Hi, and welcome to "Website Success in 5 Minutes." I’m Shaun Carvill, the founder and managing director of Digital Agency Clickingmad. Today, we’re diving into a question asked by Nigel West of Fiveways Insurance:
Thank you for the question Nigel. He asks: "What’s the difference between Google Ads and SEO?"
Both are powerful tools to get your website noticed, but they work in very different ways.
So, let’s break it down and explore which one might be best for your business.
First, let’s start with Google Ads.
Google Ads, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, is a way to pay for your website to appear at the top of search results. When someone searches for a keyword you’ve targeted, your ad appears above the organic results with a little "Ad" label next to it. The big benefit of Google Ads is speed—you can set up a campaign, and within hours, your website can be showing up in front of people searching for your products or services.
With Google Ads, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, hence the term "pay-per-click." The cost can vary depending on how competitive your industry is and how popular the keywords you’re targeting are. But the key thing is, it gives you instant visibility.
On the other hand, SEO - Search Engine Optimisation - works very differently
SEO is all about improving your website so that it naturally appears in the organic search results, which are the non-paid listings below the ads. This involves optimising your site’s content, structure, and speed, as well as earning backlinks from other reputable websites. Unlike Google Ads, you don’t pay directly for traffic, but it does take time to see results. SEO is more of a long-term strategy, and it can take weeks or even months for your site to climb up the search rankings.
One of the big benefits of SEO is that once you’ve done the work and your site is ranking well, you can get ongoing traffic without having to keep paying for it. It’s a long game, but it can bring more sustainable, cost-effective results in the long run. However, it requires regular effort to maintain those rankings—search engines are always changing their algorithms, and your competitors are constantly optimising too.
So, what are the key differences between Google Ads and SEO?
The main difference is time versus cost. Google Ads gives you immediate visibility, but you have to keep paying to stay at the top. Once you stop paying for ads, your site disappears from those top spots. SEO, on the other hand, is slower to take off, but once you’ve built up your rankings, you can have a steady flow of traffic without ongoing costs for every click.
Another difference is where your website appears in search results. With Google Ads, your site will be featured at the very top of the page in the ad section. With SEO, your website will appear in the organic results below the ads. People often trust organic results more because they know they’re not paid for, but ads gives you that prime real estate at the top of the page.
So, which one should you focus on—Google Ads or SEO?
Well it depends on your business goals. If you need quick results—maybe you’re running a promotion or launching a new product—Google Ads can give you that instant traffic boost. It’s ideal if you want to start targeting specific audiences and get measurable results fast.
However, keep in mind that the traffic stops as soon as you stop paying
SEO is a better choice if you’re thinking long-term. It helps build trust and credibility with your audience because you’re ranking organically. It’s also cost-effective over time since you’re not paying for every visitor. But, it does require patience and ongoing work.
Can you use both? Absolutely
In fact, combining Google Ads with SEO can be a powerful strategy. While you’re waiting for your SEO efforts to kick in, you can use Google Ads to drive immediate traffic. This way, you’re covering both short-term and long-term goals.
In summary:
Google Ads is about paying for instant visibility, while SEO is about earning your spot in the search results over time. Both have their strengths, and the best approach often involves using them together to boost your website traffic and grow your business.
That’s it for today’s episode of "Website Success in Five Minutes." Thank you again to Nigel West of Five Ways Insurance for sending in this question. If you have a question, please do send it in at Clickingmad.com and use our contact form. See you next time.
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