When it comes to digital marketing, Google Ads is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. But what if you’re already working on your SEO project? Is it a good idea to run Google Ads alongside SEO efforts? In this article, we’ll dive into whether running
Google Ads during an SEO project is advisable, the benefits and drawbacks, and when it makes sense to lean on one over the other.
Google Ads and SEO: A Perfect Pair?
Staring a new SEO project, you’re likely focusing on boosting organic traffic to your website. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is all about improving your site’s visibility on search engines, usually Google, without spending money directly on ads. But, what if you could accelerate results with Google Ads?
PPC offers immediate results, while SEO, although long-lasting, takes time to build momentum. So, the question becomes: Is running Google Ads during an SEO project a good strategy?
To put it simply: Yes, but with some caveats.
Running Ads and SEO simultaneously can work wonders for your business, provided it aligns with your goals. Many businesses run ads while working on their SEO to fill in the gaps and drive more traffic instantly. Let’s look at some pros and cons to make sure you’re making the right choice.
The Benefits of Running Google Ads During an SEO Project
Immediate Traffic Boost
The main reason businesses run PPC while working on SEO is for instant visibility. SEO efforts typically take time – anywhere from a few months to a year – before you begin seeing significant results. With Ads, you get to skip this waiting period.
For example, when you launch an ad campaign targeting specific keywords, your ads can appear on Google within minutes. This instant traffic can be especially beneficial during the early stages of your SEO campaign, when you’re trying to generate interest and build momentum.
Imagine you just launched a blog or a new product on your e-commerce website, but you’re waiting for SEO results. With PPC , you can generate immediate visibility for the new product, gain visitors to your site, and create an early buzz.
Brand Visibility
Running PPC can greatly enhance your brand’s visibility even if you’re still working on ranking for competitive keywords. Think about how many people use Google to search daily — the potential for your business to be seen by relevant customers is tremendous.
The great part? With PPC , you don’t have to wait for top rankings. By bidding on specific keywords, you instantly show up at the top of Google search results. Even if your SEO campaign takes time to get you on that first page, Ads can help you build recognition and brand presence in the meantime.
Complementing SEO Results
Combining PPC and SEO can allow you to appear in multiple spots on the search engine results page (SERP). Typically, these are the paid search ads at the top of the page and the organic listings beneath them.
If you manage to appear in both places, that increases your chances of getting noticed and clicking through. In fact, when both paid and organic results show up, the click-through rate (CTR) for both increases substantially.
For example, if your brand appears organically for a specific search query and also shows an ad, the user sees your website twice in one search. This added visibility can give you a significant edge over competitors and improve your chances of converting visitors into customers.
Improved Conversion Tracking
With Google Ads, you can easily track conversions and gauge the success of your ads and landing pages in real-time. This data is extremely valuable because it provides immediate insights into how well your ads and pages are performing.
SEO results, on the other hand, take time to measure accurately because search rankings aren’t updated every hour, and it’s harder to track conversions directly tied to organic traffic. Running PPC lets you measure your efforts, make adjustments, and get real-time feedback to inform your SEO strategy.
The Disadvantages of Running Google Ads During an SEO Project
Cost Can Add Up Quickly
One of the major downsides of running Google Ads is that it can be expensive. Bidding on competitive keywords can get pricey, especially if you’re targeting high-volume terms. If you don’t optimize your ad campaigns properly, you might end up wasting money on clicks that don’t convert.
Starting an SEO campaign, the additional advertising costs can strain your budget, especially if your primary focus is to improve your organic rankings. If you’re trying to save money and play the long game with SEO, then running ads continuously may not be sustainable in the long term.
Over-Reliance on Paid Traffic
Another disadvantage of running Google Ads in conjunction with an SEO project is that it might result in over-reliance on paid traffic.
While ads can drive quick visitors to your site, the reality is that organic traffic via SEO is free.
Without a solid SEO strategy, you may end up spending on ads even if you don’t have the resources to manage them effectively.
Long-term reliance on paid ads rather than focusing on improving your organic search presence can be detrimental to your brand’s bottom line, especially once you turn off ads and stop seeing that traffic influx.
It Can Distract from Focused SEO Efforts
SEO projects can be complex and time-consuming. If you’re running both SEO campaigns and Google Ads simultaneously, there’s a risk of dividing your attention. Juggling between the two can make it harder to track key SEO metrics like keyword rankings, backlinks, and page speed, especially if you don’t have dedicated resources to manage both.
This split attention could slow down the effectiveness of your SEO efforts if you’re not careful. It’s important to maintain a strong focus on optimizing your website, creating high-quality content, and building organic backlinks even while running ads.
How Long Should You Run Google Ads During an SEO Project?
So, how long should you continue running Google Ads while working on SEO?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but generally, you’ll want to continue running Google Ads until you see tangible results from your SEO efforts. This could take anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on the competitiveness of your industry, the quality of your website’s content, and the keywords you’re targeting.
As soon as you start noticing that your organic traffic is rising and your SEO rankings are improving, you can start scaling back your Google Ads and allocating resources back into more sustainable SEO tactics.
An Ideal Timeline for Google Ads and SEO
- Start with Google Ads: When you first launch an SEO project, begin by running Google Ads for immediate visibility. Focus on non-competitive keywords related to your product or service.
- Pause or Decrease Ads as Rankings Improve: After 3-6 months, you’ll likely begin seeing initial SEO progress. You can then begin lowering your Google Ads spend or pause it entirely as your organic traffic grows.
- Continually Monitor and Optimize: While working on SEO, keep optimizing your website, adding fresh content, building links, and improving page speed. These efforts, in the long run, will generate better organic results.
Combining Google Ads and SEO: A Winning Strategy
Both Google Ads and SEO have their place in the digital marketing world, and when used together, they complement each other perfectly.
If you have the budget, running ads while working on your SEO can deliver short-term gains while securing your future organic traffic.
Real-World Example: SEO and Google Ads Success
Let’s take a quick look at an example of how combining Google Ads with SEO helped a real company:
A digital marketing agency in the fitness industry ran PPC while working on their SEO strategy. While they invested in the ads initially, their SEO efforts took time to start yielding results. By using ads, the business built brand awareness and generated leads, which then helped support long-term SEO goals. Six months into the campaign, their organic search rankings started improving, allowing the business to reduce the reliance on PPC .
Some Stats
According to recent studies, 46% of businesses use both SEO and PPC (Google Ads) simultaneously for their marketing efforts. Moreover, marketers who combine SEO and Google Ads see an average 50% higher return on investment (ROI) than those
focusing on one or the other.
Conclusion: Should You Run Google Ads During SEO?
In conclusion, running Google Ads during your SEO project can provide several advantages, including fast traffic, brand visibility, and useful data for optimization.
However, it’s essential not to let your reliance on paid advertising distract you from the long-term goal: achieving organic rankings.
Consider balancing both strategies. Begin with Google Ads for quick wins, then gradually phase it out as your SEO results mature and your website starts pulling in free organic traffic.
Do what works for your business. Use Google Ads to supplement your SEO efforts, and as soon as the organic traffic increases and stabilizes, reduce your ad spend.
Key Takeaway: The synergy of SEO and Ads can work wonders — it’s just about getting the balance right for your unique goals.
