Have you been Googling how to get your business more… Googleable.
You keep seeing SEO, PPC, Google Ads, Local SEO being tossed around.
No doubt, trying to figure out the alphabet soup of Google products might have you feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Especially if you’re trying to decide which small business marketing strategy is best: SEO vs. Google Ads.
Keep reading to learn more about each marketing strategy, their key differences, and the big 3 considerations when deciding between SEO vs. Google Ads.
What Is SEO and Why Is It Important to Small Businesses
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing a website’s content and structure to stand out to search engines. It increases a website’s page visibility organically (i.e. unpaid).
For example, if someone is searching for a “plumber in Austin, TX” but the website doesn’t have any content or structure text related to plumbing or plumbing in Austin, TX the search engine (Google, Bing etc.) won’t recommend the site as a relevant option.
I work with a lot of creative entrepreneurs and this can be one of the hardest things for them to accept.
It’s better to be crystal clear in how you name things on your website than cute and clever.
SEO Advantages and Disadvantages
The biggest benefit of SEO is the cost (or lack thereof). SEO continues to bring traffic to your website even after you optimize for it. With Google Ads, when you stop paying for ads, the traffic stops.
There are some drawbacks to SEO too.
For starters, seeing results from your SEO efforts can take quite a bit of time, and work. It’s not uncommon for SEO results to take 12+ months to start seeing an increase in traffic and page rankings. Not to mention to keep your positions, you have to consistently put in the effort.
Take this example image below – comparing August to July’s search page position after SEO optimization several months ago.
This website is moving higher up on the SERPs (search engine result pages), from spot 49 to 38. But that’s a long way away from primo top 4 positions, which are typically reserved for paid ads.
It’s a great long-term option, but if you want to see results sooner, it may not be ideal.
Lastly, if you don’t already know how to do SEO, you’ll need to factor in the cost of hiring a specialist to do it for you. If you decide to DIY it, there is the hefty cost of your time and effort to get you up to speed.
What Are Google Ads and Why Are They Important To Small Businesses
Google Ads, is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising service that allows a business to display ads on Google’s search results pages and other websites in the Google network.
With Google Ads, you create ads and choose keywords that trigger your ads to appear when people search for specific terms. These ads trigger regardless of the website’s organic content or structure and can provide relatively quick wins, compared to SEO efforts.
Let’s say you own a home renovation company and you want your business to show front and center when someone is Googling “home remodeling companies in Austin, TX” – Google Ads is the fastest and most targeted way to achieve this.
Many businesses will find the return on investment of PPC is far more profitable when comparing SEO vs. Google Ads.
Google Ads Advantages and Disadvantages
With Google Ads, businesses bid on specific keywords and pay only when a user clicks on their ad.
The biggest advantage to Google Ads is they provide almost instant results. Within minutes of your ads being set up and approved, your business could begin to show up on Google’s search results, generating immediate traffic to your website.
Google Ads also offers a higher degree of control over your ad targeting letting you reach highly specific audiences based on factors such as location, demographics, and search activity.
But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine for Google Ads. There are some drawbacks too.
For one, it can be expensive, especially if you’re in a highly competitive industry where the cost-per-click (CPC) for popular keywords is pricey.
Additionally, setting up an effective Google Ads strategy can be quite technical.
99% of accounts I’ve audited I’ve uncovered significant wasted ad spend due to mistakes in the setup and/or campaign strategy.
Related Post: 6 Common & Costly Mistakes You’re Probably Making with Google Ads
3 Big Considerations When Deciding Between SEO vs. Google Ads
When deciding between SEO and Google Ads for your small business marketing strategy, there are three important factors business owners should think about: the cost, level of control, and level of effort involved to make an informed decision.
1 – Cost
While both SEO and Google Ads can be effective strategies, they differ in their cost structure.
SEO is a long-term play, which means it can take months or even years to see results. Google Ads, on the other hand, provides more immediate results, but it can also be more expensive.
2 – Level of Control
With Google Ads, you have a high degree of control over ad targeting, allowing you to reach highly specific audiences based on factors such as location, demographics, and search activity.
The level of control with SEO is limited. While you can optimize your website and content to target specific keywords and phrases, you can’t control exactly who sees your website in search results. This means small business owners need to be strategic about the keywords they target with their SEO efforts.
3 – Level of Effort
SEO requires ongoing effort and investment to maintain and improve your rankings in search results. This includes things like consistently creating high-quality content, optimizing your website, and building backlinks.
Google Ads, on the other hand, requires less ongoing effort, but it does require more upfront work to set up and optimize your campaigns.
Both SEO and Google Ads require a high level of expertise to implement effectively. Consider carefully whether or not you have the expertise required. And if not, do you want it?
If it makes more sense to outsource it, my Google Ads VIP Day takes care of all the heavy lifting of Google Ads and provides just enough knowledge to help you control costs.
SEO vs. Google Ads So Which Should You Choose for Small Business Marketing?
The answer is… it depends!
I know, I know. The answer we all hate.
But it’s the honest truth. There are still plenty of toxic bro marketers that will pin SEO and Google Ads against each other.
In reality, Google Ads and SEO are complementary to each other. Think of them like first cousins, closely related – yet different.
Insights gained using one or the other can be quite valuable when used to support the other strategy. I sit in the camp of marketers who believe in using data to make decisions and improve performance. For you.
Gone are the days (or should be) when we had to declare one better than the other. Both are valuable tools to get your business in front of your target customers.
Remember to consider your budget, time, goals and expertise when evaluating your options.
If you need some help talking through it, or just want a 2nd opinion, fill out my contact form and I’d be happy to help. If you’d rather jump on a quick call I’d love to connect.
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