch a new product or offer | 60 to 70% SMA, 30 to 40% SEA on the brand and related queries |
| E-commerce | 50 to 60% SEA (Shopping, Search), 40 to 50% SMA (prospecting and dynamic retargeting) |
| B2B with a long cycle | 50% LinkedIn and Meta (awareness, content), 50% Search (industry queries, brand) |
| Visual consumer brand | 70% SMA, 30% SEA (brand, Shopping) |
These splits are reviewed each quarter against the cost per contact and the cost per customer of each channel, read in a shared dashboard; see the SMA KPIs and the Google Ads KPIs. The comparison of SMA, SMO and SMM is in SMA, SMO, SMM: the differences.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's return on investment module brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
SMA or SEA: which is cheaper?
SMA costs less per contact (Meta CPM of €5 to €12, CPC around €1) but converts less (0.5 to 3%); SEA costs more per click (€1 to €5 in Search) but converts 3 to 10% on high-intent queries. The real cost per customer depends on the offer: compare it channel by channel in a shared dashboard.
Can you do SMA without doing SEA?
Yes, for a new offer nobody is searching for, or for a visual consumer brand. But as soon as the social campaign works, brand and category searches rise on Google; without a Search campaign, those searches go to competitors. A low-budget brand SEA campaign should accompany any serious SMA campaign.
Is LinkedIn Ads profitable for a small business?
At those costs (CPC of €5 to €12, CPM of €30 to €60), LinkedIn is only justified for B2B offers with a high order value (several thousand euros) and a target defined by job title or company. For a B2B small business with a modest order value, Search on industry queries and Meta on remarketing are often more profitable.
How do you measure SMA and SEA together?
With GA4 as the shared source (conversions by channel, data-driven attribution), the Meta conversions API and Google Ads enhanced conversions to limit measurement loss, and a dashboard bringing together cost, contacts and customers by channel. Last click overstates Search and understates social; read both with multi-touch attribution.