As a SaaS company looking to boost your online presence, you may wonder if running Google Ads can help improve your website’s SEO rankings. While there’s no direct connection between the two, Google Ads can indirectly benefit your SEO efforts in several ways.
In this article, we’ll dive into the relationship between Google Ads and SEO, dispel common myths, and explore how you can leverage both strategies for maximum impact.
What Are Google Ads and SEO?
Before we explore how Google Ads and SEO interact, let’s define each term:
Google Ads Explained
Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform that allows businesses to display ads on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) and other Google properties. As one of the most popular PPC platforms, Google Ads allows advertisers to bid on relevant keywords to their products or services, and their PPC ads appear above or below the organic search results.
This powerful ad option charges companies only when someone clicks on their ads, making it a cost-effective and efficient way to reach potential customers at both the top and bottom of the page. The cost per click varies and is determined via a keyword bidding process, making it important for businesses to strategize their bids in order to get the best results from their Google Ad campaigns.
SEO Explained
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in organic search results. This involves various techniques, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and SaaS technical SEO improvements, in order to achieve organic SEO results.
The goal is to increase your website’s visibility and attract more organic traffic from search engine users, making it one of the best SEO practices for improving website performance and achieving a high rank on the first page of a Google search result. Improvements to SEO can help your website rank higher on Google Search by making it more relevant to users through techniques such as content marketing.
Do Google Ads Directly Impact SEO Rankings?
Google’s Official Stance
According to the official article of Google ads resources centre, running ads does not directly impact your organic search rankings. Google maintains a strict separation between its paid advertising and organic search queries to ensure a fair and unbiased search experience for users.
Why Google Keeps Ads and Organic Rankings Separate?
If Google allowed ads to influence organic rankings, it would violate various laws, including US antitrust laws and EU competition laws. Moreover, it would undermine the integrity of Google’s search results and potentially drive users away from the platform.
How Can Google Ads Indirectly Benefit SEO?
While Google Ads don’t directly impact SEO, they can indirectly support your SEO efforts in several ways:
- Increased Brand Visibility and Awareness: Running Google Ads can help increase your brand’s visibility and brand awareness. When users see your ads repeatedly, they become more familiar with your brand, leading to increased brand recall and potential organic searches for your brand name.
- More SERP Real Estate: By combining Google Ads with SEO, you can occupy more real estate on the search engine results page. Having both an ad and an organic listing for the same keyword can increase your click-through rates and drive more traffic to your website.
- Keyword and Conversion Data Insights: Google Ads provides valuable data on keyword performance and user behavior. You can use this information to optimize your SEO keyword strategy, focusing on terms that drive the most conversions and have the highest return on investment.
- Remarketing to Interested Audiences: Google Ads allows you to remarket to users who have previously interacted with your website. By targeting these interested audiences, you can drive them back to your site, increasing the likelihood of conversions and sending positive user signals to Google.
Google Ads vs SEO: Which is Better?
Pros and Cons of Google Ads
Pros of Google Ads:
- Immediate visibility on the first page of search results
- Highly targeted advertising based on keywords, demographics, and geographical area
- Detailed performance data and insights
- Ability to control ad spend and adjust campaigns in real-time
Cons of Google Ads:
- Requires a continuous budget to maintain ad placement
- Click costs can be high in competitive industries
- Ad fatigue can occur if users see the same ads repeatedly
Pros and Cons of SEO
Pros of SEO:
- Long-term, sustainable growth in organic traffic
- Increased credibility and trust among users
- Lower cost compared to ongoing ad spend
- Compounding returns as SEO efforts build over time
Cons of SEO:
- Results can take months or even years to materialize
- Requires consistent effort and investment in content creation and optimization
- Constantly evolving search algorithms can impact rankings
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Ads and SEO
When deciding whether to focus on Google Ads or SEO, consider the following factors:
- Your budget and resources
- The competitiveness of your industry
- Your timeline for achieving results
- Your long-term business goals
- Bounce Rate, User Experience & Landing page quality
The Myth and Reality: Does Google Ads Influence SEO?
