SEO or Search Engine Optimization involves optimizing a website to rank higher in organic (unpaid) search engine results, like on Google, to attract traffic through relevant keywords and content.

Meanwhile, PPC or Pay-Per-Click involves running paid ads, where businesses pay for each click on their ads, typically through platforms like Google Ads or social media (e.g., Facebook Ads). Both are highly effective for increasing visibility, driving website traffic, and generating leads or sales.

But too often, businesses treat them as separate and competing strategies.

Many businesses view SEO and PPC as unrelated strategies or prioritize one over the other, believing they serve the same purpose in different ways. For example, some may focus solely on SEO to save costs, ignoring PPC, or rely heavily on PPC for quick results without investing in long-term SEO.

This mindset overlooks how the two can complement each other to maximize results.

In reality, SEO and paid ads are most effective when used together. Treating them as separate or competing limits their potential synergy, as data from PPC campaigns (e.g., high-performing keywords) can enhance SEO efforts, and strong SEO can reduce reliance on paid ads over time.

Each has strengths and limitations, but when integrated strategically, they can create a powerful synergy that boosts visibility, ROI, and long-term growth.

This article explains the difference between SEO and paid ads, why both are necessary in a marketing strategy, and how to implement them simultaneously.

Let’s get started!

The Core Differences Between SEO and Paid Ads

Before understanding the value of using both, it’s crucial to differentiate the two:

Why You Should Use Both SEO and Paid Ads

1. Maximize Visibility on SERPs

Appearing in both organic and paid results dramatically increases visibility. A study by Google found that when a site has both a paid ad and an organic listing, the click-through rate (CTR) can increase by 89% compared to having just one or the other.

The more of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) occupied, the less room is available for competitors.

Learn more: 7 SEO Mistakes You Should Avoid for Better Rankings

2. Compensate for SEO’s Long Timeline

SEO is a long game. It can take months to climb the rankings, especially in competitive industries. Paid ads, on the other hand, offer instant visibility. While the SEO strategy builds momentum, PPC campaigns can generate traffic and conversions immediately.

Best use case: When launching a new product, service, or website, PPC can provide immediate traction while SEO ramps up.

3. Data Synergy: SEO Insights from PPC (and Vice Versa)

Paid ads provide a wealth of real-time data like click-through rates, keyword performance, conversion rates, and more.

These insights can inform an SEO strategy:

• Discover high-converting keywords to target organically.
• Test ad copy to find messaging that resonates, then apply that language in meta descriptions or page content.
• Understand audience behavior, influencing SEO-driven content creation.

Conversely, high-performing SEO pages can be amplified with PPC to further expand reach.

4. Target Users at All Funnel Stages

SEO typically excels in the awareness and consideration stages, where users seek information. Paid ads, with precise targeting and remarketing capabilities, are ideal for bottom-of-the-funnel and conversion-ready users.

SEO in Awareness and Consideration Stages:

• Awareness Stage: This is when potential customers are discovering a problem or need and seeking information. SEO helps websites rank higher in organic search results for relevant keywords, providing valuable content (e.g., blog posts, guides) to educate users.
• Consideration Stage: Users are evaluating solutions or options. SEO continues to perform well by offering in-depth content (e.g., product comparisons, case studies) that helps decision-making.

PPC for Bottom-of-the-Funnel and Conversion-Ready Users:

• Conversion Stage: When users are ready to make a purchase or take action (e.g., sign up, buy a product). PPC is ideal here due to its precise targeting (by demographics, interests, or intent) and remarketing features that re-engage prior visitors.

Full-Funnel Strategy with SEO and PPC:

• Educate (SEO): Provide informative content that attracts and educates users.
• Nurture (SEO + PPC Retargeting): Combine SEO content with PPC retargeting to keep the brand top-of-mind.
• Convert (PPC): Use targeted ads to drive actions such as purchases or sign-ups.

This full-funnel strategy ensures potential customers are engaged at every stage of their journey, reducing the chances of lost opportunities.

5. Improved Brand Credibility and Trust

Organic results tend to inspire more trust, but when a brand appears in both organic and paid listings, its authority is reinforced. It signals legitimacy and establishes strong brand recognition.

6. Dominate Competitive Niches

In highly competitive sectors, organic rankings can be difficult to achieve. Paid ads offer a way to leapfrog competitors while SEO efforts are still maturing. When competitors are bidding on branded keywords or outranking organically, both strategies are necessary to protect the digital presence.

