SEO and various forms of digital marketing have been super effective for businesses over the last 10 years. Understandably, it’s not always practical to steep your business in all forms of digital marketing as some of these methods may not be productive for your business. The question is, is SEO better than Google Ads?
In most cases, businesses use SEO and Google Ads to maintain a solid footing in the online marketplace. For small businesses, investing in both options might not always be practical so which of the two should you pick? Before we talk about their comparisons, let’s first discuss SEO and Google Ads individually.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimisation. To put it as simply as possible, this is the practice of improving how your website ranks on search engine results pages or SERPs. When people search for specific keywords related to your business on Google, Bing, or other search engines, you’d want your website to be placed on the first page.
If possible, being in the top three of the results is your goal.
Ranking high on SERPs means you have better chances of generating leads and conversions as people put priority on those businesses. Approximately 55.2% of clicks are given to the first three links that appear on SERPs. The 10th link gets an abysmal 2.5% but what more if your page goes beyond the first page?
Another benefit of SEO is that it puts authority on your website. As we’ve said before, people naturally trust websites that rank higher on search engines. It gives them assurance that the website is trustworthy and is capable of giving them what they want.
Years back, optimising your website for better ranking means proper use of keywords, titles, tags, and others. However, SEO now also factors in website performance, mobile-friendliness, domain authority, user experience, and links just to name a few.
What are Google Ads?
Formerly called Google AdWords, Google Ads is a marketing service that allows you to place ads at the top of search results if users make a specific query.
For example, if you’re a seller of pet products in Brisbane, then your products should appear on Google if people search for “pet products in Brisbane.” It’s a very simple concept that often leads to direct sales on your end. More and more business owners are utilising Google Ads because of its ability to generate conversions FAST!.
Google Ads is a PPC type of advertising. The results you get from the platform will depend on how much your budget is for a certain campaign. The platform has features that allow you to optimise your budget properly. For instance, you can prevent your ads from showing during specific times of the day.
Which is Better – SEO or Google Ads?
If you look at it, SEO and Google Ads are not competitors of one another. Both are completely different marketing practices. They aren’t made buttheads with each other, instead – they are best used side-by-side for optimum performance.
While both are made to complement one another, each has its advantages over the other still.
SEO is best used as a means to develop your authority on Google ranking. It’s the choice that provides long-term growth and engagement. However, you need to be patient with SEO as it can take time before you can establish a solid footing on the market. Remember, you are up against potentially thousands of competitors out there.
If you want quick results, then go for Google Ads. The results you get from Google Ads don’t come instantly. However, your ads on the platform can begin delivering their maximum potential after around two weeks of launching.
Which has Better ROI?
Now, let’s be more practical. You’d want to invest your marketing budget on a platform that can give you better ROI. If that’s what you are after, then you might want to consider SEO.
Let’s put things into perspective. If you are aiming at getting 100 visitors on your website daily using Google Ads and your average cost-per-click or CPC is $5, you’d have to spend $500 per day. In a month, you’ll be spending $15,000 which is way too big a budget for small to medium size businesses.
In SEO, there are no pay-per-click costs. What you spend on SEO is the service itself. Over time, SEO allows you to grow your business seamlessly on a set budget. Whereas in Google Ads, the amount of targeted traffic you generate will depend on the amount you are willing to pay for the ads.
It’s good to have both platforms working for you. SEO gives your website 24/7 exposure online. If you can build on your optimisation well, you’ll have the chance to attract more people than using any form of PPC platform like Google Ads.
Google Ads will then serve as the platform that gives your target audience direct access to your products and services. While SEO is better in terms of ROI, you still shouldn’t ignore the benefits of having your paid ads immediately pop up after a search.
Bottomline
SEO and Google Ads are two sides of the same coin that aim to provide your business with consistent growth. We offer expert services for both SEO and Google Ads in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Perth & Melbourne. As we’ve said, getting a slice of both pies is highly recommended but it also means investing more funds.
You could also test out both platforms separately to check which of them works best for your business. Thanks to analytical tools, you can get comprehensive data on the effectiveness of SEO and Google Ads.
For maximum potential, consider dipping your toes into both platforms to check how well they do for your business. Just keep in mind to give SEO and Google Ads time before they can show their full potential. Using these platforms requires a lot of know-how and patience.
The know-how is something that we can provide. As for patience, it’s all up to you.