What is the difference between SEO and Google ads? Or what is the difference between SEO and AdWords?

This is the most common question you want to ask if you have just started in digital marketing. Knowing which is better for your business whether to run Google Ads or SEO can help you to make the right decision and can grow your business easily.

The question looks quite simple but, the answer is far more complex.

Because it's not like 'this' or 'that' kind of answer.

There are a lot of factors that influence the type of marketing strategy that will be suitable for your business.

Read Also: What Is The Best Book About Google Adwords?

Factors like budget, time, product and service pricing, industry types, your present online presence and even competitors have a huge impact on your advertising strategy.

To help you choose the right marketing strategy for your business, in this article, we will outline the difference between SEO and Google Ads as well as the benefits of SEO versus Ad Words.

Let's start with the basics!

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the organic way of getting a website to rank in different search engines for relevant keywords. It covers various on-site and off-site optimizations efforts and brings results in the long-term. SEO is an effective marketing technique to bring new customers to your business.

What are Google Ads?

Google Adwords, another marketing solution, is a form of PPC advertising; it shows an ad on Google that is triggered by a keyword search in Google. Under this marketing effort, you are charged a particular amount every time someone clicks on your advertisement. 

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Difference between SEO and Google Ads

• Search Engines: When you work on AdWords, the campaign can only extend as far as Google and websites that are owned by Google or are using Google AdSense. But SEO strategies are a better option because they and work on all search engines.

• Website Visibility: The impact of Google Ads and SEO plays a major role in Website Visibility. Google Ads works on generating paid traffic that means you pay for each ad placement and each click that the campaign brings. But SEO generates organic traffic that improves the visibility of the website in search results. It is beneficial for long term growth.

• Timing: SEO takes time, even when you are working with full force. It needs patience and vision. While Google Ads brings results instantly, once you create and run paid marketing you start getting traffic. When SEO continues to generate traffic long after the campaign, Google Ads works on a short-term basis.

• ROI: When you work on Google Ads, every time the user clicks on detriment, it costs you. But SEO targets organic traffic that means the user is already searching for a particular product or service. Here, SEO is in a win-win situation every time.

• Result Measurement: To calculate ROI or your campaign results, you have to check through a lot of metrics in SEO. Because there are various elements that work for an SEO campaign. While calculating the result on Google Ads is much easier. Just check your investment and revenue.

• Keyword Target: To get success with SEO, you need to focus on a limited number of keywords. Here, you have to choose and many keywords you have to leave. Google Ad campaigns let you target many keywords, as per your budget and competitiveness of each keyword.

• Result: With Google Ads, the generation of traffic will be in the flow until the Ads campaign runs. Google Ads is very limited to the length of the paid campaign. In SEO, if you work and practise all the strategies properly, it will result in a long-term ad that will generate traffic long after the plan has concluded.                   

 So which is better SEO or Google Adwords?

Overall, the advantages of SEO and Google ads differ on many levels however, both are considered as best marketing solutions to give optimum exposure required for any growing company.

Read Also: Google Ads Certification: A Comprehensive Guidance to be Successful.

We understand you don't want to hear this, but this decision is really up to you. We have given you the idea, now do some research and analyze your business and choose the strategy that will function the best for your business.

Today, almost all companies are using SEO as well as AdWords campaign service for their website to drive quality, potential customers to the website and get the best of both worlds.

Our Suggestion: We suggest you create a balance, invest in SEO to help boost your organic ranking and bring overall improvement on your website. And, use Google Adwords to help boost traffic instantly, get the word out about new offers and make sure your ad shows those competitive keywords.