When it comes to digital marketing, businesses often think of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as separate strategies competing for the same budget. But the truth is, PPC and SEO can complement each other beautifully, creating a unified approach that drives more traffic, generates leads, and ultimately grows your business.

By using these two strategies together, you can maximise your visibility in search results, gather valuable data to inform your campaigns, and build a more comprehensive digital marketing presence. In this guide, we’ll explore how PPC and SEO work, their differences, and the many ways they can come together to deliver better results for your business.

 

What Are PPC and SEO?

Before we dive into how these two strategies can work hand-in-hand, let’s quickly clarify what PPC and SEO actually are.

  • PPC (Pay-Per-Click): PPC is a form of paid advertising where businesses pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad. These ads often appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), marked as "Sponsored" or "Ad." Popular platforms for PPC include Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): SEO is the practice of improving your website’s organic visibility in search results. This involves optimising your site’s content, structure, and technical performance to align with search engine algorithms. Unlike PPC, you don’t pay for individual clicks, but SEO requires an investment of time and effort to achieve and maintain results.

 

Key Differences Between PPC and SEO

While PPC and SEO share the goal of driving traffic to your website, they achieve it in different ways:

Aspect PPC SEO
Cost Pay per click on ads No cost per click, but ongoing effort
Speed Instant traffic Slower, requires time to build rankings
Longevity Stops when budget runs out Long-term, ongoing benefits
Placement Ads at the top of SERPs Organic listings below ads
Data Immediate insights from campaigns Requires longer-term analysis

Despite these differences, PPC and SEO are not competing forces. They work best when combined into a cohesive strategy.

 

How PPC and SEO Can Work Together

1. Double Your Visibility in Search Results

One of the clearest benefits of combining PPC and SEO is increased visibility. By running PPC ads while also ranking organically for the same keywords, your business can dominate the search results. This gives you two opportunities to attract clicks:

  • Your ad appears at the top of the page.
  • Your organic listing appears just below it.

Even if users choose not to click on the ad, they might click on your organic listing instead. This dual visibility can also help establish credibility, as users often trust businesses they see multiple times in search results.

2. Use PPC Data to Improve Your SEO Strategy

PPC campaigns provide a wealth of data that can help inform your SEO efforts. For example:

  • Keyword Insights: PPC campaigns allow you to test which keywords drive the most traffic and conversions. You can use this data to focus your SEO strategy on high-performing keywords that deliver results.

  • Understanding User Intent: PPC ads allow you to experiment with different headlines, descriptions, and landing pages. By analysing which combinations perform best, you can tailor your SEO content to better meet user needs.

  • Testing Content Ideas: If you’re unsure about a blog topic or landing page idea, you can test it with PPC. A well-performing PPC ad could signal a great opportunity for an SEO campaign.

3. Support Seasonal Campaigns

For businesses with seasonal peaks or time-sensitive offers, PPC can fill the gaps while you work on building your SEO presence. For example:

  • In the lead-up to a big event or sale, PPC ads can drive traffic instantly while you prepare optimised SEO content to rank organically for related keywords.

  • PPC can also help you capitalise on trends or seasonal opportunities that may not last long enough for an SEO campaign to take effect.

By using PPC and SEO in tandem, you can make the most of seasonal demand without missing out on immediate opportunities.

4. Boost Brand Awareness and Recall

When people see your ads at the top of the page and your organic listing below, they’re more likely to remember your brand. Even if they don’t click on either, the repeated exposure builds familiarity and trust over time.

Studies show that users who see both an ad and an organic result for the same business are more likely to click on one of them, compared to seeing just one alone. This synergy is key to building brand recognition and encouraging users to engage with your business.

5. Recover Lost Clicks

Even the best SEO campaigns can’t guarantee top rankings all the time, especially for highly competitive keywords. PPC can help bridge the gap by ensuring your business remains visible, even if your organic ranking slips.

For example, if your organic listing ranks on page two for a valuable keyword, a well-placed PPC ad can ensure you still capture clicks from searchers looking for that term.

6. Improve Conversion Rates with Retargeting

SEO is great for attracting new users to your website, but not every visitor will convert on their first visit. This is where PPC retargeting comes in.

With retargeting ads, you can re-engage users who previously visited your site through organic search but didn’t complete a purchase or inquiry. By combining the strengths of both strategies, you can guide potential customers through the full sales funnel.

7. Enhanced Local Search Presence

If your business serves a specific geographic area, PPC and SEO together can improve your visibility in local search results.

  • Local SEO ensures your business appears in organic local results and on Google Maps.
  • PPC ads can target specific locations, ensuring your ads appear for searches made in your service area.

By combining the two, you maximise your chances of attracting local customers.

 

Practical Tips for Combining PPC and SEO

  1. Coordinate Your Teams: If you have separate PPC and SEO teams, make sure they communicate regularly. Sharing data and insights between the two can lead to better results for both strategies.

  2. Focus on High-Value Keywords: Use PPC to identify keywords with strong conversion potential and build your SEO strategy around them.

  3. Optimise Landing Pages for Both Channels: Make sure your landing pages perform well for both paid and organic traffic by focusing on strong content, fast loading speeds, and clear calls-to-action.

  4. Monitor and Adjust Campaigns: Regularly review your PPC and SEO performance metrics to identify areas for improvement.

 

PPC and SEO don’t have to be competing strategies—they’re better together. While SEO builds your long-term visibility and credibility, PPC gives you instant results and valuable insights to refine your strategy. When used as part of an integrated approach, these two channels can amplify each other’s strengths and deliver better results for your business.

By combining data, doubling visibility, and supporting each other’s efforts, PPC and SEO create a powerful digital marketing strategy that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Whether you’re new to online marketing or looking to level up your existing campaigns, bringing these two approaches together can help you achieve your business goals.