“Doxa, should I use SEO services or Google Ads first for my business?” This is a common question for those wanting to use Google as one of their digital marketing platforms. I will try to break it down so you can have a better understanding and make the right decision about which strategy suits your business.

Before we start, let’s clarify some terms: Google Adwords and Google Ads are the same thing. Previously, this advertising platform was known as Google Adwords, but in mid-2018, Google rebranded it as Google Ads. In this article, for easier reading, I will refer to Google Search Network (GSN) as Google Ads as well.

I will also use the term SERP in this article. For those who are unfamiliar, SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page, which refers to the search engine results that appear after you enter a query into the system.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the details based on my experience.

Google Ads = Fast, Organic SEO = Long-Lasting

With Google Ads, you only need to set up a campaign, and your ad will appear in less than 30 minutes. On the other hand, with SEO, you need more time. When a new article or page is published on your site, using certain strategies, you may see it in the top 10 of Google results in less than 2 months. However, a new article or page usually stabilizes in the top 10 in 2 to 6 months, and it can take even longer if you’re targeting highly competitive keywords.

Read More: Here are 7 Advantages of Using Google Ads for Business

Google Ads = Broader Reach, SEO = All Pages Are Landing Pages

With Google Ads, you can target thousands of keywords simultaneously for specific pages (landing pages). However, with SEO, every page on your site essentially serves as a landing page, and the more relevant and high-quality pages you have, the larger your potential customer base.

Google Ads = Relatively Easier to Learn, SEO = No Standard Rules, Full of Assumptions

For those of you who want to promote on Google yourself, Google provides a learning platform through the Academy for Ads and even offers certification programs. This is different from SEO, which has no published official rules. Google only provides one SEO guide on its website. To this day, Google has never openly disclosed how the ranking algorithm in the SERP works, and SEO consultants are basically practicing what they believe works at that time. Another challenge is that Google constantly updates its algorithm to better index relevant sites and combat unethical SEO methods (known as BlackHat SEO). You need to be extra careful when using third-party SEO services.

Google Ads is for Promotion, While Organic SEO is for Building Trust

We can sum this up as Selling vs. Branding. This is a fundamental difference. With SEO, you can’t easily change your ad descriptions, but with PPC, this is very easy to do. Therefore, the primary goal of SEO is more focused on long-term branding, while with Google Ads, your focus is on short-term selling or quickly reaching new potential customers (awareness). Statistically, conversions from organic (SEO) visits…

Which is Cheaper or More Expensive?

Many people choose to use SEO because getting into the top 10 is free, whereas Google Ads requires a budget. However, this isn’t entirely true because with SEO, you still incur costs, such as for SEO services, article writing, proxies, software, and more. Even if you handle the entire SEO campaign yourself, you still pay “costs” in the form of time and article creation. SEO practitioners need to consistently optimize the site using certain techniques (and subscribe to specific tools) until your site starts “climbing” to the top 10.

How Google Ads and SEO Can Help Each Other

Google Ads can help you test your site’s performance. This is especially useful when launching a new site, where you need data to understand how it’s performing. Google Ads can assist with that without waiting for months for organic traffic.

Google Ads can also help you find relevant keywords on your site through campaigns like “Dynamic Search Ads,” where Google’s machine tries to identify relevant keywords from searches that match your site.

SEO can also assist in identifying keywords you can promote, which can then be reported on Google Ads.

Appear in Ads, Appear in Organic, or Both?

It’s all about probability on the SERP…

If you’re looking for a simple answer about which method your business should choose, my answer is “try both” because each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the goal is the same: to “capture” (fill) the screen of your potential customers with information about your business. The idea is simple: the more you fill their screen with your business’s information, the more they will become familiar with you.

If you only use SEO, the potential chance of getting a visit is 1/10 (10%) since Google typically shows only the top 10 search results. However, with Google Ads, you increase that ratio. If the keyword you choose is not competitive, your ratio can be 2/11 (18%), and even with all Google Ads features like Site Links, the ratio can be much higher. Imagine if this were a smartphone screen, which is much smaller, your information could appear much more prominently.

So, what do you think? Do you prefer SEO or Google Ads?

If you need Google Ads/PPC or SEO services for your business, feel free to contact us at 021-5324093/94 or email info@doxadigital.com. Our sales team will contact you soon. We offer free consultations and will conduct live research at your office. If you’re outside the Jabodetabek area, we can conduct an online conference directly.

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