We are working with many Canadian businesses, and over the past few years, we’ve noticed that prices of Google & Meta Ads have skyrocketed. 

Undoubtedly, our Paid Marketing service provides the maximum ROI of every dollar spent on paid ads, but still, the rising prices are quite high for new startups or businesses who are in the transition phase. 

After consulting with our top SEO executives and digital marketers, we’ve finalised the top 4 cost-effective alternatives of Google & Meta Ads for businesses in Canada and all around the Globe. 

Related: Only Marketing Advice You Need 

The following is a list of the Top 4 paid marketing alternatives:

Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)

Microsoft Advertising is the best alternative for Google Ads, and it is often overlooked by digital marketers. With Microsoft/Bing Ads, you can reach up to millions of people online. 

Your ad will be shown on: MSN, Bing, Yahoo, AOL ( & their partner networks). 

Cheaper Cost Per Click (CPC’s): Microsoft ads are comparatively lower than Google’s CPC’s. But still, due to the negligence of most advertisers chances of ranking and grabbing most of the attention online are very high compared to Google Ads. 

This is a good option, especially when you’re short on budget. 

Audience: Audience is a very influential factor when you choose Bing Ads. Bing users are mostly affluent, older, professional, and often decision makers; however, other age groups also use Bing for their search purposes. 

Best for B2B & Local Targeting: Microsoft advertisement offers an advanced edge when it comes to B2B & Local audience targeting (especially in Canada). 

Bing Ads significantly increase the chances of conversion of your ads because of their fewer advertisements online. Instead of becoming one of many, your ad will become one of the few. 

Microsoft Ads are an excellent choice for all types of industries like Healthcare, Legal Services, Home improvement, Professional services, Financial services & more. 

Smarter Integration With Microsoft Products: Microsoft's advertisement differentiates it from other paid marketing platforms.

LinkedIn Targeting (Super Smart Filter for Job Searches): People on LinkedIn post all their professional data. Like who they are, what their skills are, which agency they own, or which agency they are working for. 

Microsoft advertising can use all that data. Like if you made up software for doctors, then you can tell LinkedIn to show your ads to people on LinkedIn with Doctor in their title Doctor. 

Google Ads does not have direct access to these details. It is very useful when you are trying to reach people with specific skills or people with specific businesses. As I said earlier, it is very beneficial in B2B marketing. 

Microsoft Audience Network: You can extend your reach with Microsoft Ads by extending your reach to Microsoft-owned properties. Data from browsing the internet, reading news on MSN, and more can be utilized for maximizing the reach of your paid ads. 

It blends your advertisement so nicely in MSN that it would never look like an Ad; it looks like a recommended article. 

It means people will see your ads while doing other things online or just exploring MSN, and active searching isn’t necessary. 

Desktop Search Traffic: A large portion of professionals in Canada spend their time while working using a PC or a laptop. It means if they’re using Edge, then their default browser is Bing. 

Undoubtedly, Google is huge, but still, Microsoft Bing gets millions of visitors every day.  

Reddit Ads

Reddit is a unique marketing platform. It is fundamentally structured around subreddits. Subreddits are dedicated, topic-specific communities. 

Each subreddit focuses on a highly specific niche. In every Reddit community, people have similar interests and interact with each other's posts. 

This community-centric design of Reddit makes it very helpful in target marketing campaigns. Advertising on Reddit is like showing your ads to people who are already interested in your product and want to know more about it. 

It's far better than shouting about your ads to random people on Facebook. 

Cheaper Ads: Instagram & Facebook are overcrowded platforms, and on them, people are trying hard to get their ads seen. Fewer people are choosing Reddit for advertising, which means advertising on Reddit is cheaper. 

In short, you spend less to show your ads to the right people online. 

Super-Targeted: If you’re selling running shoes, you won’t only show your ads to the people who are into fitness. You’ll show your ads to people who are into running and into shoes. 

Subreddits like r/running and r/shoes will be best. You can consider some other subreddits as well, like r/fitnessCanada, for better reach. 

It means you’re not wasting your money on showing ads to people who aren’t interested. You’re finding your perfect customers easily. 

People Trust it More: People take an interest in those ads that fit in their community. Reddit users don’t just mindlessly scroll in subreddits; they are actively engaged in those subreddits. 

Your ads must look like a random community member's post. Ad which doesn’t sound salesy and solves problems, actually care about them, are more likely to perform well. 

Flexible Ad Formats: To suit your campaign, Reddit offers a versatile range of Ad formats. 

Promoted Posts - Promoted posts are those posts that are shown to the user in their feeds. They look like normal community posts, but they are paid for it. It blends naturally within the user’s feed. 

Video Ads - These are like little TV commercials that automatically start playing as you scroll past them. They’re great if you want to tell a story or show how a product works. 

Carousel Ads - Think of these as a mini slideshow. You can swipe through several pictures or videos in one ad. They’re perfect for showing off different products or telling a story step-by-step. 

