Facebook Ads vs Instagram Ads: Which Is Better for Your Singapore Business?
If you’re a business owner in Singapore, chances are you’ve asked this question before:
“Should I focus on Facebook Ads or Instagram Ads?”
The truth is, both platforms—owned by Meta—offer powerful advertising tools. But depending on your goals, industry, audience, and budget, one might outperform the other.
At Elite Media Singapore, we’ve helped countless SMEs, startups, and established brands run successful campaigns on both Facebook and Instagram. In this article, we’ll break down the differences, advantages, and use cases to help you decide which is better for your business in 2025.
📱 Understanding Facebook & Instagram Ads: The Basics
Let’s start with a quick overview.
- Facebook Ads: Appear in the Facebook feed, Marketplace, Stories, Reels, Right Column, Groups, and more.
- Instagram Ads: Appear in the feed, Stories, Reels, Explore tab, and Shopping section.
Both platforms use Meta Ads Manager, meaning you can create, manage, and track campaigns for both platforms in one place. They share the same targeting, budgeting, bidding, and creative tools.
So, what’s the difference?
🔍 Audience: Who Are You Reaching?
Facebook Users in Singapore
- Age group: 25–54
- Strong presence of Gen X and Millennials
- More time spent on reading articles, watching long-form videos, and joining interest-based Groups
- Often used for business networking and community discussions
Instagram Users in Singapore
- Age group: 18–35
- Strong presence of Gen Z and young Millennials
- Visual-first platform with a focus on Reels, Stories, and influencer content
- Used for discovering trends, shopping, and following creators
🧠 Pro Tip from Elite Media Singapore: If your target audience includes working professionals and parents, Facebook may be more effective. For younger audiences, lifestyle brands, and visual-first industries, Instagram often performs better.
🎯 Ad Formats: How Can You Show Up?
Facebook Offers:
- Image and video feed ads
- Carousel ads
- Collection ads
- Messenger ads
- Sponsored posts in Groups and Marketplace
Instagram Offers:
- Image and video feed ads
- Reels ads (highly engaging)
- Stories ads with swipe-up features
- Shoppable posts and influencer collaborations
📌 Reels ads are a huge opportunity on Instagram in 2025—they capture short attention spans and get priority in the algorithm.
💬 Engagement: Where Do People Interact More?
- Facebook: Great for detailed posts, long-form storytelling, event promotions, and discussions.
- Instagram: Great for quick engagement through polls, emoji sliders, story Q&As, and double taps.
💡 At Elite Media Singapore, we’ve noticed that Instagram Stories and Reels generate up to 3x more interactions than regular Facebook feed ads for lifestyle and fashion brands.
💸 Cost & ROI: Where’s the Best Value?
This can vary depending on your industry and audience targeting. Generally:
- Facebook Ads tend to have a lower cost per click (CPC), especially for older demographics.
- Instagram Ads may have higher CPC, but also higher engagement rates, especially for visually appealing products.
🧾 Elite Media Tip:
For a retail client in Singapore, we ran A/B tests for the same product on both platforms.
- Facebook had a lower CPC (around $0.60), but a 2.1x return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Instagram had a higher CPC ($0.95), but a 3.5x ROAS due to higher conversion from visual creatives
🛍️ Buying Intent: Who Converts Better?
- Facebook excels in the research and awareness phase. It’s great for educating prospects with blog links, webinars, long-form videos, and community content.
- Instagram is ideal for impulse buys and product discovery, especially with shoppable posts and story-based promotions.
For businesses selling visually attractive products—like food, fashion, or home decor—Instagram often drives faster purchases. For B2B services or products with longer buying cycles, Facebook can be more effective in nurturing leads.
💼 Industry Breakdown: What Works Best Where?
Here’s a quick guide based on industries we’ve worked with at Elite Media Singapore:
| Industry | Best Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion & Retail | Strong visual appeal, trend-driven | |
| F&B | Reels + food pics = perfect combo | |
| Real Estate | Better for long-form info and lead forms | |
| Education | Parents, professionals more active here | |
| Beauty & Aesthetic | High demand for visuals, Reels, UGC | |
| B2B Services | More engagement through groups & ads | |
| Travel & Lifestyle | Aspirational content performs well | |
| Tech & Gadgets | Both | Depends on visuals and funnel stage |
💼 Case Study: Facebook vs Instagram in Action
Client: Boutique fitness studio in Singapore
Campaign Goal: Increase bookings for trial classes
What We Did:
- Created identical campaigns (same creatives, budget, targeting)
- Ran ads on both Facebook and Instagram for 30 days
- Tracked conversions using Meta Pixel and landing page analytics
Results:
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Click-Through Rate | 1.9% | 2.7% |
| Cost Per Click | $0.65 | $0.92 |
| Conversion Rate | 3.8% | 4.6% |
| ROAS | 2.5x | 3.2x |
💡 Takeaway: While Instagram had a higher CPC, it also had a better conversion rate and ROAS—thanks to eye-catching visuals and Reels.
🧠 So, Which Should You Choose?
Here’s a quick decision guide:
Go with Facebook Ads if you:
- Target working professionals, parents, or older age groups
- Offer services with longer decision-making processes (B2B, education, real estate)
- Want to drive traffic to blogs, lead forms, or community pages
Go with Instagram Ads if you:
- Target Gen Z or younger Millennials
- Sell visually appealing products (fashion, beauty, lifestyle)
- Want to build fast awareness through Reels, Stories, or influencer marketing
🤖 Or… Do Both—With the Right Strategy
Why choose just one when you can run cross-platform campaigns using the same Meta Ads platform?
At Elite Media Singapore, we help you:
- A/B test across Facebook and Instagram
- Allocate budget based on performance
- Create platform-optimized creatives
- Track and scale what works
📞 Ready to Get Better Results from Facebook or Instagram Ads?
Whether you’re unsure where to start or looking to optimise your current campaigns, we’re here to help.
👉 Book a free consultation with Elite Media Singapore today and let’s plan a high-ROI ad strategy that suits your business.
📧 Email: hello@elitemedia.sg
📞 Call/WhatsApp: +65 XXXX XXXX
🌐 Website: www.elitemedia.sg
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best platform depends on your audience, product, and goals—and in many cases, the winning move is a hybrid strategy. With expert guidance, you can unlock the full potential of both Facebook and Instagram to grow your brand and drive real results in Singapore’s competitive market.
At Elite Media Singapore, we help businesses like yours make smart decisions and scale smarter. Let’s grow together.