If you’re trying to get your business in front of more people online, you’ve likely come across two popular digital marketing strategies: SEO (search engine optimisation) and PPC (pay-per-click advertising). Both methods can help drive traffic to your website, but they work differently and serve different goals.
In this blog, we’ll break down the key differences between SEO and PPC, highlight the pros and cons of each, and help you decide which is right for your business.
What is SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimisation, is the process of optimising your website so it has the potential to show in organic (non-paid) results of search engines like Google.
For example, if someone types “accountant in Wolverhampton” into Google, and your website appears near the top of the results page without being marked as an “Ad”, that’s SEO in action.
How SEO works
To improve your SEO, you focus on:
- Adding relevant keywords to your web pages and headings
- Creating helpful content, such as blog posts, guides, or FAQs
- Optimising your website’s speed and mobile friendliness
- Earning backlinks from other trusted websites
- Ensuring your business info is accurate online, especially for local SEO (like Google Business Profile)
Benefits of SEO
- Cost-effective over time: SEO isn’t as expensive as PPC in the long run. Unlike PPC, you don’t pay every time someone clicks on your website link
- Builds long-term visibility: Good content will continue bringing in traffic for months or even years
- Improves trust and credibility: People often prefer clicking on organic results over ads
- Supports multiple marketing goals: SEO can help with brand awareness, lead generation, and local visibility
Challenges of SEO
- Takes time: It can take months to climb the rankings, especially in competitive industries
- Ongoing effort required: Google’s algorithms change regularly, so SEO is never “done”
- Competitive keywords: Some of the keywords you may want to rank for can be very competitive
- Results are not guaranteed: You can do everything right, and still struggle to outrank bigger competitors
What is PPC?
PPC, or pay-per-click advertising, is where you pay to appear at the top of search results or on social platforms. You bid on specific keywords or audiences, and your ad shows up when someone searches or scrolls. You only pay when someone clicks.
For example, if you Google “emergency plumber in Stafford” and see ads at the top of the page, that’s PPC in action.
Common types of PPC
- Search ads – Appear on Google when someone searches (e.g., Google Ads)
- Social media ads – Appear on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, often targeted by interests or behaviours
- Display ads – Banners or image ads that appear on other websites, usually based on your browsing history or behaviour
- Remarketing ads – Ads shown to people who have already visited your website
How PPC works
- You create an ad and choose keywords or audience targeting
- Set a daily or monthly budget (e.g. £300/month)
- Ads appear almost instantly in search results or feeds
- You only pay when someone clicks
Benefits of PPC
- Instant visibility: Your ad can show up on page 1 of Google on the same day
- Highly targeted: Show ads to specific locations, times, interests, or behaviours
- Easy to measure: You get clear data on how many clicks, leads, or conversions you’ve had
- Great for testing: Try new offers, landing pages, or keywords quickly
- Flexible budget: Start small, test, and scale up based on what works
Challenges of PPC
- Costs can add up quickly: Especially in competitive industries where clicks cost £5-£30+
- Visibility is temporary: Once you stop paying, the traffic stops
- Learning curve: You’ll get better results with experience or expert help
- Time-consuming: You need to invest time in optimising and improving to get the best results
Should You Use SEO or PPC?
The goal of both SEO and PPC is to drive traffic to a website, as well as generate conversions, but they work very differently.
Here’s a simple way to decide:
If your goal is to quickly get visibility or results, go with PPC.
If your goal is long-term growth and trust, go with SEO
If your goal is to launch a new product or offer, go with PPC.
If your goal is to build authority in your industry, go with SEO.
If your goal is testing keywords or messaging, go with PPC.
If your goal is to reduce long-term ad spend, go with SEO.
Using SEO and PPC Together
For many businesses, a combination of both is the most powerful strategy:
- Use PPC to drive immediate traffic while you work on SEO in the background
- Use PPC data to test which keywords convert best, then target those in your SEO strategy
- Let SEO support your evergreen content, while PPC is used for seasonal offers or campaigns
- Scale your business without relying on a single traffic source
Final Thoughts: SEO vs PPC
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best strategy depends on your goals, industry, and budget.
That being said, a smart marketing plan often starts with clear goals and uses both channels in tandem to get the best results.
Need help figuring out what’s right for you?
I offer honest, affordable digital marketing support for small businesses – whether you need help setting up Google Ads, improving your website SEO, or creating a full digital strategy.
Get in touch here, and let’s chat about what you need and how I can help.