Guide · Google Ads and SEO

Google Ads vs SEO: which one first?

Both put you in front of people searching for what you sell. They differ in how you pay, how fast they move and what you're left with when you stop.

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The short answer

If you need enquiries soon, start with Google Ads. If you can wait and want enquiries that don't cost per click, invest in search engine optimisation (SEO). Most businesses that can afford it end up running both, because each covers the other's weak spot.

Side by side

How they compare.

	Google Ads	SEO
How you pay	Per click, plus management. You set the budget.	For the work. Nothing per click.
How fast	Ads can show as soon as a campaign is approved.	Builds gradually, on Google's schedule rather than yours.
When you stop	Enquiries stop when the budget does.	Rankings fade slowly rather than switching off.
Control	You choose the searches, suburbs, hours and budget.	You influence rankings; Google decides them.
Where you appear	The sponsored results at the top of the page.	The organic results and the map results.
Best for	Urgent services, testing demand, filling a gap quickly.	Long-term enquiries and a lower cost per enquiry over time.

Choosing

Which one suits you.

Start with Google Ads if

✓You need enquiries soon. Ads are the quickest way onto the first page for the searches that matter.
✓Your work is urgent. Emergency and same-day searches are won by whoever shows up first, right now.
✓You want to test demand. Running ads shows you which searches actually turn into enquiries.
✓You're new. A new website takes time to earn organic rankings; ads don't have to wait.

Start with SEO if

✓You can wait for results. SEO suits a business with steady work now that wants a better pipeline later.
✓Clicks in your industry are dear. Where a single click costs a lot, organic visits that don't charge per click matter more.
✓Customers research before buying. Longer decisions, like choosing a builder or a lawyer, involve a lot of searching, and organic results carry trust.
✓You serve a local area. The map results sit near the top for local searches and reward a well-run profile.

Why most end up with both

They work better together.

Ads bring enquiries in while SEO builds, so there's no gap to sit through. The search data from ads shows which searches turn into paying customers, which tells the SEO work what to go after. And as organic rankings grow, you can pull ad spend back from the searches you now win for free.

Showing in both the paid and organic results for the same search also takes up more of the page, and leaves less room for competitors.

If you're weighing up one of them on its own, we've covered each in more depth: is SEO worth it? and is Google Ads worth it?

Real results · Google Ads

What a rebuilt account did for a law firm.

$10.21

Cost per enquiry

Monthly enquiries

+137%

Conversion rate lift

A boutique law firm in Darwin that had been running Google Ads for two years without much to show for it. It's on a retainer that includes SEO, though these figures are from Google Ads. Measured Jul 1 to Jul 31, 2026. Results vary. Read the case study.

Common questions

Google Ads vs SEO questions.

Is SEO cheaper than Google Ads?

Not always at the start, because SEO costs money before it produces much. Over time, organic enquiries usually cost less, because there's no charge per click. Which is cheaper for you depends on your industry, your area and how long you're prepared to wait.

Does running Google Ads help my SEO?

Not directly. Google keeps its ads and organic results separate, so paying for ads doesn't lift your organic rankings. What ads do give you is data on which searches turn into customers, which is useful for SEO.

Can I appear in both the ads and the organic results?

Yes. Ranking organically for a search doesn't stop your ad showing for it too, and appearing in both takes up more of the page.

How much should I spend on Google Ads?

It depends on three things: where you are, who you're up against and how well the account is set up. A click in a capital city can cost several times what the same click costs in a regional town, and a well-built account wins far more enquiries from the same budget. We give you a real number in the free marketing review, based on your business, rather than a range that won't fit it.

What about Facebook and Instagram ads?

They do a different job. Google Ads and SEO reach people already searching for what you sell. Meta ads reach people who aren't searching yet, which suits building awareness and products people don't know to look for. See Meta Ads management.

Which is better for tradies?

Most tradies benefit from both: ads for urgent and high-value jobs, and local SEO for the steady work from the map results. We've written about each for trades in Google Ads for tradies and SEO for tradies.

More guides

Is SEO worth it?Is Google Ads worth it?All free tools and guides

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Not sure which one to start with?

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Written by Lochie Burgdorf, Co-Founder, CLIQE. Last updated 21 September 2026.