SEO vs. Google Ads: Which Strategy Will Drive More Sales?

When was the last time you clicked to page two of Google? Probably not recently — and you’re not alone. 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. If your business isn’t showing up at the top, you’re virtually invisible to most of your potential customers.

SEO and Google Ads are both effective ways to help you get there, but they work quite differently. In this article, we’ll explore how each one functions, their pros and cons, and which strategy might be right for your goals.

• How Does SEO Work?
• What Can You Achieve With SEO?
• How Do Google Ads Work?
• What Can You Achieve With Google Ads?
• What Is the Difference Between SEO and PPC?
• Google Ads vs. SEO — Which Works Better for Your Business?
• Wrapping Up

How Does SEO Work?

When people want to find a product, service, or answer online, they turn to search engines — and that's where SEO comes in. The main objective of search engine optimization is to improve your website’s visibility in unpaid search results. This means showing up organically when potential customers look up terms related to your business on Google, Bing, and other platforms.

Say someone types “best analytics tools” into the search bar. The first few results are ads, but right below them? That’s where the organic listings live — and where every business wants to be. Why? Because those spots get tons of clicks, and the best part is, you don’t pay for them.

Google SERP

To succeed with SEO today, it’s essential to take a well-rounded approach that includes:

• Keyword research to understand what your audience is searching for.
• On-page optimization to align your content with search intent.
• Content creation that addresses user needs and builds topical relevance.
• Technical SEO to ensure your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and easily crawlable.
• Link building to signal credibility and authority through quality backlinks.
  

To rank highly in search results, your site needs to meet Google’s E-E-A-T criteria: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This means showing real-world experience, expert knowledge, credible authority, and reliability to both users and search engines.

Here’s an example of how to maintain strong E-E-A-T: If you’re writing about a topic, especially in fields like health, finance, or legal, include personal or professional experience to back up your content. For instance, a financial advisor sharing insights from years of managing clients’ portfolios demonstrates real-world experience.

In short, unlike paid advertising, search engine optimization focuses on earning traffic naturally — by providing value, relevance, and authority that search engines reward.

What Can You Achieve With SEO?

A well-executed SEO strategy can delivers substantial and lasting benefits to your business. Here's what you can gain:

• Increased organic traffic. Organic marketing helps your website rank higher on search engine results pages for relevant queries. The higher your position, the more likely users are to click through to your site. Studies show that the first result on Google captures nearly 28% of all clicks.
• Long-term results. Unlike paid campaigns that stop the moment you pause your budget, SEO delivers long-term value. Once you establish strong rankings, ongoing optimization and content updates help maintain your position. It's a strategic investment that compounds over time.
• Cost efficiency. You don’t pay for each click or impression, which significantly lowers customer acquisition costs over time. While SEO does require an upfront investment (time, tools, or hiring experts), the ongoing cost per lead can be far lower than paid ads.
• Enhanced credibility. Ranking organically signals to users that your business is reputable and authoritative. In fact, a 2025 survey revealed that 49% of Americans trust organic search results more than paid ones, while only 5% trust paid results more.
• Better user experience. Modern non-paid search strategy isn’t just about keywords. Google’s algorithms prioritize user experience — including page speed, mobile-friendliness, and high-quality content. As a result, optimizing for SEO naturally improves the usability and structure of your website, increasing the chances of conversion.

At its core, SEO is about creating a stronger, more discoverable, and more user-friendly website. It isn't a quick win, but the rewards are worth the effort.

How Do Google Ads Work?

Google Ads is a PPC advertising platform that gives you access to billions of users across Google’s ecosystem. Whether someone’s searching on Google, watching videos on YouTube, or browsing their favorite sites, your ads can appear exactly where your audience is. You only pay when someone actually clicks — that’s why it’s called pay-per-click advertising.

There are several types of Google Ads campaigns, including:

• Search ads: Text-based ads triggered by keyword searches on Google.
• Display ads: Visual ads shown on websites within Google’s Display Network (over 2 million websites, videos, and apps).
• Shopping ads: Product-based ads that appear in Google Shopping and search results.
• Video ads: Ads displayed on YouTube before or during videos.
• Local ads: Promote nearby services or physical store locations.
• Performance Max Campaigns: AI-driven campaigns that optimize ad delivery across all Google channels — Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps.

Search ads are the most common type of paid advertising. They appear on search engine results pages, like the example below:

Google Search ad

In essence, Google Ads helps you reach your audience exactly when they’re searching, browsing, or watching — and you only pay when they engage. With the right campaign setup, you can start seeing results quickly — and adjust as you go based on real-time data.

What Can You Achieve With Google Ads?

With Google Ads, your business can unlock a range of powerful outcomes. Here’s what’s possible:

• Achieve instant visibility. Ads appear at the top of search results and other placements almost immediately after your campaign is live.
• Reach the right audience. Google Ads allows you to define your audience with precision — targeting users based on location, device, interests, demographics, keywords, and even past behavior.
• Scale as you grow. You can start with a small budget and scale campaigns based on performance and goals.
• Bring back lost opportunities. Retarget potential customers who visited your website but didn't convert — whether they abandoned a shopping cart, browsed certain pages, or simply showed interest in your product or service. For example, website visitors who see retargeted display ads are 70% more likely to make a purchase or take action on the retailer’s site.
• Track and improve performance. With detailed metrics on clicks, conversions, impressions, and more, you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize and improve performance continuously.

Google advertising is a dynamic tool to quickly connect with your ideal customers, maximize your budget, and continuously optimize ad campaigns for the best possible outcomes.

What Is the Difference Between SEO and PPC?

Both SEO and Google Ads help your audience find you — but they do so in very different ways. Here’s a clear comparison to guide your decision:

Think of search optimization like planting a tree — it takes time, care, and patience, but once it takes root, it can grow steadily and provide lasting benefits. Google Ads is more like renting a billboard — you get immediate visibility and results, but only while you're paying for the space.

Google Ads vs. SEO — What’s the Best Strategy to Boost Your Sales?

Is SEO better than PPC, or the other way around?

The truth is, there’s no clear-cut answer. Both strategies have their unique strengths and serve different purposes depending on what you want to achieve, your budget, and how quickly you need results.

Choose Google Ads if:

• You need immediate results or traffic.
• You’re launching a new product, event, or limited-time offer.
• You want full control over your messaging and targeting.

Choose SEO if:

• You’re building a long-term online presence.
• You want to reduce your cost per acquisition over time.
• You aim to earn trust and authority in your niche.

Best approach? Combine both. Running SEO and Google Ads simultaneously increases your chances of dominating the search results page — capturing more attention and clicks from potential customers.

Ultimately, your choice doesn’t have to be either/or. When balanced correctly, SEO and Google Ads complement each other and create a powerful, well-rounded digital marketing strategy.

For reliable, results-driven Google Ads management, Magnetto is the agency you can count on. With over 10 years of PPC experience and more than 1,000 successful ad campaigns, we deliver customized advertising solutions designed to maximize your ROI, increase conversions, and fuel long-term business growth. Contact us today to start driving targeted traffic and achieving your marketing goals with expert Google Ads services.

Wrapping Up

PPC campaigns and organic marketing can complement each other when used together strategically.

SEO helps you build lasting online authority, lower your customer acquisition costs over time, and win the trust of your audience.

Google Ads provides immediate visibility, agile testing capabilities, and measurable ROI for your marketing efforts.

The best approach isn’t SEO vs. Google Ads — it’s knowing how and when to use both.