There are plenty of advertising platforms, and each one promises that it’s the one that will bring you customers. If you spread your budget everywhere at once, you usually end up with small amounts in lots of places and no clear result. In this guide, you’ll find out which advertising platforms make sense for Slovak businesses, how to choose the right one for your type of business and goal, and what to look for in a partner who’ll help you with your ads.
Goal first, platform second
Before you start comparing platforms, answer three questions:
- Are people already searching for you? If so, you need to capture existing demand — that’s where search rules. If nobody is looking for your product yet, you have to create demand — that’s where social media and video help.
- Where are your customers? The owner of a construction company, a mom on maternity leave and a buyer at a large company spend their time in different places.
- What content can you provide? For TikTok, you need videos; for a price comparison site, a high-quality product feed (a file with your product data); for LinkedIn, expert content.
Add your budget to that. Every platform needs a certain minimum to collect data and be evaluated. Fewer platforms with a sufficient budget almost always deliver more than many platforms with small amounts.
7 advertising platforms worth knowing
1. Google Ads — search and shopping
Google Ads is the first choice for most businesses because it catches people at the moment they’re looking for a solution. A tradesperson, a repair shop, a lawyer or an online store reaches people here who already know what they want.
- Strength: high purchase intent, precise targeting by keywords and location.
- For online stores: Shopping and Performance Max campaigns show products with a photo and a price. You need Google Merchant Center for them.
- Keep in mind: in competitive industries, clicks tend to be more expensive, so a good setup and a high-quality landing page make all the difference.
2. YouTube
YouTube is part of Google Ads and is a good fit for video ads — product introductions, tutorials or brand building. A video shows how a product works better than any text. You can also use it for remarketing, that is, reaching people again who have already visited your website.
3. Meta — Facebook and Instagram
Ads on Facebook and Instagram reach people in their free time, when they’re not looking for anything specific. They’re strong for creating demand, building a brand and for products that can be shown well visually.
- Strength: broad reach, targeting by interests, age or location, a variety of formats — images, videos, carousels, stories.
- Who it’s for: online stores, restaurants and cafés, home services, events, local businesses.
- Keep in mind: the path to purchase tends to be longer, and creative “wears out” quickly, so you need to keep refreshing it.
You’ll find a detailed comparison with Google in the article Google ads vs. Facebook ads.
4. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the network for B2B. It lets you target by job title, industry or company size — exactly what a company selling to other companies needs.
- Strength: you reach decision-makers who are hard to find anywhere else.
- Keep in mind: the cost per click here tends to be higher than on other networks. It pays off for services and products with a higher order value.
5. TikTok
TikTok is built on short vertical videos in a natural style. Polished corporate spots usually don’t work here — people want content that looks like the other videos in their feed.
- Strength: large organic and paid reach, fast creative testing.
- Who it’s for: brands that can create video regularly and show their product in action.
- Keep in mind: without a steady supply of new videos, performance drops quickly.
6. Sklik
Sklik is the advertising system of the Czech search engine Seznam. For businesses that sell or want to sell in the Czech Republic, it’s an important complement to Google Ads, because a significant share of people there use Seznam. If you only operate in Slovakia, Sklik usually isn’t a priority.
7. Price comparison sites
For online stores, price comparison sites (in Slovakia, for example, Heureka or Pricemania) are where people compare offers just before buying. You mainly pay for clicks through to your products.
- Strength: the customer is close to buying, and store reviews build trust.
- Keep in mind: you compete directly on price, so you need to watch your margin and evaluate the profitability of individual categories.
Which platform to choose based on your type of business
- Local service (plumber, auto repair shop, hair salon): Google Ads in search targeted at your area, complemented by your Google Business Profile. Meta for staying top of mind and seasonal promotions.
- Online store: Google Shopping or Performance Max, price comparison sites and Meta for both remarketing and reaching new customers.
- B2B company: Google Ads for inquiries from people looking for a solution, and LinkedIn for reaching specific companies and job titles.
- New product or brand: Meta, TikTok and YouTube to build awareness, Google Ads only once people start searching for you.
- Selling to the Czech Republic: add Sklik and Czech price comparison sites to Google Ads.
How many platforms at once
Start with one or at most two platforms that best match your goal. Set up proper conversion tracking on them — tracking the actions you care about, such as purchases, inquiries and phone calls. Only once you know how much one customer costs you should you add more channels.
Split your budget based on results, not gut feeling. If you need a first estimate of how much to invest in advertising, our recommended budget calculator will help.
How to choose an online advertising partner
You can manage your ads yourself, have someone in-house do it, or hire an agency or freelancer. If you decide on an external partner, get answers to these questions:
- Who will own the ad account? Campaigns should run in an account that’s yours. If you end the partnership, you keep the data and history.
- How will they set up tracking? A good partner sorts out conversion tracking before the campaigns launch, not after something breaks.
- What does a report look like? It should include orders, inquiries and cost per customer, not just impressions and clicks.
- Who will actually manage the campaigns? And how quickly do they respond when you need something changed?
- How is pricing structured? A fixed monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend or a combination — above all, it should be clear what you get for it.
- What experience do they have with businesses like yours? Ask for case studies and references, ideally from a similar industry.
- Are they certified by the ad platforms? For example, Google Partner status, which Google grants to companies that meet its performance and certification requirements. We explain why it matters in our article on Google Partner certification.
Red flags
- Guaranteed rankings, orders or returns before anything has even launched.
- You don’t have access to the ad account, or the account belongs to the provider.
- A long contract with a hefty early termination fee and no trial period.
- Reports full of nice-looking numbers that have nothing to do with revenue.
- Advice to be “everywhere,” regardless of your goal and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Which advertising platform is best for a small business?
There’s no universal best. If people search for you, start with Google Ads in search. If you need people to find out about you, try Meta or short videos. For online stores, Google Shopping and price comparison sites also make sense.
Is LinkedIn advertising worth it?
For B2B companies with higher-value orders, yes, because you reach specific job titles and companies there. For everyday consumer products, LinkedIn tends to be unnecessarily expensive.
How many platforms should I advertise on?
One or two to start. Add more only once you have tracking set up and know how much a customer costs you on the existing ones.
Should I manage ads myself or through an agency?
You can handle a simple campaign yourself if you have time to learn and check it regularly. With bigger budgets, multiple platforms or online stores, a partner will save you time and the cost of mistakes. What matters is that the campaigns run in your account and that you understand the reports.
Advertising that makes sense
We don’t choose platforms based on trends but based on where your customers are and what will bring you results. As a Google Partner, we set up tracking before campaigns launch and manage campaigns in an account that’s yours — not ours.
If you’re not sure which platforms are right for your business, check out our Google Ads services and get in touch — we’ll help you choose and set up your channels so every euro counts.
