SEO or Google Ads – Which is Better?
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SEO or Google Ads – Which is Better?
When understanding your digital marketing options, it’s good to address the often asked question, SEO or Google Ads? This issue is often debated on which will generate more revenue for a business. The ultimate goal is to use a strategy that generates leads, provides consistent online traffic and creates revenue. So, whether SEO or Google Ads is right for your business will depend on your organisation and where you want to find your leads.
It is known that there are advantages and disadvantages of both SEO and AdWords; they also have some similarities. However, most SEO experts find that using both is a strategic way to get the most out of both and give you the best results.
A Breakdown of Google Ads
Google Ads is a pay per click (PPC) advertising that is visible in Google Search Engine results. When a search contains your targeted keywords, the ad will appear in the results, which usually has brief information on business information and service offerings.
The results appear as ads and not an organic search engine result, which you need to consider when deciding between AdWords and SEO. Each time someone clicks on your ad, Google charges you. You set your maximum spend budget, keywords, locations and demographic settings. You have control over your campaign.
The Low Down on SEO
Search Engine Optimisation, or as most people refer to it, SEO involves increasing your visibility online using a long-term strategy of targeted keywords. An expert in this area may take months to optimise your website and adapting it for organic visibility. However, it isn’t uncommon for the results to continue achieving results after the SEO work has concluded.
When you target keywords, you are ensuring your content reaches the right people at the right time. While there are significant costs to implement an SEO campaign, you don’t pay for organic traffic, and it is a consideration if you need to choose between the two. One essential point of reference is that there are more conversions with SEO because people trust organic search results that are ranking well.
The Major Differences Between SEO and Google Ads
There are several significant differences between SEO and Google Ads, these include:
- AdWords campaign can only take place on Google, whereas SEO is possible on all search engines.
- SEO traffic is from organic traffic, whereas Google Ads requires you to pay for the traffic.
- When your AdWords campaign stops, so do the results; however, SEO provides sustainable and long-term benefits.
- AdWords runs using an AdSense platform, and SEO relies on targeting an audience looking for their product or service type.
- For Return on Investment (ROI), SEO is better every time and is more trusted by consumers.
- Easier to calculate ROI with Google Ads.
What is the Best Choice: Google AdWords or SEO?
There are many and varied considerations when choosing the right marketing strategy for your business. However, both are considerably beneficial, and there are factors that affect each – budget, time frames, pricing, current online presence and so on.
It is most often suggested that people use both rather than trying to single them out. If your budget makes it possible, it is the perfect strategy because one is excellent short-term and the other for a sustainable long-term option. However, consumers trust paid advertising less which is why we advocate for SEO and believe it is the future of marketing. An SEO campaign can transform businesses when done by an experienced team like out, which is why we invite you to get in touch with our team to work towards moving forward together.
At last, if you still have questions about Google Ads or SEO, contact our SEO team and talk to an SEO professional who can help you scale up your SEO success.