When it comes to digital marketing, one question always seems to come up: Should I focus on Google Ads or SEO?
It’s a valid question — especially if you’re working with a limited budget or just starting out. Google Ads (also called PPC or pay-per-click) gives you fast, visible results. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) takes longer but can bring in consistent traffic without ongoing ad spend.
But here’s the thing: it’s not an either-or decision. In fact, the best results often come when you use both Google Ads and SEO together, strategically.
In this blog, we’ll break down how SEO and Google Ads work, where each one shines, and how combining them can give your business a marketing advantage — one that’s fast, measurable, and built to last.
What Google Ads Does Well
Google Ads is all about speed and precision. You pay to show your website at the top of Google for specific keywords. Within hours of launching a campaign, your business could appear above your competitors in search results.
Key strengths of Google Ads:
- Instant visibility: You don’t need to wait months to rank — your ad can show on page one today.
- Keyword testing: Not sure what your customers are searching for? Test keywords quickly and see which ones convert.
- Seasonal campaigns: Promote limited-time offers or events without waiting for SEO to catch up.
- Precise targeting: Use geo-targeting, device targeting, and even schedule ads by time of day.
Google Ads is a great tool for quick wins, especially when you want leads, sales, or bookings fast. But it comes with a cost — literally. Once your budget runs out, your visibility disappears.
What SEO Does Well
SEO is the longer game. It focuses on optimizing your website so that you rank organically (without paying per click) in search engine results.
That means improving your content, site structure, page speed, and more — all with the goal of helping search engines (and users) understand and trust your website.
Key strengths of SEO:
- Sustainable traffic: Once you rank well, you can keep bringing in leads without constantly spending.
- Builds trust: Users tend to trust organic results more than paid ads.
- Supports local visibility: With a well-optimized Google Business Profile, SEO can drive traffic to physical locations.
- Improves website experience: SEO work often overlaps with better UX, which means your site is easier to use and converts better overall.
While SEO takes longer to show results (typically 3–6 months or more), the ROI can be stronger over time because you’re not paying per click.
Why You Shouldn’t Choose One Over the Other
Most small businesses think they have to pick a side: fast traffic now (Google Ads) or long-term growth (SEO). But that mindset can hold you back.
The truth is, SEO and Google Ads serve different roles in your marketing strategy. Google Ads is like turning on a tap. SEO is like digging a well. You can — and should — do both.
By combining them, you can:
- Generate leads now and build for the future.
- Reduce ad spend over time by replacing top-performing keywords with organic rankings.
- Use insights from one channel to improve the other (more on that below).
How Google Ads Can Inform Your SEO Strategy
Running a Google Ads campaign can actually make your SEO better. Here’s how:
1. Test High-Intent Keywords
Before you invest months trying to rank for a keyword, test it with Google Ads. Are people clicking? Are they converting? If yes, it’s worth targeting with SEO. If not, skip it.
2. See What Landing Pages Work
You’ll quickly learn which headlines, descriptions, and calls to action perform best. Use that data to optimize your website’s meta titles and content for SEO.
3. Access Search Term Reports
Google Ads gives you real-time data on what people actually searched before clicking. These search terms can be gold for planning blog content, FAQs, and new service pages.
4. Identify High-Value Audience Segments
If you notice strong performance from a certain location or demographic, double down with localized or niche SEO content that serves that group organically.
How SEO Supports Your Google Ads Results
SEO doesn’t just benefit from Google Ads — it also improves your ad campaigns in subtle but important ways.
1. Better Quality Score = Lower Cost Per Click
Google Ads uses Quality Score to determine how much you pay per click. A well-optimized page (fast load time, relevant content, clear user intent) leads to higher scores and lower ad costs.
2. Reinforces Brand Recognition
If someone sees your ad and your organic listing, they’re more likely to trust and click. Dual visibility increases click-through rates and perceived authority.
3. Reduces Over-Reliance on Paid Ads
Once your SEO gains traction, you can pause or scale back on expensive keywords and let organic rankings carry more of the load.
4. Improves Landing Pages for Ads
SEO-focused landing pages are typically more user-friendly and content-rich, which means better ad performance and higher conversion rates.
When to Focus More on One Than the Other
While combining SEO and Google Ads is ideal, there are times when you might want to lean more heavily on one.
When to Prioritize Google Ads:
- You need leads right now
- You’re testing a new product or service
- It’s a high season for your business (e.g., spring for landscapers)
- Your website is brand new and not yet ranking
When to Prioritize SEO:
- You want sustainable long-term traffic
- Your margins can’t absorb high ad costs
- You’re already ranking decently and want to improve
- You’re targeting informational searches (e.g., blog content)
The best approach? Use Google Ads to fill the gap while your SEO builds, then gradually shift the marketing budget toward organic efforts as your rankings improve.
A Quick Scenario: Local Contractor in Alberta
Let’s say you’re a contractor in Alberta. You launch Google Ads to target high-converting keywords like “deck builder Calgary” or “basement renovations Edmonton.” You get leads right away — great.
Meanwhile, you build out SEO-optimized service pages and publish blogs on topics like “How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck in Alberta?” or “Best Basement Flooring Options for Canadian Homes.”
Over the next few months, your organic rankings improve. You’re now showing up in both ads and organic results for high-value keywords. With that dual visibility, your cost per lead drops — and your total lead volume increases.
That’s the power of using both.
Tracking Performance Across Both Channels
To make the most of your combined strategy, you need to track performance clearly:
- Use Google Analytics 4 to track organic and paid traffic separately.
- Monitor conversions and cost per lead inside Google Ads.
- Use SEO tools (like Google Search Console or Ahrefs) to track rankings and impressions.
- Compare top-performing keywords across both channels to decide where to invest more.
If this feels overwhelming, we help business owners figure this out all the time. Whether you’re trying to dial in your Google Ads, improve your SEO, or build a strategy that connects both, we can guide you.
Conclusion
There’s no need to pick between Google Ads and SEO — they were never meant to compete. When used together, they support each other in powerful ways. Google Ads gives you the speed. SEO gives you the staying power.
If you’re ready to build a marketing strategy that works in both the short and long term, let’s chat.
At Our Invisible Empire, we help Alberta-based businesses connect the dots between their website, search rankings, and paid advertising. Let’s make every dollar — and every click — count.
