If you want more people to find your business online, two of the most common options are SEO and Google Ads.
So which is better?
The short answer is: it depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
Google Ads can put your business in front of people who are actively searching for your products or services almost immediately. SEO is a longer-term strategy that builds your website’s ability to appear organically for relevant searches.
For many businesses, the best strategy isn’t choosing one over the other. It’s understanding what your business needs now, what foundations are already in place, and how the two channels can work together.
SEO vs Google Ads at a glance
| SEO | Google Ads |
|---|---|
| Builds organic Google visibility | Provides paid Google visibility |
| Longer-term strategy | Can generate traffic quickly |
| You don’t pay for each click | You generally pay for each click |
| Requires ongoing optimisation and content | Requires ongoing campaign management |
| Results can build over time | Traffic generally stops when advertising stops |
| Can target many relevant search terms | Can target specific commercial searches |
| Strong website foundations are essential | Strong landing pages are essential |
| Excellent for building long-term visibility | Excellent for reaching high-intent searchers |
The important thing to understand is that SEO and Google Ads aren’t really competitors. They solve different problems.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.
It is the process of improving your website so search engines such as Google can better understand its content and consider it relevant for the searches your potential customers are making.
SEO can involve:
- keyword research
- website structure
- technical SEO
- page speed and performance
- on-page content
- title tags and meta descriptions
- headings such as H1s and H2s
- image optimisation and alt text
- schema markup
- internal linking
- service and location pages
- blogs and useful content
- backlinks and website authority
- competitor analysis.
Good SEO isn’t simply about ranking for your business name.
If someone searches for your company name, they probably already know you exist.
One of the biggest opportunities with SEO is appearing when someone doesn’t know your business yet, but is searching for the product, service or solution you provide.
For example, a business might want to be found for searches such as:
- web design Sunshine Coast
- Noosa accommodation
- buyers agent Noosa
- bike hire Noosa
- menopause clinic Sunshine Coast.
These searches can introduce the business to entirely new potential customers.
What are Google Ads?
Google Ads allows businesses to pay to appear for selected searches on Google.
Rather than waiting to build organic visibility, a well-managed Google Ads campaign can put your business in front of potential customers when they are actively searching for a relevant product or service.
This is what makes search intent so important.
Think about breaking down on the side of the road
Imagine your car breaks down.
Are you going to open Facebook or Instagram and scroll through your feed hoping an advertisement for roadside assistance appears?
Probably not.
You’re much more likely to open Google and search:
“Roadside assistance near me.”
At that moment, your intent is extremely high.
You have a problem. You’re actively looking for a solution. And you’re likely to take action quickly.
Google may then show you a combination of paid advertisements and businesses that rank strongly in the organic search results.
“If you break down on the side of the road, you’re probably not going to scroll through Instagram hoping to see an ad for roadside assistance. You’re going to Google and search for it. That’s the difference search intent can make.”
Annette, Success Marketing
This is where both Google Ads and SEO can be incredibly powerful.
Google Ads can buy immediate visibility for high-intent searches. SEO builds your website’s ability to earn that visibility organically over time.
Which works faster: SEO or Google Ads?
Generally, Google Ads can generate visibility and website traffic much faster than SEO.
Once a campaign is created, approved and running, advertisements can begin appearing for targeted searches relatively quickly.
SEO takes longer.
How long depends on factors including:
- the age and authority of the website
- existing rankings
- competition
- the keywords being targeted
- the quality and depth of the website
- technical performance
- existing content
- backlinks
- how consistently SEO is being worked on.
That doesn’t make Google Ads better than SEO.
It simply means the two strategies work on different timelines.
“Why aren’t we number one on Google yet?”
Our first question would be:
Number one for what?
Ranking for your business name is very different from ranking for a highly competitive search term that thousands of potential customers use.
This is an important distinction because being number one isn’t necessarily valuable on its own.
Imagine you started a business selling flying pigs.
You might find it relatively easy to rank for:
“Flying pigs for sale.”
Fantastic.
But if nobody is searching for flying pigs, being number one isn’t particularly useful.
“SEO isn’t about collecting rankings. It’s about ranking for searches that can actually bring the right people to your business.”
Annette, Success Marketing
A good SEO strategy therefore considers more than ranking position.
We look at factors such as search volume, search intent, competition, keyword difficulty and the commercial relevance of the search.
Sometimes the best SEO opportunities are already on page two
When analysing an existing website, we’re particularly interested in keywords that already have some traction.
For example, a website may rank on the second page of Google for a search term with strong search volume.
That can represent an excellent opportunity.
Rather than starting from scratch, we can investigate what might help move that page higher.
This might involve:
- improving existing content
- expanding the page
- strengthening internal links
- improving title tags and headings
- answering additional search questions
- improving technical SEO
- adding supporting content
- strengthening website authority.
