If you're running an insurance agency in 2026, you've probably wondered: Should I invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads? Which platform actually drives better results?

Here's the problem—you're not short on opinions, but you're definitely short on clarity. And the truth is, most agents are asking the wrong question entirely.

In this episode of the Digital Insurance Agent podcast, we break down the real reason insurance agents struggle with paid advertising. Spoiler: It's not the platform. Most agents don't fail because ads don't work—they fail because ads expose the weak points in their marketing systems.

Inconsistent leads create inconsistent premium. Inconsistent premium leads to hesitation about hiring, expansion, and growth. And that hesitation? It quietly caps your agency's true potential.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction: The Real Problem with Insurance Marketing 

0:31 - Why Most Agents Get Stuck Choosing Between Platforms 

2:01 - How Insurance Buyers Choose Agents in 2026: The 5-Stage Journey 

4:33 - Google Ads Deep Dive: Capturing Active Demand 

5:17 - When Google Ads Work Best (and When They Fail) 

7:55 - Facebook Ads Deep Dive: Creating Demand and Familiarity 

9:04 - Real Agent Case Study: 42 New Policies in 90 Days 

11:13 - Google vs Facebook: Complete Side-by-Side Breakdown 

12:47 - The Strategic Sequence Most Agents Miss 

13:36 - Which Platform for Your Agency Growth Stage 

15:17 - Strategy Beats Platform Every Time 

16:14 - Next Steps and Resources

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The 5-stage buyer journey insurance customers go through in 2026 (and how to meet them where they are)
• Why Google Ads and Facebook Ads play completely different—but equally critical—roles in your marketing
• When Google Ads work best: capturing high-intent shoppers ready to request quotes right now
• When Facebook Ads excel: building familiarity and educating prospects before they're ready to buy
• The fatal mistakes that make Google Ads underperform (hint: it's not the platform sending bad leads)
• How Facebook Ads create demand at the top of the funnel—and why that matters for long-term growth
• A real composite case study: How one agent generated 42 new policies in 90 days using both platforms strategically
• Google vs Facebook side-by-side comparison: user intent, lead quality, cost per lead, sales cycle, and ROI timeline
• The strategic sequence most agents completely miss (this is not a competition between platforms—it's a sequence)
• Which platform makes the most sense for your specific agency growth stage

The Bottom Line:

Google Ads are designed to capture active demand—people actively searching for insurance solutions right this moment. They have higher cost per lead ($20-$40 average) but faster close rates.

Facebook Ads create demand and familiarity—interrupting the scroll with stories and trust-building content before prospects are ready to shop. They have lower cost per lead ($7-$15 average) but require longer nurture cycles.

The winning strategy isn't choosing one over the other. It's using both in tandem to build a marketing engine that educates, retargets, and closes on autopilot.

Key Insights from This Episode:

Google Ads work best when

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