Here’s the conversation I have with business owners almost every week: “We need more customers online, but honestly, I’m confused about whether to spend money on SEO or Google Ads.”
Fair question. And if I’m being honest, it’s one of those decisions that can make or break your marketing budget. Get it right? You’re looking at steady growth and customers who actually convert. Get it wrong? Well, let’s just say I’ve seen businesses burn through their entire marketing budget in three months with nothing to show for it.
The thing is, there’s no cookie-cutter answer here. But what I can share is how we typically help businesses think through this decision and why the answer might not be what you expect.
Understanding SEO: The Long Game That Actually Pays Off
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is basically the art and science of getting your website to show up when people search for what you sell. No ads. No paying per click. Just your website appearing naturally in search results.
Now, I should probably mention something here. SEO isn’t magic, despite what some agencies might tell you.
How We Actually Approach SEO
Over the years, we’ve found that SEO really comes down to three things that matter:
On-Page Stuff: This means figuring out what your customers are actually searching for (not what you think they’re searching for), then creating content that genuinely helps them. Plus making sure your website doesn’t make people want to immediately hit the back button.
Building Authority: Getting other reputable websites to link to yours. Sounds simple. It’s not. This usually takes genuine relationship building and creating content that’s actually worth linking to, not just asking nicely in cold emails.
Technical Foundation: Your website needs to work. Fast loading times, mobile-friendly design, and structure that search engines can understand. I’ve seen beautiful websites that Google basically ignores because they’re technical nightmares.
Why People Love SEO (When It Works)
- It compounds over time. Unlike ads, where you stop paying and traffic disappears, good SEO can generate leads for years
- People trust it more. Most users skip right past ads to click on organic results
- The ROI can be incredible. We’ve seen clients get $20+ back for every dollar spent on SEO, though that typically takes 8-12 months to materialize
- Works while you sleep. Your optimized content is generating leads at 2 AM when you’re not even thinking about marketing
The Reality Check About SEO
Let me be straight with you: SEO tests your patience. Most businesses start seeing real movement around month 4-6. Significant results? Usually 8-12 months, sometimes longer in competitive industries.
Also, it’s not “set it and forget it.” Google changes things constantly. Your competitors are trying to outrank you. It requires ongoing attention, or your rankings will likely decline over time.
PPC: When You Need Results Yesterday
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is essentially buying your way to the top of search results. Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads – you pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
Why PPC Appeals to Business Owners
- Instant gratification. Set up a campaign this morning, get website visitors this afternoon
- You control exactly who sees your ads. Target by location, age, interests, even what device they’re using
- Perfect for testing. Want to see if people will buy your new product? Run ads for a week and find out
- Easy to measure. You’ll know exactly how much you spent and what you got for it
The PPC Reality That Nobody Talks About
Here’s what I wish more business owners understood about PPC: it can get expensive, fast. Especially in competitive industries where a single click might cost $15, $30, or even $50+.
Plus, the moment you stop spending, your traffic stops. Completely. I’ve seen businesses become dependent on PPC, then panic when they need to cut their ad budget.
And honestly? Most businesses waste a lot of money on PPC in the beginning. Poor keyword choices, badly written ads, sending traffic to pages that don’t convert. It’s more complex than it appears on the surface.
The Side-by-Side Reality Check
| Factor | SEO | PPC |
|---|---|---|
| How quickly you’ll see results | 4-12 months for meaningful traffic | Hours to days |
| What it actually costs | Higher upfront, much lower ongoing | Continuous spending required |
| What happens if you stop | Traffic usually maintains (with some decline) | Traffic stops immediately |
| How much people trust it | High—users prefer organic results | Lower—people know it’s an ad |
| Long-term ROI potential | Can be exceptional (15-25x returns) | Good short-term, expensive long-term |
| Best for | Sustainable growth, brand building | Quick wins, testing, promotions |
A Real Example (Because Generic Examples Are Useless)
One of our clients sells traditional handicrafts online—mostly to tourists and expats in Nepal, but also internationally. When they came to us, they had a decent website but almost no traffic.
Months 1-3: We launched Google Ads targeting their main products. Within two weeks, they went from maybe 2-3 orders per week to 8-12 orders daily. But they were spending about 35% of their revenue on ads.
Months 3-6: While keeping the ads running, we started working on SEO. Created detailed product descriptions, added a blog about Nepali craftsmanship, optimized for terms like “authentic handmade crafts from Nepal.” Slowly, organic traffic started picking up.
Month 8: Something interesting happened. Organic search started driving about 30% of their sales. We could reduce ad spending without losing overall revenue.
Today (18 months later): About 60% of their sales come from organic search, 25% from paid ads (much more targeted now), and 15% from social media and referrals. Their cost per sale dropped by more than half.
But here’s what’s worth noting: without those initial PPC campaigns, they might have given up before SEO had time to work. The immediate revenue helped them stay patient with the longer-term strategy.
So Which Should You Choose?
Honestly, it depends on your specific situation. But here’s how I usually help clients think through it:
Go with SEO if…
- You can wait 6+ months for significant results
- You want to build something that lasts
- Your industry has consistent, year-round demand
- You’d rather invest heavily upfront than pay continuously
- You’re okay with uncertainty in the early months
Start with PPC if…
- You need revenue in the next 30-60 days
- You’re testing a new market or product
- You have time-sensitive offers or seasonal products
- You want to gather data quickly before committing to SEO
- You have a reasonable ongoing advertising budget
The Combination Approach (What We Usually Recommend)
Most successful businesses don’t choose one or the other. They use both, but strategically.
Phase 1: Start with targeted PPC campaigns. Get immediate visibility, start generating revenue, and gather valuable data about what keywords and messages work.
Phase 2: Use insights from PPC to inform SEO strategy. Which keywords convert best? What ad copy gets the most clicks? What landing pages perform well?
Phase 3: As SEO starts producing results, gradually shift budget toward longer-term strategies while maintaining PPC for your highest-converting commercial keywords.
The key word here is “gradually.” I’ve seen businesses cut their PPC spending too aggressively when SEO starts working, then panic when organic traffic fluctuates (which it does).
Questions That Might Help You Decide
Before you choose a strategy, consider these:
Timeline pressure: Do you need results next month or can you wait until next year?
Budget structure: Can you invest $3,000-5,000 upfront for SEO, or do you need to spread costs monthly with PPC?
Risk tolerance: Are you comfortable with the uncertainty of SEO timelines, or do you need the predictability of paid advertising?
Competition level: In highly competitive industries, you might need both strategies just to compete effectively.
Business model: Are you selling products that people research extensively (better for SEO) or making impulse purchases (potentially better for PPC)?
The Bottom Line (And Why It’s Not That Simple)
SEO and PPC aren’t competitors—they’re tools that solve different problems.
PPC gets you in the game quickly. SEO helps you stay in the game long-term. Most businesses that succeed online use both, though the timing and budget allocation varies based on their specific situation.
What I’ve learned after years of doing this is that the businesses that grow consistently are the ones that think strategically about both channels. They use PPC to generate immediate results and gather data, then use that data to build an SEO strategy that reduces their dependence on paid advertising over time.
Still not sure which direction makes sense for your business? I get it—there are a lot of variables to consider. At FixTrail, we work with businesses to figure out the right mix based on their goals, timeline, and budget. Whether you need quick wins through PPC or want to build lasting visibility through SEO, we can help you create a strategy that actually moves the needle.
Feel free to reach out if you want to talk through your specific situation. No generic advice: just a real conversation about what might work for your business.