SEO vs. Paid Ads? Why You Should Actually Be Investing in Both

There’s a common misconception in digital marketing that you can choose between

investing in SEO or running paid ads and still check the box on growth. On the surface, it might seem reasonable. If one channel is performing well, why spend money or time on another?

But in nearly every case I’ve seen, businesses that rely on just one of these approaches are missing out. Whether it’s lost visibility, lower conversions, or simply fewer insights to learn from, the opportunity cost can quickly add up.

If you’re trying to grow your business online, SEO and paid ads aren’t either/or. They’re complementary tools that can do far more when they work together.

What Is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website and content so it shows up in organic search results—like in Google or Bing—when people are looking for products, services, or information. This includes technical improvements to your site, optimizing page content for relevant keywords, creating valuable resources, and earning backlinks to build authority.

SEO is about building trust and visibility over time. It’s not instant, but the long-term payoff can be significant.

What Are Paid Ads?

Paid digital advertising includes placements you buy to reach your targeted audiences directly. These can take many forms, including:

• Search engine marketing (SEM), which shows ads when a user’s search matches a targeted keyword

• Social media ads, which appear in feeds, stories, and suggested content

• Programmatic display ads, which serve across websites and apps based on user behavior and context

• Connected TV ads, which reach viewers on streaming platforms

• Remarketing ads, which re-engage people who’ve already visited your site or interacted with your brand

Paid media gives you control over targeting, timing, and messaging. It’s fast, measurable, and often the most direct way to test what resonates with your audience. But it’s more than just visibility. It’s a way to use profit-focused data to understand what drives results, structure campaigns around real client value, and make smarter investment decisions about where to spend, what to test, and how to grow.

How They Work Together

SEO and paid ads each serve their own purpose, but their real strength is in how they support each other.

Paid ads can drive immediate traffic and give you quick feedback. That performance data can then inform your SEO strategy. You might find that a specific message or call-to-action performs really well in paid channels, and that insight can guide how you write or structure your organic content.

At the same time, if your organic visibility is strong, paid ads can help you reinforce your presence and take up more real estate on the search results page. Showing up in both the paid and organic sections builds trust and reduces the likelihood that a competitor sneaks in and captures traffic that was meant for you.

There’s also the added benefit of coverage. SEO takes time to build, and some content may never rank. Paid ads help you close that gap and ensure you’re showing up for the right audiences, even if your organic content isn’t fully there yet.

How to Prioritize When Resources Are Tight

You don’t always need to launch everything at once. If your time, budget, or team capacity is limited, start by evaluating your current assets.

Is your website in good shape? Are you proud to send people there? Is it fast, mobile-friendly, and clear about what you offer? If not, addressing those foundational elements may be the first step. Otherwise, you risk wasting both SEO and paid ad investments.

Once your site is solid, ask yourself where the gaps are. Do people already know your brand and search for it often? Then branded campaigns might help you protect that traffic. Are you trying to reach new audiences who’ve never heard of you? That may lean more into a mix of paid awareness and content built around those search behaviors.

It can help to create a short list:

• What needs to be improved?

• What’s the cost to make those updates?

• Which marketing efforts rely on those changes?

• What’s likely to drive results fastest, and what will build strength over time?

This kind of clarity makes it easier to phase your efforts in a way that supports growth without overextending your budget.

Don’t Skip Branded Campaigns

One of the more persistent questions in paid media is whether branded campaigns are worth running. If you already rank well for your brand name, why pay to show up in those same results?

From experience across industries and clients, the answer is almost always the same: branded campaigns are worth it.

They help protect your brand from competitors who may be bidding on your name. They improve return on ad spend by capturing lower-cost, high-intent traffic. They give you more control over messaging and user experience. And they support ongoing engagement from people who already know and trust your brand.

Even with strong SEO, skipping brand ads opens the door for competitors to step in. And if your budget is being pulled too heavily toward non-brand campaigns, you might be missing out on audiences that are already primed to act.

SEO & Paid Ads: Together Is Better

The best marketing strategies don’t treat SEO and paid ads as opposing forces. They treat them as complementary tools, each with a role to play in helping your business grow.

Paid ads help you move fast and learn quickly. SEO builds authority and long-term presence. When you align both efforts, thoughtfully and strategically, you create a system that’s smarter, stronger, and more resilient.