We also conduct competitor analysis to identify searches competitors are ranking for that our client isn’t.
These gaps can uncover entirely new content, page and keyword opportunities.
Is SEO a one-off job?
SEO should generally be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a once-off task.
Search behaviour changes.
Competitors improve their websites.
New competitors appear.
Businesses introduce new products and services.
Google changes how search results are presented.
New search opportunities emerge.
A website may initially target a core group of important keywords, but over time there can be opportunities to build visibility across many more relevant searches.
That might involve creating new service pages, location pages, guides, FAQs, blogs and other useful content.
The goal is to continually increase the number of relevant ways potential customers can discover the business.
Does every business need SEO?
If organic search visibility matters to the business, good SEO foundations should be built into the website from the beginning.
That doesn’t necessarily mean every business needs a large ongoing SEO campaign.
But fundamental SEO considerations such as website structure, page content, technical performance, headings, metadata, indexing and tracking shouldn’t be an afterthought.
A website should make it easy for both users and search engines to understand:
Who are you? What do you do? Where do you do it? And why is this page useful?
When is Google Ads a good idea?
Google Ads can be particularly effective when there is existing search demand for a product or service and people searching are showing clear commercial intent.
It can be useful when a business:
- wants to generate enquiries quickly
- operates in a market with strong search demand
- wants visibility for competitive keywords
- is launching a new service
- wants to target specific locations
- has a well-performing website or landing page
- can allocate sufficient budget to generate meaningful campaign data.
The cost can vary enormously between industries.
Some search terms may have relatively inexpensive clicks, while highly competitive industries can have substantially higher costs per click.
That’s why advertising budget needs to be considered alongside potential customer value, conversion rates and the competitiveness of the market.
When should you NOT run Google Ads?
One of the biggest mistakes we see is businesses spending money on advertising before they’re ready to convert the traffic.
At Success Marketing, we’re generally cautious about recommending Google Ads when the available advertising budget is less than around $30 per day.
This isn’t a universal Google Ads rule. The appropriate budget depends heavily on the industry, competition and cost per click.
But very small budgets can make it difficult to generate enough traffic and conversion data to properly optimise a campaign.
There is another issue that is even more important:
Where are you sending the traffic?
If the website is confusing, slow, poorly designed or doesn’t clearly communicate why someone should choose the business, paying for additional visitors won’t necessarily solve the problem.
“It makes little sense to pay Google to send people to a website that isn’t ready to convert them. Before increasing traffic, we want to make sure the customer journey actually works.”
Annette, Success Marketing
Think about the journey:
Google Search → Ad → Landing Page → Trust → Action → Enquiry or Sale
Every step matters.
What makes a good Google Ads landing page?
A visitor who clicks an advertisement shouldn’t have to work hard to find what they searched for.
The landing page should closely match the intent behind the search and make the next step obvious.
Depending on the business, that means considering:
- a clear headline
- relevant content
- strong imagery
- pricing or useful decision-making information where appropriate
- trust signals
- reviews or testimonials
- clear calls to action
- easy enquiry or booking options
- fast mobile performance
- conversion tracking.
Sending every advertisement to a generic homepage isn’t always the best strategy.
The page should help continue the conversation that started with the Google search.
What about free Google Ads credits?
A promotional advertising credit doesn’t automatically make Google Ads a good investment.
We sometimes see businesses launch basic campaigns simply because free introductory ad spend is available.
But the same principles still apply.
The campaign needs appropriate keywords, targeting, negative keywords, conversion tracking, compelling ads and suitable landing pages.
Otherwise, the promotional credit can disappear quickly, followed by the business’s own advertising budget, without producing meaningful results.
Free ad spend isn’t particularly valuable if you’re paying for the wrong traffic.
What about Meta Ads?
Google Ads and Meta Ads also play different roles.
Google Search Ads are particularly powerful at capturing existing demand because the person is actively searching for something.
Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram can be very effective for creating awareness, reaching particular audiences and retargeting people who have already interacted with the business.
Depending on the business and campaign, Meta can also generate direct leads and sales.
Where things become particularly interesting is when the channels work together.
Someone might:
Search on Google → click a Google Ad → visit the website → leave → later see a Meta retargeting ad → return to the website → enquire or purchase.
The customer’s journey doesn’t necessarily happen through a single marketing channel.
Should you do SEO or Google Ads first?
There isn’t one answer that applies to every business.
Before recommending either, we’d want to understand:
- What is the business trying to achieve?
- What product or service does it sell?
- Is it a new or established business?
- Does it already have a website?
- How well does the website perform?
- Is the website properly optimised?
- What keywords does it currently rank for?
- Is there meaningful search demand?
- How competitive is the market?
- What is the available marketing budget?
