Google Ads or SEO first?
Owners ask us this on a lot of first calls, and our answer depends on how soon you need the phone to ring. Ads can bring calls soon after they go live. SEO takes months to build, but what you build keeps working after you stop paying for it.
How they differ
| Google Ads | SEO and AI SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| When it can work | Soon after launch | Over months |
| You pay for | Clicks, paid to Google | The work |
| When you stop | The ads stop | What you built keeps working |
| Best for | Calls now, testing offers | Long term free visits |
Start with ads if
- You need calls soon.
- You want to learn which services and areas bring the best leads.
- Your website already makes it easy to call or book you (see what your website needs before you run ads).
Start with SEO if
- You can wait a few months.
- Your budget is tight and you would rather build something lasting.
- Your Google profile and website need fixing first anyway.
Why we often run both
Ads show us the exact words people type before they call. Those words tell us which pages to write. Over time, those pages and a complete Google profile bring in visits you don’t pay for one click at a time, and you can lean less on ads.
Before you spend anything on ads
Get tracking in place first, so you know which calls and forms the ads brought in; why Google Ads get clicks but no calls shows what happens without it. Make sure you own the ad account, which is one of the questions to ask before hiring for Google Ads or SEO. Then send each ad to the page for the service people searched, rather than your home page. Our post on your first month of Google Ads walks through what happens after launch.
Questions
How much should I spend on Google Ads?
There’s no single right number. It depends on your market and what a new customer is worth to you. We’d start with an amount you’re comfortable testing for a few weeks, then look at what each lead cost.
How long until SEO works?
It usually takes months, and because it depends on your site, your competition and how much work goes in, we don’t give dates.
Can one company do both?
Yes, we run both, along with your website and Google profile, as Meridian Presence.
Still not sure where to start? Book a call and tell us how soon you need calls. You can also see how we run Google Ads and SEO and AI SEO.