Google Ads vs SEO

Have you ever wondered why some websites appear first in Google search results while others are relegated to the last positions?

In this article, our goal is to unravel the mystery of Google Ads and SEO, two digital marketing strategies that, although complementary, have different characteristics and objectives. Through a detailed comparison, we will help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each, and provide you with the knowledge you need to choose the most appropriate strategy for your business.

Google Ads

Google Ads is an online paid advertising platform created by Google that allows advertisers to pay per click or per impression ads to promote their products or services through Google search results and Google’s network of partners: websites, apps and YouTube videos.

How does it work?

Google Ads works like a real-time auction. When someone performs a search on Google, ads compete with each other to be displayed in the first results. You choose the keywords relevant to your business and create attractive ads. You then set a bid per click, which determines the position of your ad. The higher your bid and the better the quality of your ad, the more likely it is to be displayed in a prominent position. Google Ads provides you with a wide range of tools to measure the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments in real time, allowing you to optimise your investment and get the best possible results.Here is a guide on how to prepare your advertising campaign:

How does Google Ads work? It’s simple:

1. 1. Select keywords: Identify the words or phrases that your potential customers would use to search for your product or service.
   2. Create your ads: Design attractive and persuasive ads that highlight the benefits of your offer.
   3. Place a bid: Bid an amount for each click on your ad. The higher your bid, the more chances you will have to occupy a higher position.
   4. Monitor and optimize: Use Google Ads tools to track the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments to improve results.

 

10 Pro

1. Immediate results: Your ads can start showing almost instantly, generating traffic to your website quickly.
2. High segmentation: You can target your ads to a very specific audience, which increases the likelihood of conversions.
3. Flexibility: Offers a variety of ad formats (text, image, video) to suit different targets.
4. Control over budget: You decide how much to spend and can adjust your budget at any time.
5. Accurate measurement: Google Ads provides detailed tools to measure the performance of your campaigns and continuously optimize them.
6. Scalability: You can increase or decrease your advertising investment according to your needs.
7. Relevance: Your ads are shown to users who are actively searching for products or services related to your blog.
8. Visibility: Increase the visibility of your blog in Google search results.
9. Lead generation: Allows you to effectively capture potential contacts.
10. Complements SEO: Can be used in conjunction with SEO to boost the results of your digital marketing strategy.

 

10 Cons

1. Cost per click: You have to pay every time someone clicks on your ad, which can generate high costs if not managed correctly.
2. Competition: Competition for keywords can increase the cost per click.
3. Time and knowledge required: Setting up and managing a Google Ads campaign requires time and technical knowledge.
4. Can be addictive: It is easy to increase the budget to get faster results, which can lead to overspending.
5. Does not guarantee long term results: Google Ads results are usually short term, so it is necessary to invest constantly to maintain visibility.
6. May generate invalid clicks: Some clicks may be made by bots or people who do not have a genuine interest in your product or service.
7. Platform dependency: Your success depends largely on Google’s algorithms, which may change over time.
8. Can saturate the user: An excessive amount of ads can generate rejection in users.
9. Requires constant updates: Google Ads campaigns must be continuously optimized to maintain their effectiveness.
10. It is not a unique solution: Google Ads must be complemented with other marketing strategies to obtain optimal results.

 

SEO

SEO, which is short for “search engine optimisation”, is all about helping search engines understand your content and helping users find your site and make a decision about whether to visit it through a search engine.

How does it work?

SEO works by optimising your website so that search engines like Google will find it and display it in the top results when someone searches for terms related to your business. This is achieved through various techniques, such as researching and using relevant keywords, creating high quality content, optimising site structure, and getting links from other websites. By improving your SEO positioning, you will increase the visibility of your website, attract more organic traffic and generate more leads.

10 Pro 

1. Long-term results: Once your website ranks well, organic traffic can be maintained for a long time, generating a sustained ROI.
2. Increased credibility: Users tend to trust organic search results more, which can increase your brand’s credibility.
3. Qualified traffic: SEO attracts users who are actively searching for your product or service, which increases the chances of conversion.
4. Better user experience: By optimising your website for SEO, you also improve the user experience, which can increase the time they spend on your site and reduce bounce rate.
5. Increased visibility: A good search engine ranking increases your brand’s visibility and helps you reach a wider audience.
6. Cost-effective in the long run: Although it requires an initial investment, SEO can be more cost-effective in the long run than other digital marketing strategies.
7. Complements other strategies: SEO can work in conjunction with other marketing strategies, such as content marketing and social media, to boost results.
8. Improves branding: A good search engine ranking can strengthen your brand and position you as a leader in your industry.
9. It does not depend on external platforms: Unlike other advertising platforms, SEO allows you to have greater control over your online presence.
10. Measure results: There are tools to measure the performance of your SEO strategies and make adjustments if necessary.

 

10 Cons

1. Long-term results: Unlike other strategies, such as paid advertising, SEO results can take time to show.
2. Competitiveness: Depending on your niche, competition for the top positions can be high.
3. Constantly changing algorithms: Search engine algorithms are constantly being updated, which requires being aware of the latest trends.
4. Requires technical knowledge: Implementing an effective SEO strategy may require technical knowledge or the hiring of a specialist.
5. Does not guarantee success: Even with a good SEO strategy, there is no guarantee of reaching the first position in search results.
6. Quality content: Creating quality content on a consistent basis can be demanding in terms of time and resources.
7. Quality links: Getting quality links from other websites can be a slow and difficult process.
8. Penalties: If unethical SEO techniques are used, your website can be penalized by search engines.
9. Not a quick fix: SEO is a long-term strategy that requires patience and consistency.
10. Measure results: Although there are tools to measure SEO performance, it can be complex to directly attribute conversions to this strategy.

 

Comparative Table

 

 

Detailed explanation:

Cost:

Google Ads: The cost is variable and depends on keyword search volume and competition. You pay for each click on the ad.

SEO: The main cost is the time spent on content creation and optimization, as well as link acquisition. However, there are paid tools and services that can make SEO management easier.

Time to results:

Google Ads: Results are almost immediate, as ads can start showing as soon as the campaign is approved.

SEO: Results usually take longer to be seen, as search engines need time to index new content and assess its relevance.

Control:

Google Ads: You have full control over campaigns, from keyword selection to budget setting.

SEO: Control is more limited, as it depends on search engine algorithms. However, you can influence results through website optimisation and the creation of quality content.

Effort:

Google Ads: Requires moderate effort to set up and manage campaigns, but once set up, they can be largely automated.

SEO: Requires consistent, long-term effort, as it involves extensive keyword research, high-quality content creation and technical optimisation of the website.

Recommendations:

Use Google Ads when:

• You need quick and measurable results.
• You have a limited budget to invest in digital marketing in the short term.
• You want to segment your audience in a very precise way.
• You have products or services with a short sales cycle.
• Want to promote a special offer or a short-term event.

 

Use SEO when:

• You want to build a long-term brand and generate organic traffic in a sustainable way.
• Have a limited budget and want to invest in a long-term marketing strategy.
• You are looking to increase the credibility and authority of your website.
• Have high quality content that can be useful to users.
• Want to position themselves as a leader in their industry.

In most cases, a combination of both strategies is the most effective. SEO will help you build a solid foundation for the long term, while Google Ads will allow you to get faster and more targeted results.

In a nutshell:

Google Ads: Ideal for quick and measurable results, but requires ongoing investment.

SEO: Ideal for building a long-term online presence and generating sustainable organic traffic, but requires constant effort and technical expertise.