Paid Search vs. Paid Social: Use Cases for Each

If you’re a growth marketer or demand gen lead, odds are you’ve asked this question before:

“Where should I put my next dollar—paid search or paid social?”

It’s a fair question, and the answer isn’t binary. These channels are often lumped together under “paid media,” but they function very differently. Understanding how to leverage them based on user intent, funnel stage, and campaign goals is the difference between mediocre performance and full-funnel efficiency.

Let’s break down the use cases, strengths, and ideal budget splits for each.

Key Differences Between Paid Search and Paid Social

Features for Paid Search:

• User Intent: High-intent (pull channel)
• Ad Format: Txt ads + PLAs
• Targeting: Keyword-based
• Funnel Role: Bottom of funnel (BOFU)
• Platform Use: Problem-solving, solutions seeking

Features for Paid Social:

• User Intent: Low-intent (push channel)
• Ad Format: Visual, dynamic (video, carousels, etc)
• Targeting: Interest, behavior, demographics
• Funnel Role: Top/mid funnel (TOFU/MOFU)
• Platform Use: Browsing, discovery, entertainment

Think of it this way: paid search is where people go when they know what they need. Paid social is where people get inspired to want something they didn’t know they needed.

When to Use Paid Search

Search excels when people are actively hunting for something. They’re typing “emergency plumber near me” at 7pm on a Tuesday. They’ve got intent. You just need to show up.

Best use cases:

• Capturing high-intent leads. If someone searches “best tax software 2025,” they’re ready to click and convert.
• Solving urgent problems. Local services (HVAC, law firms, dentists) thrive here.
• Ecommerce product listings. Google Shopping and Performance Max are revenue drivers when product feeds are dialed.
• Driving traffic for niche or B2B services. Long-tail keyword strategies win when there’s specificity in need.

Paid search is also easier to optimize toward immediate ROAS—perfect for revenue accountability. But it doesn’t generate demand. It captures what already exists.

When to Use Paid Social

Paid Social is where discovery happens. You’re interrupting the scroll—not answering a question, but telling a story.

Best use cases:

• Building brand awareness. Running a new fitness brand? Your audience isn’t Googling you yet. You have to go find them.
• Launching new products. Visual platforms like TikTok and Instagram are made for storytelling and product education.
• Lifestyle-driven brands. Think carousels for fashion, Reels for CPG, video ads for fitness gear.
• Demographic precision. Want Gen Z? TikTok and Snapchat. Millennial moms? Meta and Pinterest.

Social warms the top of the funnel. It creates emotional connections and primes future conversion.

When to Use Both Paid Search and Paid Social Together

The most sophisticated media plans don’t choose—they choreograph. These channels work best in tandem.

Smart combinations:

• Social to Search. Launch a new product on Instagram, then retarget interested users via branded search.
• Search to Social. Capture emails through paid search, then nurture through retargeted video content on social.
• Unified creative. Align messaging and creative across both channels to walk the user down the funnel seamlessly.

This cross-pollination fills the pipeline, captures conversions, and gives you more data points to optimize from.

How to Allocate Budget Based on Your Goals

There’s no one-size-fits-all media split. Budget should flex based on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Recommended split per campaign type:

• Lead Gen (B2B, local): 70% Paid Search / 30% Social
• Product Launch: 30% Paid Search / 70% Social
• Brand Awareness: 20% Paid Search / 80% Social
• High-Intent Campaigns: 60% Paid Search / 40% Social

A product launch doesn’t need heavy paid search up front—users don’t know how to search for it yet. But a seasonal sale in Q4? Lead with paid search and close with social retargeting.

Measuring Performance Across Both Channels

Different goals require different KPIs. But unified measurement is still critical.

Paid Search Metrics:

• CTR
• CPC
• Conversion rate
• ROAS

Paid Social Metrics:

• Reach
• Engagement rate
• Video views
• Assisted conversions

Use UTM tracking, first-party data, and multi-touch attribution to get a true sense of performance. Look at how each channel contributes—not just last-click results.

Choose the Right Tool for the Right Job

Paid search vs. paid social isn’t a battle—it’s a balance. They’re tools with different strengths. The smartest marketers map channel strategy to campaign goals and user behavior.

Use paid search to convert demand. Use paid social media to create it.

And if you’re not sure where to start? Partnering with an experienced paid media agency or a paid social agency  is often the smart choice. Power Digital’s Growth Team builds paid media strategies grounded in full-funnel performance. Let’s audit your media mix and show you where the dollars should really go. Let’s talk strategy!