7. Adapt to Algorithm Changes and Ad Costs

SEO is susceptible to algorithm updates that may impact rankings, while PPC is influenced by increasing competition and rising costs. A dual-channel strategy reduces dependence on either channel alone and helps mitigate risk.

8. Support Omnichannel Marketing

Paid ads extend beyond search engines to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube channels where SEO doesn’t operate. Integrating SEO with PPC allows for brand reinforcement across various digital touchpoints.

Continue reading:

• Is It Worth Investing in SEO?
• How Google Ads Can Help Businesses Grow

How to Implement SEO and Paid Ads

Why Combine SEO and PPC?

SEO and PPC serve different purposes but work best when aligned. SEO builds a sustainable foundation for organic traffic by optimizing the website to rank higher in search engine results, like Google, for relevant keywords. It’s cost-effective over time but requires patience.

PPC, on the other hand, delivers instant visibility through paid ads, allowing businesses to target specific audiences with precision.

By combining them, businesses can:

• Reach customers at every stage: SEO educates users early on, while PPC targets those ready to buy.
• Maximize visibility: Appear in both organic and paid search results to dominate the search engine results page (SERP).
• Leverage data: Use PPC insights (e.g., high-performing keywords) to improve SEO, and use SEO’s organic success to reduce long-term ad costs.

Now, let’s learn how to implement SEO and PPC together.

Phase 1: Lay the Foundation (Months 0–1)

The first step is to set up SEO and PPC campaigns, creating a strong base for future growth. Think of this as preparing the soil before planting seeds (SEO) and buying ready-to-eat fruit (PPC) to sustain business in the meantime.

SEO: Build The Organic Foundation

SEO in this phase focuses on setting up a business website for long-term success. The goal is to ensure the site is technically sound and aligned with search engine algorithms. However, don’t expect a traffic surge yet because this phase is about laying the groundwork for organic growth. A strong foundation ensures the site is ready to climb search rankings over time.

What To Do:

• Conduct keyword research:
  • Identify terms the target audience searches for, using tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush.
  • Focus on a mix of broad (e.g., “running shoes”) and long-tail keywords (e.g., “best running shoes for flat feet”).
• Perform a technical SEO audit:
  • Check for issues like slow page speed, broken links, or mobile-unfriendliness.
  • Tools like Screaming Frog or Google’s PageSpeed Insights can help.
• Optimize existing content: Update page titles, meta descriptions, and headers with target keywords to improve click-through rates.
• Set up analytics: Use Google Analytics and Search Console to track traffic, rankings, and user behavior.

Cost: Expect to spend $1,000–$5,000 for an initial audit and optimization, depending on whether hiring an agency like FoxAdvert or handling it in-house.

What Is FoxAdvert?

FoxAdvert is a digital marketing agency specializing in comprehensive advertising solutions across various platforms. As a sub-brand of FoxData, FoxAdvert offers services designed to optimize marketing strategies, enhance digital presence, and maximize return on investment.

Key Services Offered by FoxAdvert include:

• Paid Search Ads: Data-driven PPC strategies on Google, Yahoo, and Bing, including keyword targeting, bidding, ad creation, A/B testing, and audience analysis.
• Paid Social Ads: Custom ad campaigns to boost brand visibility and conversions on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
• App Store Optimization (ASO): Improves app visibility and downloads through keyword research, metadata tuning, and visual enhancements.
• Apple Search Ads & Google UAC: Campaign management focused on maximizing app exposure and revenue across Apple and Google ad networks.

Learn more about FoxAdvert at foxadvert.com. Book a consultation with FoxAdvert today and start building a sustainable digital marketing strategy.

Schedule a free strategy session today!

PPC: Drive Immediate Traffic

While SEO builds slowly, PPC delivers fast results. PPC provides quick wins and valuable data (e.g., which keywords drive clicks) to inform broader strategy.

This phase is about launching ads to attract clicks and gather data. Businesses will see immediate clicks and some leads, but return on investment (ROI) may be low as businesses refine the campaigns.

What To Do:

• Set up ad accounts:
  • Create accounts on platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads (for Facebook/Instagram).
  • Ensure proper tracking with conversion pixels or tags.
• Launch initial campaigns: Start with ads for the brand, products, or services. For example, a local bakery might run ads for “fresh cupcakes near me.”
• Test ad variations: Use A/B testing to try different headlines, images, or calls-to-action (e.g., “Shop Now” vs. “Learn More”) to see what works best.

