PPC: a useful addition to SEO, not a replacement for it

Pay-per-click advertising, such as Google Ads, puts your business at the top of the results the moment you pay. It can be a useful extra. It isn’t where we start.

Our work is built on SEO, because it keeps working after the budget is spent. We add paid advertising where there’s a good reason and a budget to support it.

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SEO vs paid ads

	SEO	Paid ads (PPC)
Speed	Builds over months	Starts straight away
Cost	Monthly fee for ongoing work	Fee plus the ad spend itself
When you stop paying	Results usually stay and keep building	Traffic stops
Trust	Often higher, as people see it as earned	Marked as an ad
Control	Less, as Google decides rankings	More, as you choose when and where to show
Best for	Lasting visibility	Short campaigns, testing, quick demand

Neither is better on its own. They do different jobs.

When we’d add paid ads

We suggest it when:

you have a budget that covers both the ads and the SEO,
people are already searching for what you offer, so Google Ads can catch that demand,
you need leads sooner than SEO alone can bring them, or you want to test which services earn the most,
your site already converts, because ads sent to a broken page waste money.

We’d advise against it when the budget is thin, the website doesn’t yet turn visitors into enquiries, or the money would be better spent on the SEO basics first.

How we approach it

SEO first. The foundations come before the ad budget.
Search intent. Google Ads works best when someone is actively looking for what you sell.
Honest numbers. We tell you what the ads cost, what they produce and whether they’re worth continuing.
Fixing the path first. We check your contact forms and phone numbers work before any money goes on ads.

What we don’t do

We don’t promise a fixed number of leads or a particular cost per lead.
We don’t run ads in place of SEO.
We don’t sell it as the main service.

FAQs

Should I do SEO or Google Ads?

For most local businesses, SEO first, as it builds something that lasts. Ads can sit alongside it when you have the budget.

Can I buy PPC without SEO?

Yes, you can. It works best to do both, but we can help with standalone PPC campaigns.

How much should I spend?

It depends on your area and how competitive your search terms are. We’ll give you a realistic figure after looking at your market, not a number plucked from the air.

Do ads help my SEO?

Not directly. They bring visitors, but they don’t improve your organic rankings. The two work well together because the ads can show you which terms bring enquiries.

What does it cost?

Our management fee is £350 per month or 8% of your monthly ad spend, whichever is higher. At a lower budget there is still a fair amount of work, but as the ad budget grows, so does the volume of work.

Not sure whether ads are right for you? Book a free discovery call. We’ll tell you honestly.

Book a free discovery call