Google Ads are considered to be an important Google ranking factor by many SEO experts.
Direct visitors from both social media and search play a significant role in Google ranking assessments, and using Google Ads to target relevant keywords can enhance this aspect. Through enhancing brand visibility and focusing on pertinent keywords, companies running ads could observe enhancements in their SEO standings.
While Google Ads itself does not directly improve organic search rankings, it can provide valuable keyword insights that help refine your SEO strategy by giving you important related keywords and helping you figure out the negative keywords. The number of direct visitors you get from relevant ads are equally good when you are unable to rank your commercial keywords using an SEO campaign.
In the end, Google would not jeopardize its entire business model for a mere SEO ranking, so it only showcases advertisements for keywords that are paid for by businesses.
Common Misconceptions About Google Ads and SEO
Many inexperienced marketers believe that running Google Ads can directly boost their organic rankings. This misconception stems from anecdotal evidence, such as seeing a slight increase in organic rankings after starting a Google Ads campaign.
Clarifying How Google Ads and SEO Work Together
While Google Ads and SEO are separate entities, they can work together to enhance your overall digital marketing strategy.
For example, you can use Google Ads data to inform your SEO keyword strategy, targeting terms that have proven to drive conversions. Additionally, remarketing to users who have interacted with your site through Google Ads can help increase engagement and send positive user signals to Google.
When to Use Google Ads vs SEO?
Scenarios Where Google Ads Make Sense
Google Ads can be particularly effective in the following scenarios:
- Launching a new product or service and need immediate visibility
- Targeting specific keywords with high commercial intent
- Running time-sensitive promotions or events
- Testing new keywords or marketing messages
- Ad relevance and user engagement are inclined with your content
Scenarios Where SEO is the Better Choice
SEO is a better long-term investment in the following situations:
- Building sustainable, long-term growth in organic traffic
- Establishing your brand as a credible and authoritative source
- Targeting informational or navigational keywords with lower commercial intent
- Working with a limited budget that cannot sustain ongoing ad spend
Using Google Ads and SEO Together
For many businesses, the best approach is to use Google Ads and SEO together.
By combining the quick visibility of Google Ads with the long-term benefits of SEO, you can create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that drives results at every stage of the customer journey.
Integrating Google Ads insights into your overall SaaS marketing plan can help you optimize your efforts and achieve better results. Tracking the right SaaS marketing metrics and KPIs will allow you to measure the success of your combined Google Ads and SEO strategy.
FAQ’s:
How Long Does It Take For Google Ads to Affect SEO?
Google Ads do not directly affect SEO rankings, so there is no set timeline for seeing SEO results from running ads.
Can Running Google Ads Hurt My SEO Efforts?
No, running Google Ads will not hurt your SEO efforts. Google maintains a strict separation between its paid advertising and organic search results.
Can I Use Google Ads Data to Form My SEO Strategy?
Yes, you can use data from your Google Ads campaigns, such as high-performing keywords and conversion rates, to inform your SEO strategy and focus on terms that drive results.
Will Stopping Google Ads Hurt My Organic Rankings?
Stopping your Google Ads campaigns will not directly impact your organic rankings. However, you may see a decrease in overall website traffic and conversions.
Do I Need a Big Budget For Google Ads to Help My SEO?
No, you don’t need a large budget for Google Ads to see indirect SEO benefits. Even a small, targeted campaign can provide valuable data and insights to inform your SEO strategy.
Conclusion
While Google Ads do not directly impact SEO rankings, they can indirectly benefit your SEO efforts in various ways.
Google Ads can enhance and complement your SEO strategy by boosting brand visibility, offering valuable keyword and conversion data, and enabling remarketing to your target audiences.
At VH-info, we specialize in helping SaaS companies navigate the complex world of digital marketing, including SEO and PPC campaigns.
Our team of experts can guide you in creating a comprehensive strategy that leverages the power of both Google Ads and SEO to drive sustainable growth for your business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your digital marketing goals.