The difference in rankings will be astronomical, and here’s why. When we pay for ads, the whole campaign is based on how much we’re paying and it requires us to continue paying. Why? Because the moment you stop paying, you will be thrown off the first 3 sponsored companies’ spots.
Instead, SEO will gradually increase the positions of your pages, and for the most part, it will keep them on the first or second page of Google (this depends on your competition, but with low competition this is mostly true).
But how is ranking different when comparing PPC vs SEO? Let’s have a better look at it.
Fundamental Ranking Principles
First things first, let’s look at the main ranking factors for both methods.
PPC Ranking Factors
PPC advertising operates on an auction-based system where advertisers bid for placement in the sponsored sections of search engine results pages (SERPs). Google Ads, the most known PPC platform, determines ad ranking through a formula called Ad Rank, which multiplies your maximum bid by your Quality Score.
To check your Quality Score, you can do the following:
The Quality Score evaluates several components working together. For instance, if you’re a local bakery advertising “fresh sourdough bread,” Google assesses whether users click on your ad (expected CTR), if your ad content mentions sourdough bread (ad relevance), and if your landing page offers information about purchasing this bread (landing page quality). The system also considers how your ad displays across devices.
Consider a real example: Two competing bakeries bid on the keyword “artisan bread delivery.” Bakery A bids $2 with a Quality Score of 6, while Bakery B bids $1.50 with a Quality Score of 9. Despite the lower bid, Bakery B would achieve higher ad placement because its overall Ad Rank (13.5) exceeds Bakery A’s (12).
Recent data from WordStream shows the average cost-per-click across industries on Google Search is approximately $2.69. However, competitive sectors like legal services see much higher costs—a law firm might pay $50+ per click for terms like “personal injury lawyer near me.”
SEO Ranking Factors
SEO ranking relies on search engines’ algorithmic assessment of content quality and relevance. Google uses over 200 ranking factors, though their exact weighting remains proprietary.
Take a local dentist’s website as an example. Their SEO ranking improves when they publish informative articles about dental procedures, earn backlinks from local health directories, make sure that their website loads quickly on mobile devices, and provide a user-friendly appointment booking system. Each of these elements contributes to their overall visibility in organic search results.
A study by Backlinko analyzing 11.8 million Google search results found that the average first-page result contains 1,447 words. This explains why a comprehensive dental implant guide outranks a brief service page—detailed content addressing user questions signals expertise to search algorithms.
Immediate vs. Long-term Results
Let’s have a look at this from another perspective. Do these 2 methods differ when talking about the timeline of the traffic results? (If you read the intro, you would probably know the answer, but let’s entertain you)
PPC Timeline
PPC campaigns deliver immediate visibility. For example, a new restaurant can launch a Google Ads campaign targeting “best restaurants downtown” and appear at the top of search results that same day. A boutique hotel reopening after renovation can instantly promote availability to travelers searching for accommodations in their area.
Upon campaign launch and approval, ads appear in search results within hours, traffic begins flowing to the website immediately, and performance data becomes available for analysis within 24 hours. A survey by Clutch revealed that 45% of small businesses implementing PPC see results within the first month of campaign launch.
A seasonal business selling holiday decorations demonstrates this advantage clearly. They can activate campaigns precisely when customer interest peaks and pause them during off-seasons, maintaining visibility exactly when needed.
SEO Timeline
SEO results develop gradually over time. A financial advisor launching a new website might see initial improvements in rankings for their brand name within a month, but ranking for competitive terms like “retirement planning strategies” typically requires sustained effort over 4-6 months.
An e-commerce store expanding into a new product category vividly illustrates this timeline. Despite creating excellent product pages for office furniture, the site may not rank well for months while Google evaluates the content quality, user engagement, and relevance signals.
Research from Ahrefs studying 2 million random keywords found that the average age of a page ranking in position one on Google is nearly 3 years. This explains why established educational resources from universities consistently outrank newer content—they’ve built authority over extensive periods.
Cost Structure and Return on Investment
Now that we have a clue about the timeline of both, let’s have a look at the ROI.
PPC Cost Structure
PPC follows a direct payment model where costs accrue with each click. A small law firm might spend $5,000 monthly on PPC and generate three new clients worth $10,000 each. Meanwhile, an online bookstore might allocate different daily budgets for fiction categories ($50/day) versus textbooks ($100/day) based on profit margins.
Data from WebFX indicates that small to mid-sized businesses spend between $9,000 and $10,000 per month on PPC campaigns. Industry variations are significant—a local plumber might effectively reach customers with a $1,500 monthly budget, while a national insurance provider might spend hundreds of thousands for comparable visibility.
