SEO vs Google Ads: What Marketers Should Know
When it comes to digital marketing, businesses have a lot of options to choose from. Two of the most popular techniques, however, are SEO and Google Ads. While both can be effective in driving traffic and increasing visibility, there are significant differences between the two. In this article, we will delve more into these differences and which option would suit your business best.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimisation, which is the process of optimising your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is done by taking a look at your website’s content and structure, as well as building backlinks and social signals. The goal of SEO is to increase organic traffic to your website by ranking higher for relevant search queries.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is a platform where businesses can advertise, create and run ads on the search engine results of Google’s pages as well as the Google Display network.
Advertisers will bid on keywords and whoever has the highest bid will have their ad at the top of the search results page. With Google Ads, advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad.
The Difference between SEO and Google Ads
While both SEO and Google Ads aim to increase visibility and drive traffic to your website, there are significant differences between the two. SEO is an organic strategy that focuses on optimising your website and creating high-quality content to rank higher in SERPs. Google Ads, on the other hand, is a paid strategy that allows businesses to place their ads at the top of the search results page, above organic results.
How Google Ads Help with SEO
While SEO and Google Ads are different, they can work together to improve your overall digital marketing strategy. Google Ads can help with SEO by:
- Keyword Research: Google Ads provides valuable keyword research data that can be used to optimise your website’s content and structure.
- Increased Visibility: Google Ads can provide businesses with immediate visibility on SERPs, which can drive traffic to their website while their SEO efforts are in progress.
- Testing Ad Copy: Google Ads allows businesses to test ad copy before implementing it into their SEO strategy.
- Improving Click-Through Rates: Ads at the top of SERPs can improve click-through rates for both paid and organic results.
What’s the Best Option Right Now?
When it comes to choosing between SEO and Google Ads, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best option for businesses depends on their unique goals, budget, and resources.
SEO is a long-term strategy that requires time and effort to see results. It’s ideal for businesses that are looking to establish themselves as an authority in their industry and build a strong online presence over time.
Google Ads, on the other hand, is a more immediate solution that can provide businesses with immediate visibility and traffic. It’s ideal for businesses that are looking to promote a specific product or service or drive traffic to a landing page.