Display Ads - These are the classic banner-type Ads. Like the rectangular pictures you often see on websites. 

Product Ads - If you have an online store, these ads can directly show items from your product catalogue. So, if you’re selling shoes, the ad might show different pairs of shoes from your store that people can click on to buy. 

Conversation Ads - These are designed to fit right into ongoing discussions on Reddit or even start new ones. They’re a way for your ad to become part of the conversation happening in the community. 

More About Targeting: Now you know that Reddit has multiple subreddits, which are not just interest-based communities. Let’s dig deeper into it, because it can make a huge difference in your marketing campaign. 

Interest Targeting - People on Reddit spend more time engaging in conversations about specific products in a specific subreddit. So if someone spends more time in a subreddit specifically about cars and bikes, Reddit will show them ads of related products. 

Keyword Targeting - Suppose there is a conversation going on in a subreddit related to teeth. Then your ad for dentistry will show up in that conversation. It’s about being present at the right time in the right place. 

Demographic Targeting - You can also choose the age and gender of people whom you want to show your ad to online. So if your product is for school girls aged between 12 to 15, you can tell that to Reddit. 

Location Targeting - This is super important if you are selling your shoes in some specific locations, like Toronto or elsewhere. So you can set location targeting, and your ad will be shown only to the people of Toronto. There is no point in showing your ad to the people of Vancouver if they can’t buy it. 

If you want to promote or market something in a subreddit community, then it is necessary for you to submerge yourself in the culture of that subreddit. And do not sound salesy or promotional. People do not engage with any marketing post anymore. 

Related: 9 Reasons Why Reddit Is A Great Choice For Businesses

Pinterest Ads

Pinterest ads are paid promotions that users see as they scroll through their feed. These ads seem less intrusive and promotional because its blending in the feed naturally. 

Since Pinterest is a platform on which people usually look for inspiration. So, ads are also targeted according to their interest. 

High Buying Intent: When someone is searching for “Boho Bedroom Decor,”  it doesn’t mean that the person is lazy and mindlessly scrolling. Chances are high that they want to redecorate their rooms, and they like the Boho Style. 

And if someone is pinning a bridal hairstyle, it means they want to make her hair look like this, maybe for weddings, functions or etc. 

So, because people on Pinterest are actively planning for these kinds of things, showing them ads is super effective. 

Visual First Platform: Pinterest is all about eye-catching visuals. If your product or service looks great in a picture, its chances of standing out are quite high. 

This is perfect for:

  •  Fashion
  •  Food Recipes
  •  Handmade Crafts 
  •  Makeup & Skincare
  •  Interior Design 
  •  DIY Products 

Low Cost & Lower Competition: Advertisement on Pinterest is comparatively more affordable than on Instagram & Facebook. 

This means

  •  Less Competition for Ad Spaces
  •  Lower Cost Per Click (CPC)
  •  Better Reach for Niche Products

This is the perfect choice for local artists and small businesses that are looking to expand their reach locally or globally. 

Evergreen Content: Ads disappear quickly in Instagram and Facebook feeds. But on Pinterest, your ad will be shown in feeds, even weeks and months after posting. 

SEO + Local Listings

When we say SEO + Local listings, it means we are talking about the strategy that will help your business to show up organically. 

You don’t have to spend money on Paid Ads, your business will rank on its own with SEO services. 

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): This involves optimizing your website and online content so that search engines like Google rank your pages higher when someone searches for your products/services.

Key elements include:

  •  Keyword research and usage
  •  Optimized meta titles and descriptions
  •  Mobile-friendly website design
  •  Fast loading speeds
  •  Relevant internal and external links (backlinks)

Content Marketing & Blogging: Regularly publishing helpful blog posts, guides, FAQs, or articles related to your business builds trust and positions you as an authority/expert. 

This also helps you rank for long-tail keywords (more specific search terms) that your ideal customers are typing in.

Local SEO: Local SEO helps your business appear when someone nearby searches for your service (e.g., "car detailing near me" or "best dentist in Toronto").

This includes:

  •  Using location-specific keywords
  •  Getting listed in relevant local directories
  •  Collecting positive reviews

Having consistent Name, Address, Phone (NAP) information across all online platforms. 

Google Business Profile Optimisation: Google often shows a "3-Pack" of businesses for most local searches. 

Being in this Google 3-Pack means your business will show up prominently with a map, reviews, photos, and contact info, often before users even scroll down the page.

To rank here:

  •  Complete your profile fully (photos, hours, services, description)
  •  Post updates regularly
  •  Actively solicit and respond to reviews

Use the most relevant primary and secondary categories and keywords.

Conclusion

While Google and Meta remain dominant, they’re no longer the only options. For Canadian businesses, platforms like Microsoft Ads, Reddit, Pinterest, and SEO-driven strategies offer powerful, budget-friendly ways to attract the right audience without overspending.

Need help launching smarter ad campaigns? Connect with our experts at Tabscap today.

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