SEO & Paid Search Ads: Why They Work Better Together
In today’s digital-first world, every business or service must be aware of the question: what are our customers searching for, and where do they search the most? Search engines like Google have become the main sources for users looking for products, services, or information. To reach your customers effectively, two of the most powerful strategies are SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and paid search ads (PPC/SEM).
Many digital marketers face this doubt: Which is better, SEO or paid search ads? The answer is very simple: you don’t have to make a single choice. When you use SEO and paid search ads create a great impact in maximizing visibility, driving more website traffic, and boosting conversions and customers for your business.
What Is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the best way to improve your website’s visibility; it makes your business website rank higher in search results, organically (unpaid). It involves optimizing your site’s content, structure, and authority so search engines identify it as relevant and trustworthy. It helps your business with Long-term visibility, consistent website users, and credibility with your audience.
Example: think if you run a bakery, and when you optimise your site for “best cupcakes near me,” your website could appear in Google’s organic results when people search for that phrase.
What Are Paid Search Ads?
Paid search ads, also known as PPC (Pay-Per-Click) ads, are paid placements that appear at the top or bottom of search engine results. Advertisers bid on keywords, and when users search for those terms, the ads appear instantly. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Example: That same bakery could run a paid ad for “cupcake delivery,” ensuring it appears at the very top of Google even above organic listings.
7 Benefits of SEO & Paid Search Ads
1. Maximum Search Visibility
By appearing in both organic and paid listings, your brand automatically appears in high search results. This increases the chances of attracting the maximum number of clicks and customers. Even if a user skips over one, they may engage with the other. The dual presence also signals credibility and authority and helps you to stand out from your competitors.
Tip:
- Run branded paid ads even if you rank #1 organically.
- Target the same keywords in both SEO and PPC to dominate search results.
Example:
If you are running A steel manufacturer industry using SEO, you rank organically for your keyword “custom steel fabrication services.” At the same time, if you run a paid ad for the same keyword. When a buyer searches, the manufacturer’s brand appears twice on the results page, both paid and organic, making them more likely to win the click over competitors.
2. Faster Insights for Smarter SEO
Paid ads provide real-time performance data such as keyword click-through rates (CTR), conversions, and user behaviour. This is very valuable for your business growth why because SEO results often take months to provide performance data, while PPC campaigns give them instantly. By analysing ad performance, you can manage your SEO strategy to focus on what truly works.
Tips:
- Test multiple ad headlines and CTAs in PPC before using them in SEO titles and descriptions.
- Analyse high-performing paid keywords and integrate them into your SEO strategy.
Example:
A travel agency tested PPC ads with relevant keywords like “budget Europe tours” and “luxury Europe tours.” Within two weeks, they saw that “budget Europe tours” drove far more clicks and conversions. They used this insight to optimise their SEO content around budget-friendly travel, instead of waiting months to discover it organically.
3. Increase Click-Through Rates (CTR)
A Study states that when both an ad and an organic result from the same brand appear on a search page, CTR will increase significantly. When users witness your brand multiple times and automatically believe it is more trustworthy, it makes them more likely to click.
Tip:
- Add a strong CTA (like “Get a Free Quote” or “Shop Now”) in both
- Align messaging between SEO meta descriptions and PPC ad copy for consistency.
Example:
If a clothing brand runs a PPC ad by saying “Shop Sustainable Jeans with Free Shipping Today,” while its SEO result highlights “Eco-Friendly Jeans with Free Shipping,” Seeing the same message for a brand twice builds trust and attracts more users.
4. Stronger Brand Protection
Competitors can (and often do) bid on your brand name in paid search ads. If you’re not running ads, there are a lot of possibilities to steal your website traffic even if you rank #1 organically. Running both SEO and branded paid ads ensures your brand dominates results, protecting your reputation and audience.
Tip:
- Always run low-cost branded campaigns to defend your brand name
- CPC for branded keywords is usually much lower than for non-branded terms.
Example:
If you own the hotel brand Marrito, competitors like Booking.com may display advertisements under your brand when someone searches for “Marrito New York booking.” Their ad might get the booking even if you rank #1 naturally. Travellers will come to you directly if you run your own branded advertisements.
5. Better Audience Targeting
SEO helps you to reach a wide audience. Paid search, however, lets you target very specific audiences based on their:
- Demographics (age, gender, income level)
- Device type (desktop vs. mobile)
- and time of day
Together, this ensures you capture both general interest and high-intent buyers at the right time.
Example:
A local dentist can use SEO to drive organic traffic by using relevant keywords such as “teeth whitening tips” while running paid ads targeting nearby users searching for “emergency dentist near me.”
6. Balanced Short-Term & Long-Term ROI
Paid search advertisements offer instant exposure, traffic, and conversions, but as soon as you stop investing, the results will decrease. Contrastingly, SEO takes longer to develop but builds over time, generating steady, long-term traffic without requiring continuous advertising expenditures.
By using both, a balance is achieved: while SEO fosters long-term growth, advertisements offer immediate visibility. To quickly create leads, start with paid advertisements. As organic ranks rise, gradually adjust your budget to reduce expenses and increase long-term return on investment.
Tip:
- Start with paid ads to generate leads immediately
- As your organic rankings improve, you can gradually reduce spend on costly paid keywords.
Example:
If you are running a new shoe brand, as a newbie, you have to launch Google Ads using terms like “buy running shoes online” to get instant sales. At the same time, you can build SEO by optimising product pages and writing blogs like “how to choose the best running shoes.” As your site starts ranking on Google, it reduces spending on expensive ads and relies more on organic traffic for your long-term growth.
7. Stronger Conversion Opportunities
SEO builds awareness and credibility, while paid ads provide precise targeting and remarketing opportunities. For example, a user finds your blog through SEO, then later sees a remarketing ad, and there is a wide possibility to change their mind to return to purchase. Together was an efficient strategy to keep your brand top-of-mind from first search to final conversion.
Tip:
- Use remarketing ads to bring back your visitors who didn’t convert into customers.
- Create SEO-friendly landing pages optimised for conversions from paid ads.
Example:
An online clothing store writes SEO blog posts like “How to style summer dresses.” Later, they run remarketing ads to visitors who viewed the blog, showing them actual products to purchase.
Conclusion
Start by balancing paid ads for instant visibility with SEO for sustainable growth; this way, you will protect your brand, drive consistent traffic, and convert more customers. At NG Web Technologies, we provide the right mix of strategies to help your business grow stronger every day. We’ve helped many businesses to achieve real results like increasing website traffic, getting more conversions and customers with this strategy. If you are looking for the same results for your business then reach out today to book your consultation.
