Two ways to show up on Google. One costs you every single time someone clicks. The other takes months to get going but doesn’t cost per click once it’s working. Both have a place. But which one deserves your money?
The honest answer isn’t “do SEO” or “do ads.” It depends on where your business is right now and how patient you’re prepared to be.
How Google Ads actually works
Google Ads is pay-per-click advertising. You bid on keywords. When someone searches for one of your keywords, your ad can appear at the top of the results. If they click, you pay.
The cost per click depends on competition. “Emergency plumber Manchester” might cost four or five quid per click. Something more niche, like “bespoke aluminium fabrication Tameside,” might cost 50p.
The big advantage is speed. Set up a campaign in the morning, have clicks by the afternoon. No waiting. No hoping Google notices you.
The big disadvantage is that it’s a tap you can’t turn off. Stop paying, you disappear. And if your campaign isn’t set up properly, you’ll burn through hundreds of pounds on clicks from people who were never going to buy from you.
We’ve seen businesses spend a thousand pounds a month on Google Ads with almost nothing to show for it — not because ads don’t work, but because they were targeting the wrong keywords, sending traffic to a homepage with no clear call to action, or not tracking conversions.
How SEO actually works
SEO is the process of making your website show up in the organic (non-paid) results below the ads.
You don’t pay Google for these positions. You earn them by having a site Google considers relevant and useful — the right content, proper page titles, genuine backlinks, and a well-maintained Google Business Profile.
The advantage is that once you’re ranking, clicks are effectively free. And the traffic compounds over time. Better content means more links, more trust, higher rankings, more traffic. It builds on itself.
The disadvantage is time. You might not see meaningful results for three to six months. It requires consistent effort, and there are no guarantees. A decent SEO service typically runs a few hundred pounds a month, but the results stick around and grow rather than vanishing the moment you stop paying.
When ads make more sense
New business. Nobody knows your name. Ads get you in front of people immediately while SEO builds in the background.
Testing a new service. Not sure there’s demand? Run a small ad campaign and see what happens. Fastest way to validate an idea.
Seasonal business. Wedding venues in spring, heating engineers in October — ads let you ramp visibility for exact windows and dial back when things quieten down.
You need enquiries now. Sometimes the phone just needs to ring. A well-run campaign can deliver enquiries within days. SEO can’t.
Competitive local market. If organic results are dominated by big companies with massive budgets, ads let you skip that queue entirely.
When SEO makes more sense
Playing the long game. Steady, growing traffic over years. The investment you make today keeps paying off next month, next year, and beyond.
Local area. Ranking in the local map pack for “your service + your town” delivers a steady stream of enquiries from people actively looking for what you do, right where you do it.
Research-heavy purchases. Content-driven SEO puts you in front of people during their research phase. By the time they’re ready to get in touch, they already trust you.
Reducing ad dependence. Spending a grand a month on ads and it’s working? Great. But wouldn’t it be better if half those clicks came from organic search for free?
Most businesses need a bit of both
Here’s what we actually recommend.
Phase one: ads first. When you’re starting out, run a focused campaign to generate enquiries while SEO gets off the ground. Specific keywords, a proper landing page, conversion tracking set up right.
Phase two: SEO alongside. While ads run, build your organic presence. Get the site technically sound. Create useful content. Claim your Google Business Profile. Build local citations.
Phase three: shift the balance. As organic rankings improve, start reducing ad spend. You might never turn ads off entirely, but they stop being your only source of enquiries.
Ads are the accelerator. SEO is the engine. The accelerator gets you moving. The engine keeps you going.
What matters more than either
Neither Google Ads nor SEO will fix a bad website.
If someone clicks your ad and lands on a page that’s confusing, slow, and has no clear call to action — you’ve just wasted your money. Getting people to your site is only half the battle. Converting them into enquiries is the other half.
Before spending a penny on ads or SEO, make sure your website works as a sales tool. Clear messaging, visible phone number, simple contact form, real photos, reviews and testimonials.
If you’re not sure whether your digital marketing spend is going to the right places, it’s worth getting an honest assessment before you invest further.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Ads or SEO better for small businesses?
Neither is universally better. Google Ads delivers faster results and works well for new businesses or seasonal pushes. SEO takes longer but builds sustainable traffic that doesn’t cost per click. Most small businesses benefit from a combination, starting with ads for immediate enquiries while building organic visibility over time.
How much should I spend on Google Ads per month?
For a small local business, three hundred to five hundred pounds per month is enough for a meaningful test. The key isn’t the total budget but how well the campaign is set up. A tightly targeted campaign on a smaller budget will outperform a broad one on a bigger budget. Track your cost per enquiry, not just cost per click.
How long does SEO take to work?
Typically three to six months before you see meaningful ranking improvements, sometimes longer for competitive keywords. Local SEO for specific service-plus-location terms tends to show results faster. The results compound over time, but it requires patience and consistent effort.