Marketers use a variety of marketing techniques, including search engine optimization (SEO) and Google Ads, to assist their organizations gain traffic and leads. Many companies don’t know which strategies will bring them the best results when first planning a marketing campaign.
When it comes to SEO vs. Google Ads, you may be unsure which is the superior choice for your company. Both of these methods have their own set of pros and cons that should be considered before making a decision.
In this guide, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages of SEO vs. Google Ads so that you can make an informed decision about which (or both) is right for your business.
What is SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages. This can be achieved through a number of techniques, including keyword research, link building, and content marketing. The main advantage of SEO is that it can help you to achieve long-term results. Once you have achieved a good ranking, it is unlikely that you will lose your position unless your website stops being updated or loses popularity. The disadvantage of SEO is that it takes time to achieve results. It can sometimes take months or even years to see a significant improvement in your ranking.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is a form of paid advertising that allows you to place ads on Google’s search engine results pages. The advantage of Google Ads is that it can generate traffic quickly. The disadvantage of Google Ads is that it can be expensive, and you will only continue to receive traffic as long as you continue to pay for your ads. Read our article on Google Ads: Are They Worth It?
SEO vs. Google Ads: Pros and Cons
Now that we’ve gone over what each of these marketing techniques is, let’s compare the pros and cons of SEO vs. Google Ads.
SEO Pros:
- Can help you to achieve long-term results
- More consumers are likely to click on an organic result than an ad
- Is less expensive than Google Ads
- Can help you to improve your website so that it generates more traffic from other sources
SEO Cons:
- Takes time to achieve results
- Requires ongoing effort to maintain good ranking
Google Ads Pros:
- Generates traffic quickly
- Can be targeted to a specific audience and geographic location
- Allows you to track your results so that you can see how effective your ads are
Google Ads Cons:
- Can be expensive
- On average, 40% of consumers will not click an ad
- You will only continue to receive traffic as long as you continue to pay for your ads
- There is a risk of click fraud
As you can see, there are both pros and cons to using SEO vs. Google Ads. The best marketing strategy for your business will likely depend on a number of factors, including your budget, the amount of time you have to devote to marketing, and your overall marketing goals. Most businesses don’t choose between one or the other – they do a combination of both. If you’re not sure which is the best choice for your business, we suggest speaking to a marketing professional at Websolve Marketing. We can help to assess your needs and make a recommendation.
Contact Websolve Marketing today.