The auction model creates interesting dynamics. For instance, a mortgage broker might pay $25 per click during weekdays but only $18 on weekends when competition decreases, allowing for strategic budget allocation.
SEO Cost Structure
SEO investment typically involves ongoing work rather than per-click payments. A regional furniture retailer might invest $4,000 in creating comprehensive buying guides for different furniture types, then continue paying $2,500 monthly for technical optimization and content updates.
According to a survey by Ahrefs, 64.3% of marketers report that producing quality content is their most significant SEO challenge. A medical practice wanting to rank for “migraine treatment options” needs to develop authoritative content authored by medical professionals, maintain technical website performance, and build credibility through appropriate outreach.
This is true for all industries, but it’s worthy to note that you don’t have to create content by yourself. We can create the content for you, based on your niche and what you want to say to your potential clients, or at the moment, the reader.
Check out our SEO services and pricing.
Control and Predictability Factors
How do we stand on the predictability factor so far? Do you think the PPC or SEO method is better?
PPC Control Elements
PPC offers granular control over multiple campaign elements. A sporting goods retailer can target ads specifically to appear between 3-8 PM when their customer engagement is highest. A luxury watch brand can display ads exclusively to users with household incomes above $150,000 in specific zip codes.
An online course provider demonstrates this control by running different ad variations for beginners versus advanced learners, with separate budget allocations and distinct messaging for each audience segment. Google’s Economic Impact Report notes that businesses make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 spent on Google Ads when properly managed with this level of control.
A travel agency exemplifies timing control by increasing bids for “last-minute vacation packages” during Thursday and Friday when weekend getaway searches peak, then reducing spend during lower-conversion periods.
SEO Control Elements
SEO involves working within search engine guidelines with limited direct control. A nutrition blog cannot simply decide to rank #1 for “healthy meal plans”, rather it must earn that position through consistent quality content, technical excellence, and earning recognition from other reputable sites.
A real-world case appears with online retailers during algorithm updates. An electronics store that maintained strict quality standards and avoided questionable link schemes survived a major update that penalized competitors using manipulative tactics, gaining significant market share as a result.
BrightEdge research shows that organic search drives 53.3% of all website traffic. This explains why a home improvement blog consistently investing in detailed how-to guides can eventually capture substantial traffic despite initial sluggish results.
Sustainability of Results
Are these results sustainable? – What does this mean? Sustainable, in a sense that we ask how long will these results actually last. I’ve seen countless businesses pour money into campaigns without considering the ranking factors of their efforts.
We can compare sustainability to building a house. Some approaches give you temporary shelter (effective but gone when the rain stops). Others build something that lasts through many storms.
In my experience working with dozens of businesses, sustainability boils down to whether your traffic keeps flowing when circumstances change.
- Can your rankings weather Google’s updates?
- Will your visibility vanish the moment you reduce spending?
- Does your traffic hold steady against aggressive competitors?
The answers vary dramatically between paid and organic approaches.
PPC Sustainability
PPC results depend on continuous investment. A software company that paused its Google Ads campaign after six successful months saw their site traffic drop by 45% and lead generation decrease by 60%. Without ongoing budget allocation, visibility disappeared completely.
The competitive nature affects sustainability over time. An online vitamin shop that maintained the same bid for “vitamin D supplements” for six months saw their cost-per-click gradually increase from $1.20 to $2.15 as competitors entered the market and bid more aggressively.
A study by WordStream found that 54% of Google Ads clicks come from the top 3 ad positions. This data shows us why a regional insurance broker struggled when reducing their budget—they fell from position 2 to position 5, resulting in an 80% reduction in click volume despite only a 40% budget cut.
SEO Sustainability
SEO creates lasting assets with ongoing value. A cooking website that ranked well for “easy weeknight dinners” continues receiving thousands of monthly visitors to that content years after publication, with only occasional updates required.
The persistence of results appears clearly with a gardening supplies retailer that developed comprehensive growing guides. Three years later, these guides continue generating 65% of their organic traffic and sales, despite minimal ongoing investment.
Research from HubSpot reveals that 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. This statistic shows just how an SEO focused website will continue delivering new email subscribers years later with minimal additional cost.
The Precision of Targeting your Ideal Audience
Can these two methods properly target your ideal audience? Let’s have a look at which method is more precise.
