Full-Funnel Advertising: Combining Google & Meta Ads to Attract More Qualified Leads

Let’s be honest, most ad campaigns don’t fail because the platform doesn’t work. They fail because they’re doing half the job.

• You run Google Ads and get clicks… but no one replies.
• You run Facebook Ads and get likes… but no one converts.
• You end up with “leads” — but no conversations, no bookings, no sales.

That’s because most campaigns are built around a single platform, a single stage of the customer journey, and no real structure behind what happens next.

In a world where customers need multiple touchpoints before they trust, act, or enquire — that’s a broken system.

What you need is a funnel. A real one. Built to attract, warm, qualify, and convert.

Want to learn more? Book a strategy session here 

What Is a Funnel — And Why Do You Actually Need One?

A “funnel” is just a fancy way of describing the customer journey — the stages someone moves through before deciding to work with you. It begins with Who are you?, shifts to I think I’m interested, and ends with Let’s talk.

But that journey doesn’t happen instantly. And it doesn’t happen on one platform.

Most businesses only market to one part of that journey — and then wonder why their results feel inconsistent or full of noise. Google Ads are brilliant at the bottom of the funnel, where someone is actively searching and ready to act. But they’re only powerful if that person already knows what they want and who they trust.

That’s where Facebook and Instagram come in. Meta Ads work best at the top and middle of the funnel — when someone is still discovering, researching, or just starting to become aware of the problem or opportunity.

If you're only running bottom-of-funnel Google Ads, you're just showing up at the finish line — after people have already been influenced by brands who got in earlier. And if you're only running social ads without a search strategy, you might be building interest, but you’re handing the conversion to someone else.

That’s the gap. That’s the missed opportunity. That’s the money you’re leaving on the table.

Stage 1: Top of Funnel — Build Attention with Meta Ads

At the top of the funnel, your goal isn’t to sell — it’s to spark interest.
People here might not even realise they need what you offer yet. But if your brand shows up in the right place, with the right message, you plant the seed.

This is where Meta Ads work best. Facebook and Instagram give you visual real estate to introduce your brand, share your story, show results, and tap into aspiration or pain points.

• It might be a reel showing a jaw-dropping renovation.
• A testimonial from a happy client.
• A checklist for first-time buyers.
• Or a quick tip that solves a small version of a big problem.

At this stage, your ads don’t need to convert. They just need to capture attention and build familiarity — so when your lead is finally ready to act, they already know who you are.

Stage 2: Middle of Funnel — Nurture & Educate

Most leads won’t convert after seeing you once.
They’ll check your site, forget, scroll past, think about it.
And that’s okay — if you have a system to bring them back.

This is where retargeting comes in — showing content to people who have already interacted with your brand.

You’re reminding them you exist — but now you’re adding value and proof.

This stage is about education, trust, and reassurance. Think case studies, testimonials, free guides, explainer videos, behind-the-scenes content, and “why us” messaging. You're not just trying to get them to click. You're helping them decide.

Stage 3: Bottom of Funnel — Capture Intent with Google Ads

Once someone is ready to act, they head to Google.

• They type:
• “Best family lawyer Gold Coast”
• “Cosmetic dentist near me”
• “Luxury builder Palm Beach”

These are high-intent buyers. They’ve done the thinking. They’re now doing the choosing.

This is where your Google Ads become essential.
They make sure you show up at the exact moment your lead is ready to enquire, book, or buy.

But here’s the kicker: they work best when your Meta Ads have already introduced you.

Now your lead sees your ad, recognises your brand, and chooses you — because you already earned their trust before they started searching.

Where Most Agencies Fail: Selling Ads, Not Systems

Let’s be blunt. Most agencies are selling you the illusion of progress.

Clicks, impressions, traffic, reach — numbers that look good in a dashboard but don’t move your business forward.

They set up a few ads. Maybe get you 50 leads. But none of them convert. No one books. You’re left staring at a spreadsheet, wondering what went wrong.

• They optimise for clicks. Not conversations.
• They chase volume. Not quality.
• They run ads. Not systems.

That’s how you end up overwhelmed with bad leads, burnt out from following up, and questioning whether paid ads even work.

But it’s not that ads don’t work.
It’s that you’ve been sold fragments — not a functioning funnel.

You Don’t Need More Traffic. You Need More Trust.

The answer isn’t more impressions or broader targeting.
It’s structure. Sequencing. Strategy.

You need a system that filters out the wrong leads before they waste your time.

• A funnel that speaks directly to the people who actually want what you offer.
• Follow-up that makes you unforgettable — not annoying.
• And content that builds authority while you sleep.

Because qualified leads don’t happen by accident.
They happen by design.

You don’t need more random clicks. You need more confidence in what happens after the click — the follow-up, the nurture, the conversation that closes the deal.

That’s what full-funnel advertising delivers.

What Does a Full-Funnel Campaign Actually Look Like?

Let’s say you run a premium health clinic on the Gold Coast.

Top of Funnel:
You run Instagram Reels showing transformations, expert tips, or emotional client stories. You target local high-income professionals who care about wellness and performance.

Middle of Funnel:
You retarget anyone who watches your videos or visits your site with ads offering a free “Optimal Health Checklist” or a case study on how your clinic helped someone with a similar issue.

Bottom of Funnel:
You run Google Search Ads for “Gold Coast functional medicine” or “executive health assessment clinic.” When people are ready to book, you’re right there.

Behind it all?

• Automated SMS and email follow-ups.
• CRM tracking.
• Real-time visibility on every lead and every stage.

That’s not advertising. That’s a growth engine.

Final Thought: Stop Running Ads. Start Running a System.

If your current marketing feels like guesswork, that’s because it is.
Single-platform campaigns leave gaps. So do one-size-fits-all funnels.
Clicks don’t grow your business. Qualified conversations do.

A full-funnel approach gives you the consistency, control, and clarity to grow — with fewer wasted leads and more clients who are actually ready to say yes.

This isn’t about throwing money at Meta or Google.
It’s about building a machine that brings the right people to your door, again and again.

 Want a system like that for your business? Book a strategy session here