Cost: Budget $1,000–$10,000 per month, depending on business industry and competition level.

Phase 2: Grow and Optimize (Months 2–6)

Now that the foundation is set, it’s time to grow the business presence. SEO starts showing early results, while PPC gains traction through optimization.

SEO: Establish Authority

In this phase, focus on creating content and building credibility to improve rankings and attract organic traffic. When keyword rankings improve, businesses will see some organic leads as the content gains traction. This is because quality content and backlinks can help to position the brand as an authority, driving sustainable traffic.

What To Do:

• Publish high-quality content: Write long-form blog posts or landing pages targeting the researched keywords. For example, a fitness brand could publish a guide on “How to Choose the Right Workout Gear.”
• Earn backlinks: Reach out for guest posting opportunities, partner with relevant websites, or use digital PR to get links to the site. Backlinks signal trust to search engines.
• Continue technical fixes: Address any remaining issues, like improving site speed or fixing crawl errors.

Cost: $1,500–$6,000 per month for content creation and link-building efforts.

PPC: Refine and Expand

PPC now shifts toward nurturing interested users and scaling what works, like retargeting convert mid- to bottom-funnel users. ROI improves as businesses optimize targeting and ad creative.

What To Do:

• Launch retargeting campaigns: Show ads to people who visited the site or abandoned their carts. For example, display an ad offering a discount to someone who viewed a product but didn’t buy.
• Explore new platforms: Consider LinkedIn for B2B businesses or YouTube for brand awareness campaigns.
• Scale top performers: Increase budgets for campaigns with strong ROI, such as ads with high click-through rates.

Cost: Add 10–30% to the initial PPC budget as campaigns prove their worth.

Phase 3: Scale and Synergize (Months 6–12)

By now, the SEO efforts are driving consistent traffic, and PPC is delivering reliable conversions. This phase is about combining the two to dominate search results and maximize results.

SEO: Go Big

Focus on high-impact strategies to solidify the site's organic presence. Steady traffic growth and lower cost per acquisition will be expected as organic leads increase.

What To Do:

• Target high-difficulty keywords: Go after competitive terms with higher search volume, now that the site has authority.
• Create pillar content: Develop comprehensive guides (e.g., “The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing”) supported by related blog posts (topic clusters) to boost rankings.
• Update old content: Refresh outdated posts with new data or insights to maintain relevance.

Cost: $2,000–$10,000 per month, depending on content volume and complexity.

PPC: Amplify and Integrate

Use PPC to enhance SEO efforts and capture more conversions like higher click-through rates, better ad quality scores, and improved ROI. PPC amplifies SEO’s success, ensuring the brand owns the search results page.

What To Do:

• Bid on competitor or branded keywords: For example, a coffee shop might bid on “Starbucks near me” to attract local customers.
• Sync PPC with SEO: Run ads that link to the high-performing SEO pages to increase exposure on SERPs.
• Use ad data for insights: Analyze PPC data (e.g., top-converting keywords) to refine the SEO content and targeting.

Cost: Flexible, the cost can be adjusted based on seasonal promotions or product launches.

The Power of a Full-Funnel Strategy

By integrating SEO and PPC, businesses create a seamless marketing approach that:

• Educates: SEO attracts curious users with informative content.
• Nurtures: SEO content keeps users engaged, while PPC retargeting re-engages those who leave.
• Converts: PPC targets ready-to-buy users with precise ads.

This full-funnel strategy ensures to capture of every opportunity, from building awareness to closing sales. For example, a user might find the blog via SEO, visit the business site, see a retargeted PPC ad later, and finally make a purchase.

Without both channels working together, a business risks losing them at any stage.

Continue reading:

• Integrated Campaign Strategies: Best Practices for Aligning Paid Ads with Organic Content
• Organic Search vs Paid Search in 2025: Which One Will Drive the Most Traffic?

Tips for Success

• Share data between channels: Use PPC keyword data to inform SEO, and leverage SEO content to create compelling ad landing pages.
• Monitor and adjust: Regularly check analytics to optimize both SEO and PPC performance.
• Be patient with SEO: It takes time but delivers long-term value.
• Test PPC continuously: Experiment with new ad formats, audiences, or platforms to improve results.

Final Thoughts

Combining SEO and PPC is like pairing a marathon runner with a sprinter, where one builds endurance for the long haul, while the other delivers quick wins. By following this three-phase plan, businesses can build a marketing strategy that drives traffic, builds trust, and converts customers effectively.