Google Ads vs. SEO – which is right for you?
To achieve that goal, do you:
- Run a paid Google Ads campaign to immediately appear at the top of the page?
or
- Set up a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) program to rank organically over time?
The answer could be:
- Yes and yes
- Yes and no
- No and yes
Confused?
Here are some considerations that will help you decide on the best approach to appear at the top of Google’s results
Scenario 1
You have a new website or a website with not much content - Yes and No!
In this case, the likelihood that you will rank organically is near zero. The only solution is to run a Google Ads campaign.
Scenario 2
You have an existing website with some content - Yes and Yes!
Here you may be ranking organically, but on secondary pages, so hardly seen by people seeking your products or services.
In this case, undertaking an SEO program to build on your existing content and develop inbound links (backlinks) will help move you further up on Google’s ranking.
In the meantime, running a Google Ads campaign, will allow you to appear immediately at the top of results. Over time, as your organic ranking improves, you can dial back the Google Ads campaign.
Scenario 2
You are already ranking on page 1 - No and Yes!
You are already on page 1 organically, so there is no need for a full SEO program, just rely on SEO maintenance. This will prevent your competitors from trying to knock you further down the rankings.
The three scenarios are clearly overly simplistic and most cases are not as obvious.
For example, a website may rank well organically for some keywords, but not other important ones. In this case, you can develop either a Google Ads campaign for immediate results, or create an SEO program for a more long term approach to results, or a combination of both.
Each website presents unique challenges and opportunities. A careful analysis of rankings, backlinks and content helps determine the right solution to achieve ranking goals.