
Comparing SEO vs Google Ads – Which is Better?

As you consider your digital marketing strategy and what it should comprise, the options can seem overwhelming. Moreover, when you consult with many marketing companies, they’re quite likely to automatically push you towards a pay-per-click advertising strategy. But is this the best way forward for your business?
Might search engine optimisation be a better investment for you?
As we are an experienced SEO agency with a core focus on SEO, web design and development, and associated writing services,it would be expected that we have our own bias towards SEO as the better option…
There are, however, some solid reasons why SEO can, for many if not most businesses, be the preferred strategy to invest in – and it plays a crucial role whether you also do PPC advertising or not.
SEO vs Google Ads
Comparing SEO vs Google Ads is a bit like comparing the proverbial apples with oranges. Both offer benefits and both have ideal scenarios in which they should be used.
Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is a complex process of improving the organic presence of a website in Google, Bing, and other search engines to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific search terms or keywords. It involves painstaking, ongoing technical work behind the scenes as well as optimising the website itself in terms of content, user experience, functionality, and structure. Included in this is link-building from other high-authority, relevant websites. SEO fulfils internet users’ search needs based on content quality, relevance, and user experience and must suit both human audiences and the search engine algorithm.
SEO is undertaken to improve website landing page visibility in organic SERPs and build unpaid online traffic, engagement, conversions, and sales.
Google Ads involve advertising on the Google platform to drive leads, website traffic, engagement and sales by paying for adverts to appear in front of people online. There are different types of Google Ads, including:
- Search Ads – text ad placements at the top of Google search results pages. Businesses only pay Google when a user clicks on the ad; the price or cost per click is determined by how competitive the associated search terms are.
- Display Ads – appear within websites as pop-ups or overlays. They help build brand awareness and fees are based on cost per 1000 impressions (CPC or CPM). They can include images, text, and calls to action. They can also be very intrusive and are often considered to be very annoying to website audiences.
- Shopping Ads – appear in SERPs in response to specific relevant product searches and usually include an image, business and product name, and price.
- Video Ads – short video adverts that are shown before or during a YouTube video.
Which is Better?
Both aim to improve the visibility of your business online.
If you need immediate results, Google Ads can potentially enable you to promptly appear above organic results in SERPs. It is a short-term solution that could be ideal for, for example, a time-sensitive promotion or consolidating strong existing SEO strategy results.
If you seek a longer-term, ongoing benefit and have some time to invest, SEO is a much better option. It should generally be leveraged as soon as a website is launched and an online presence is established. Starting sooner builds a foundation for success from the outset.
SEO is a marathon – not a sprint. It can take months (or longer) to see optimal results (though some businesses do indeed achieve these much faster than others). The strength of SEO is its ability to generate and support compounding growth and organic traffic to a website – with no need to spend anything on paid search engine ads or social media advertising.
In a Nutshell…
Benefits of SEO:
- More cost-effective
- Organic results are displayed 24/7
- Clicks are free
- Organic results attract 10 times as many clicks as paid ads
- Target keywords across the sales funnel
- Long-term visibility in SERPs
- Drives stronger, compounding returns
SEO Drawbacks:
- Building authority and seeing results takes time
- You need an experienced, specialised SEO expert provider
- Google algorithms regularly change; this must be navigated
- There are no guarantees
Benefits of PPC:
- Instant results
- Appear above organic SERP listings
- Much less labour-intensive for providers than SEO
- Provider expertise is not required to be as specialised as for SEO
PPC Drawbacks
- Every click will cost you
- Higher initial investment is required
- Visibility disappears when ads are switched off
- Costs involved include both clicks and campaign management
Contact SEOcycle
When considered alongside Google Ads, SEO is a more cost-effective option that also supports long-term growth for your business online.
At SEOcycle, you are guaranteed a very high quality of service delivered with the utmost integrity and transparency. We work with you to understand and consider your business and your goals to determine how an SEO campaign conducted by us would benefit your business and help you succeed in search engines for organic results.
If we genuinely believe that you would be better served by taking a non-SEO approach to growing your business online (e.g. using PPC), we will openly say so and provide advice as to how to access this service with another provider (not associated with SEOcycle).
While we do understand PPC and Google Ads, paid ads are not our area of expertise, and we believe our clients and prospects deserve to receive maximum return on their investment by using the right provider for specific services – just as SEOcycle is the ideal agency to deliver the niche services we offer: SEO, website design and development, website content writing and blogging services, and social media management for SEO.
With our affordable, economical SEO services, we deliver high value and positive search engine ranking outcomes. For most businesses with an online presence, search engine optimisation is a crucial investment.
Interested in knowing more? Learn more about us and our SEO services and contact us to explore how we can help you get more relevant leads online with our friendly, personalised, and professional SEO services.