Ask Is there a benefit to running Google Ads even when the business has a very strong SEO presence?

[Meridian]

Even when a business ranks well on Google through SEO, running ads still makes sense for a few reasons. Ads let you take up more space on the search results page, which means fewer chances for a competitor to pull attention away. Ads also give instant results, while SEO can take months to show movement. For new product launches or seasonal offers, waiting on organic traffic is not realistic. Do you think businesses with strong SEO should still keep a paid ads budget running?

 

[Luna Logics]

Even when a business ranks well on Google through SEO, running ads still makes sense for a few reasons. Ads let you take up more space on the search results page, which means fewer chances for a competitor to pull attention away. Ads also give instant results, while SEO can take months to show movement. For new product launches or seasonal offers, waiting on organic traffic is not realistic. Do you think businesses with strong SEO should still keep a paid ads budget running?

I think they should still keep some budget for Google Ads even with strong SEO. SEO is great for steady, long-term traffic, but ads give flexibility you can push offers, test new ideas, and stay visible for high-intent searches where competitors are also bidding. Together, they cover both stability and speed, which makes the overall strategy more balanced.

 

[Brendan]

Both showing up together makes sense to me. People see your ad and then later see you again in the free results and start to trust the name more. So maybe it is not really about picking one, they push each other along in a way that is hard to measure directly.

 

[Daniel084]

Running paid ads while already showing up first in search feels like paying twice for the same spot. I get that some clicks go to ads no matter what, but if the budget is tight I would rather put that money into something else the business actually needs.

 

[Edward22]

Nobody talks about how search results change depending on who is searching and where they are. Being first in results does not mean everyone actually sees you first. Ads still show for people getting different results, so maybe that gap is bigger than we think.

 

[Flavor]

I have seen businesses stop running ads after doing well in free search and their numbers drop a little at first. Not sure if that means ads were doing more than people thought, or if it was something else happening at the same time. Hard to say for sure.

 

[Felix😎]

What about competitors buying ads on your own business name. If you are not running ads yourself, someone else might show up above you for people searching your name directly. That alone might be reason enough to keep something running even with strong free rankings.

 

[Anthony Joshua]

Yes, there can still be a good reason to run Google Ads even if your website already ranks well in search results. Your ad and your website can appear on the same page, giving your business more visibility and making it harder for competitors to attract those clicks. It can also bring in extra traffic for important products or special promotions.

 

[Mandela]

SEO is great for long-term traffic, but it takes time to react to changes. Google Ads can be turned on or adjusted almost immediately when you launch a new product, run a sale, or target a new audience. Using both together gives a business more flexibility instead of depending on just one source of visitors.