PPC Targeting Capabilities
PPC platforms offer advanced targeting options allowing precise audience selection. A wedding photographer in Chicago can target engaged couples within a 20-mile radius who have visited wedding websites in the past 30 days. A luxury car dealership can show ads exclusively to individuals with specific income levels searching for performance vehicles.
Remarketing demonstrates this precision effectively. An online jewelry store can show specific diamond earring ads to users who viewed that product category but didn’t purchase, with personalized messaging about limited-time discounts to encourage conversion.
According to Google, businesses can reach up to 90% of internet users worldwide through their display network. This can help businesses reach firms with precision, resulting in highly qualified leads despite the niche audience.
SEO Targeting Capabilities
SEO targeting works differently, focusing on aligning content with user search intent. A garden supply company can create separate content pieces targeting different customer journeys—informational guides about “how to grow tomatoes” and transaction-focused pages for “best tomato fertilizers” with purchase options.
Local SEO provides targeting precision through geographic relevance. A physical therapy practice optimized their content for specific treatment methodologies within their service area, capturing patients searching for “shoulder impingement therapy in Portland” with remarkable accuracy.
A study found that content addressing user intent receives more traffic than content focusing solely on keyword volume. This data explains why a website can succeed by creating separate resources targeting specific scenarios rather than generic advice, resulting in higher relevance to specific audience segments.
How is Ranking Different When Comparing PPC vs SEO: Analytics and Performance Measurement
It differs a lot based on what we saw up until now. But let’s take a look at the analytics, as this is what most people appreciate when comparing things.
PPC Measurement Frameworks
PPC platforms will give you comprehensive analytics with immediate feedback. A home security company could determine within days that their video ads outperformed text ads by 240% for conversion rate, allowing rapid budget reallocation.
You can track rates from different ad variations, identifying that one variation of your ad can generate much more clicks than the other variation.
The clear attribution models in PPC reveal direct impact. A specialty food retailer determined their average cost-per-acquisition was $22 for new customers and could track exactly which ad variations and keywords delivered the most profitable customers over time.
SEO Measurement Frameworks
SEO measurement involves multiple data sources working together. A healthcare provider tracks not only their ranking positions for key symptoms and treatments but also measures user engagement through time on page, return visitor rates, and ultimate conversion to appointment requests.
The indirect nature of SEO measurement appears in examples like a B2B software company that noticed increasing organic traffic from industry-specific terms correlated with shorter sales cycles and higher close rates six months later, revealing long-term value beyond immediate traffic metrics.
Aw we mentioned, websites ranking in the top 3 positions capture 54.4% of all clicks. This data can help you prioritize your content optimization efforts toward keywords hovering around positions 4-6, where small improvements would create disproportionate traffic gains by breaking into the top 3 results.
As we can see in this screenshot, when I searched for consulting firms in Dubai, 3 ads popped up, and most people will click on these:
Recommended Approach for Businesses
After a decade in digital marketing, I’ve rarely seen businesses thrive using only SEO or only PPC. The most successful ones use both strategically. Let me tell you how this typically works.
Start by figuring out what you need right now versus later. When I worked with a local furniture store, we used PPC to drive immediate traffic for their holiday sale while simultaneously building out SEO content about furniture care, buying guides, and interior design tips. Six months later, their organic traffic had doubled while we could be more selective with PPC spending.
I’ve seen this pattern repeat across industries.
Here’s what I recommend based on what actually works:
First, analyze your sales cycle. Do you want short sales cycles with immediate purchases? Then lean heavier on PPC initially. However, if you want for longer consideration periods, then prioritize SEO slightly more.
Second, look at your margins. Products with higher profit margins can absorb higher PPC costs..
Third, consider seasonality. If your business has clear high and low seasons, use PPC aggressively during peak periods and focus on SEO during slower times.
For most businesses I’ve worked with, starting with a 60/40 split between PPC and SEO makes sense, then adjusting based on results. However, some industries can do the opposite, giving 60% to SEO or more. The good thing about this approach is that you’re building both immediate traffic and long-term assets simultaneously.
One last thing I’ll emphasize – Track everything. The businesses that succeeded monitored which keywords brought qualified leads through both channels. They knew their cost-per-acquisition from each approach and shifted resources accordingly. Without this data, you’re just guessing.
Budget-wise, I’ve found most growing businesses need to commit at least 10-15% of revenue to marketing overall, with digital taking an increasingly large slice. But honestly, the right amount varies wildly by industry and growth goals.
However, most companies don’t want to think about these things and just focus on sales, which is understandable. So, if you’re one of them, SEO Curly is at your disposal. You can check out our services or contact us directly.