- Does the business have existing sales data?
- Does it have a customer database?
- Does it have strong photography and creative assets?
- What marketing activity is already happening?
“The question isn’t simply SEO or Google Ads. It’s what is the business trying to achieve, where is it now, and what does it need next?”
Annette, Success Marketing
In saying that, there is one principle we come back to.
Before spending heavily on Google Ads, make sure the website and its SEO foundations are strong.
That doesn’t mean a business necessarily needs to spend six months doing SEO before it can advertise.
It means the website structure, landing pages, tracking, content, technical foundations and customer journey should be good enough to make paid traffic worthwhile.
Can you use SEO and Google Ads together?
Absolutely.
In many cases, SEO and Google Ads are stronger together than they are viewed as competing strategies.
Google Ads can provide immediate visibility for strategically important searches while SEO works on building longer-term organic visibility.
Advertising data can also provide useful information about the searches that generate clicks, enquiries and sales.
Over time, a business may build strong organic positions for some searches while continuing to advertise for highly competitive terms, important products, specific campaigns or other opportunities.
There isn’t necessarily a point where you “finish SEO” and switch off Google Ads.
The mix can change as the business and its search visibility evolve.
Is SEO cheaper than Google Ads?
It’s better to think about how the money is being invested rather than simply asking which is cheaper.
With Google Ads, part of the budget goes directly toward purchasing advertising clicks, in addition to any campaign management costs.
With SEO, the investment goes into improving the website, content, technical performance, authority and organic visibility.
Google Ads can potentially produce traffic very quickly, but that paid traffic generally stops when the advertising stops.
SEO can take considerably longer, but the work can build organic visibility that continues to generate traffic over time.
Neither guarantees a particular return.
The right investment depends on the business model, competition, margins, customer value, search demand, website and overall marketing strategy.
SEO vs Google Ads: which is better?
Neither is universally better.
Google Ads is excellent for reaching people who are actively searching and have strong intent to purchase or enquire.
SEO is essential for building long-term organic search visibility and helping your website appear for the products, services and information your potential customers are searching for.
But neither should be considered in isolation.
A business may also need to improve its website, develop better photography, strengthen its brand, build a customer database, create content, run Meta campaigns or invest in other forms of marketing.
The starting point shouldn’t be:
“Which marketing channel should we buy?”
It should be:
“What is the business trying to achieve, what’s stopping it from getting there, and what should we do next?”
That’s the conversation that leads to a much better digital marketing strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between SEO and Google Ads?
SEO works to improve your website's organic visibility in search results, while Google Ads allows you to pay for advertising visibility for selected searches. SEO generally takes longer to build, while Google Ads can begin generating targeted traffic much sooner.
Is SEO better than Google Ads?
Not necessarily. SEO and Google Ads serve different purposes. SEO is generally a longer-term investment in organic search visibility, while Google Ads can provide faster access to people actively searching for a product or service.
How long does SEO take to work?
There is no universal timeframe. It depends on the website, competition, keywords, existing authority, technical condition and amount of ongoing SEO work. Some opportunities may improve relatively quickly, while highly competitive searches can take many months or longer.
How much should I spend on Google Ads?
The appropriate budget depends heavily on the industry, competition, cost per click and value of a conversion. At Success Marketing, we're generally cautious about recommending Google Ads with budgets below approximately $30 per day because there may not be enough traffic and data to optimise effectively.
Do I need SEO if I'm already running Google Ads?
SEO can still be extremely valuable. Google Ads provides paid visibility while SEO builds organic visibility. Using both can give a business multiple opportunities to appear when potential customers search.
Should a new business start with SEO or Google Ads?
It depends on the business. Before investing heavily in advertising, we recommend ensuring the website, landing pages, tracking and SEO foundations are properly established. Google Ads can then be an excellent way to generate targeted traffic while longer-term organic visibility develops.
Can I stop Google Ads once my SEO improves?
Potentially, but it isn't automatically the best strategy. Some businesses continue advertising for particularly valuable or competitive searches even when they rank organically. The right approach depends on campaign performance, organic visibility, competition and the business's objectives.
Are Google Ads worth it for small businesses?
They can be, particularly when customers actively search for the product or service and the business has a suitable website, sufficient advertising budget and properly managed campaign. Poor targeting or a weak landing page can make Google Ads expensive without producing worthwhile results.
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Not sure where to invest your marketing budget?
At Success Marketing, we don’t start with a predetermined answer.
We look at your website, SEO performance, search opportunities, existing marketing, competitors, customer journey and business goals before recommending where your marketing investment is likely to be most useful.
From website development and SEO through to Google Ads, Meta Ads, content and broader digital strategy, we can help determine what your business needs next rather than simply adding another marketing channel.
Talk to Success Marketing about your digital marketing strategy →