Google Ads or SEO? Which One is Worth Using in 2025?

I’ll answer the question in the title later in this article, but first, allow me to lay down why I’m qualified to provide an answer in the first place. I think that if the reader has searched for marketing or search engine optimization-related words on Google, then it has already become clear to them that we are proficient both in paid advertisements and search engine optimization here at Marketing Professzorok. This is important when we’re looking at the performance of these methods, as those experienced in one or the other will always be biased towards what they know.

1. To optimize or to advertise? The SEO agency answers

I’ve been doing SEO since 2003. I’ve done research, I’ve published and we’ve applied the results of my work at hundreds of companies. I’m used to being copied. I’m used to being the one others want to beat on search engine results pages. But we’re still here. We’re the first results for almost all of these queries. Or at least among the first results. There are also terms for which several of our webpages are among the top ten results. Take, for example, the figure below showing the Hungarian SEO results for the term “hotel marketing” – the results circled in red are our pages.

More precisely, the SEO and Google Ads results for the term “hotel marketing”, as our Hotelmentők project utilizes this method too, as seen in the screenshot above. But we are also in position zero. It is clear to see that there are few agencies in Hungary today that have comparable experience in hotel marketing.

First in search – but is this enough?

Looking at the results above, you would think that we focus mainly on search engine optimization. It is true that we don’t spend a lot for paid ads, but despite that, we’re not saying that they aren’t necessary either. As I’ve already mentioned above, I’m used to the fact that we’re being copied, followed and our sales copies being stolen. Sometime at the end of the 2000s, I said that Google Ads is like renting an apartment: as long as you’re paying to be at the top of the results, you’ll have a place for yourself. SEO, on the other hand, is like building a house: it costs a lot at first, but you only have to pay for maintenance after that. I’ve heard this repeated in many an SEO agency’s pitches, and it still rings true today. So, should we build a house as soon as possible and leave that apartment we’re renting?

When SEO is not enough

Yes, the end of the 2000s was a long time ago, and the things that happened back then don’t even seem true anymore. Even I’ve reconsidered my statement since then. SERPs are not like real estate, it’s not just black and white. Every single search is different. Some have position zero results, others don’t. Some have a map and other special features, while others don’t even have ads on them. We’re not dealing with homogeneous interfaces here, so the question isn’t whether to build a house or rent. Sometimes renting, or Google Ads is the only solution, and there are situations in which it’s more cost-effective to do SEO. There are also SERPs on which neither will work because social media dominates them.

2. So then, SEO or Google Ads? The PPC agency answers

Gaining PPC expertise takes a lot less effort than getting to the top of the organic results as an SEO agency. Many don’t even manage to do it, yet they call themselves masters of SEO. But finding a good SEO agency is pretty easy: you just have to do a search for the words SEO or search engine optimization, and those appearing among the first results are the ones that know what they’re doing, while the others do not. And yet, the ones not visible on the first page dare to call themselves SEO professionals. They say that they don’t care about ranking their own website among the first results, because they’re “taking care of their clients instead”. But if that was true then they’d be contradicting their own profession, because this is basically saying that search engine optimization is worthless. The reality is that they just can’t do it. Being at the top is not the same as saying I am at the top.

PPC vs. SEO – Who SEO isn’t for and when is PPC ineffective?

SEO is essential for everyone, while Google Ads is only necessary when you’re more focused on getting new clients. Search engine optimization is only looked down on and cast aside by those who don’t know how to do it or can’t do it. The field of online marketing that is easiest to learn is social media marketing. In the last decade and a half, we’ve come to manage more than 4 million Facebook followers, in addition to several hundreds of thousands of Instagram and TikTok followers. It must be emphasized that these are very important platforms. But learning to use these is pretty simple and many came to call themselves social media agencies. There is a need for them too.
The next step is PPC. Social PPC and Google Ads. Both are essential parts of an effective, complete marketing strategy. And while it is a bit more complicated to become a PPC agency, it’s still a lot easier than learning how to rank at the top of organic SERPs. Especially if you want to reach potential customers. So, who is SEO not good for? The ones who don’t know how to do it.

In certain cases, and with certain target markets, PPC will get you no results at all. According to international and our own research, the rate of those using adblockers is constantly increasing. One foreign study has revealed that in certain segments, as much as 42% of users already use adblockers. These people DON’T EVEN SEE your ads, and can be reached only via search engine optimization.

Part of my own PhD research was finding out the rate of users who avoid sponsored search results because they know that they are paid ads, and less relevant than the organic results below. I’ll share more of this research in another article later, but for now, let’s just say that the rate of users who are thinking this way is shockingly high.

Google Ads – How to do it?

Many copy the methods that I started utilizing in the early 2010s – starting each and every marketing project with a marketing audit. Let’s look at who the buyer personas are, and create a marketing project specifically for them, using the right tools for the job.
If that’s done, we can move on to keyword research. Then see, keywords by keyword, which ones should be used for Google Ads and which ones for SEO. There are cases where SEO is not worth it and cases where ads are simply a bad idea. So, our answer to the question in the title: when possible, reach potential customers via search engine optimization, and when that’s not enough, go for Ads.

If you need cost-effective marketing communications for your company, then reach out to us and let us do an audit! Using my 25 years of marketing experience, we’ll find the right marketing tools for you too! Click HERE!