Should I Spend Money on SEO or Google Ads?
There is no easy answer to that question. Businesses and markets are complicated, and it takes experience and some research to see what will work best for your business.
Things to remember:
Table of Contents
- Don’t sign a contract for SEO or Google Ads with a marketing company that sells services in bulk to hundreds of companies, the service will not be detailed or that effective.
- Do not sign up for SEO with a company which works with your competitors.
- Make sure the supplier spends significant time doing research and analysis before you sign any contract.
To find out more about how to choose an SEO supplier, please read this article:
In this article I will cover these topics:
- What is SEO?
- What is Google Ads?
- SEO Vs. Google Ads Comparison
- What Should I Choose?
What is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a process of optimizing your website and content to help your pages be more easily found by customers searching for your company and products.
SEO takes a long time to do as it is a slow process, but the benefits are huge if you get it right. Getting it right is not easy and it is not as simple as just ranking high on the first page of Google.
Things to remember:
- SEO Is connected to the content of your website. It is not easy to add SEO to an old website and it often won’t work effectively.
- If you are thinking of having a new website and you have not yet discussed content and SEO, stop. You must look at the SEO requirements before you start building your website.
SEO is About Inquiries, Not Just Ranking
Remember that you are thinking about doing SEO because you want inquiries, not because you want to rank high on Google. Ranking without inquiries has no value.
Make sure that the search terms (keywords) you are targeting are the ones your target customers really use in their local markets.
Where do SEO Results Appear?
On the search pages of search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo etc.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is a marketplace where companies bid on keywords against competitors to display their ads. It is important to remember the word marketplace. You have to bid more than your competitors or have better content than your competitors in order to have your ads appear.
Things to remember
- If your budget is too low and competition for your keywords is high, your ads may not appear (Which won’t cost you anything as they received no clicks).
- If your website content is poor and not very relevant to the keyword, your per click cost will be very high.
Where Do Google Ads Appear?
Google Ads are different to SEO and the locations in which they can appear is changing every year as Google upgrades and evolves its different platforms. There are three basic places which you can choose:
- Google Search Page
- YouTube
- Display Ads On Other Websites
There are some other options available, such as Google maps, and other places, but those are the top three locations where your ads can appear.
SEO vs Google Ads Comparison
They both have their advantages, and this table will help you to understand how they differ.
| SEO | Google Ads | |
| Targeting | Geographical targeting is connected to the website settings and content | Can alter targeted markets and demographics constantly |
| Traffic | Continuous “Organic” traffic | Only when ads are running |
| Keywords | Fixed and connected directly to website page content. | Flexible and can be adjusted immediately |
| Data | Provides excellent data on customers through Google Analytics | Provides excellent data through Google Ads which can be connected to Google Analytics |
| Cost | Ongoing but fixed, usually around USD1,000 per month or more for a good quality service | Depends on keywords and markets targeted |
What Should I Choose?
What works for you and your business will not be the same as what works for other people, even in the same industry as you. Here is some general advice which I hope will help you to make good business decisions when deciding what to do.
Most Companies Need SEO
Usually, SEO is a basic requirement for any company that wants to be found by international or local customers. The web is a competitive place now, so if you don’t invest in this as a minimum, then you will not be easily found by potential customers.
Basic Requirements for SEO
There are a few things you will need in order to succeed with SEO:
- A great website with well written content (This is more important to Google than the design)
- Great images and / or video
- Fast website hosting in a location near to your main customer regions.
- Regular content creation / updates to help attract customers
- Regular reports and access to Google Analytics data for your website so you can always see what is happening or not happening.
To find out more about SEO, please check our blog here and our website SEO section here.
Google Ads Can be Very Successful
Google Ads success depends on your products, competition, target markets and other factors. If Google Ads is suitable for your business, it can make an instant difference to your inquiries. It usually needs to go along with SEO for the best results.
Basic Requirements for Google Ads
These are the things you will need to succeed with Google Ads
- A Great website with relevant content – If your website is not great, spending money to advertise it is not a good idea as customers will not want to contact you.
- A lot of research by the marketing company and discussions with you to determine the best strategy for your Google Ads and the budgets needed to make it a success.
- Monthly reports direct from Google showing the results. Do not accept reports that are made up by the marketing company themselves.
If you would like to find out more about Google Ads, please have a look at the Google Ads section of our website here.
Globalsense is focused on helping Taiwan manufacturers succeed in the global marketplace. If you are manufacturer and would like to discuss your marketing to see how you might be able to get better results, please contact us.