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SEO vs Google Ads: Which is Better for NZ Businesses?
- sam95997
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Most New Zealand business owners have asked it at some point: Should we do SEO or just run Google Ads?
It’s a fair question, but the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Both SEO and Google Ads are powerful tools for growth. They just serve different roles. SEO is about long-term visibility and trust. Google Ads is about instant clicks and fast results.
When used together with the right strategy, they build momentum that compounds. This guide examines SEO vs Google Ads for NZ businesses, from pricing and timelines to real-world examples.
What’s the difference between SEO and Google Ads?
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving your website’s content, structure, and authority so that you appear higher in organic search results without paying per click. It’s long-term, trust-based, and focused on building digital authority over time.
Google Ads (formerly AdWords) lets you bid on keywords and appear at the top of search results instantly. You only pay when someone clicks. Great for fast leads or high-intent searches, but you stop showing up the moment you stop spending.
So it really comes down to your goals, budget, and appetite for patience. One earns visibility. The other buys it.
SEO vs Google Ads: Core differences explained
Cost and investment
SEO requires ongoing investment in content, backlinks, technical work, and optimisation. It’s not cheap, but once the engine starts running, the traffic comes without paying per click.
Google Ads is paid media. You pay for every visitor. Depending on your industry, you could pay $0.50 or $25 per click. If you’re not careful, your budget can disappear fast with no conversions to show for. Google ads can be a great short-term play but can get expensive fast, especially in competitive industries like law, finance, or e-commerce.
If want to know your return on investment, click here to try our Google Ads ROI Calculator.
Timeline for results
SEO takes time. In most cases, you’ll start seeing momentum around the three to six-month mark. But it's scalable so when it hits, it lasts.
Google Ads gets you to the top of Google in a day. As soon as your campaign is live, you’re visible. But once your budget runs out, the visibility disappears.
A local gym in Mount Eden might take 3–6 months to rank for “group fitness Auckland” via SEO.
That same gym can appear in Google Ads tomorrow — but needs to pay for every visit.
Audience behaviour
SEO attracts people who are doing research, comparing options, or reading reviews. These users might take longer to convert, but they often become loyal customers.
Google Ads captures people who are ready to take action. If someone searches "emergency plumber Auckland," and you’re at the top, you’ve got a shot at that lead immediately.
Are Google Ads better than SEO?
They’re faster — but not necessarily better.
Google Ads work well when you need instant results. For example, if you’re launching a new service or running a limited-time offer, ads get you immediate traffic.
But if your site doesn’t convert well or your targeting is off, you can burn through your budget without results.
SEO takes longer to kick in, but once you’re ranking, you can receive consistent traffic without paying per click. This is especially valuable for NZ businesses in competitive industries like law, hospitality, or finance, where Google Ads costs can run into the hundreds per click.
We’ve seen this in action with Chatty Chums. They built authority through content, backlinks, and technical SEO. Now when they publish an article like “Best Margarita in NZ,” it not only ranks high, it shows up as a rich snippet and sends backlinks to the bars and brands mentioned.
That’s long-term ROI.
SEO or Google Ads? Examples from NZ Businesses
Let’s say you’re a:
Hair salon in Ponsonby
SEO can bring you consistent bookings for terms like “balayage Auckland” and “blonde specialists Ponsonby”. Google Ads is great for quick wins around Mother’s Day, Christmas, or new stylist promotions.
Accountant in Wellington
Google Ads helps during tax season when urgency is high. But SEO builds long-term trust with service pages like “Small Business Accounting Wellington” or blogs explaining NZX filing deadlines.
Ecommerce store selling activewear
SEO content about “best gym leggings NZ” can drive evergreen traffic. But Google Ads gets your product in front of shoppers instantly during peak sale periods.
The point is: SEO and Google Ads solve different parts of the funnel. Together, they give you coverage from cold search to conversion.
What does SEO cost vs Google Ads?
Here’s a simplified look at what you might pay:
Marketing Channel | Cost | Time to Results | Long-Term ROI |
SEO | $1,200–$4,000/month | 3–6 months+ | High |
Google Ads | $500–$10,000+/month | Immediate | Medium–High (if managed well) |
But don’t forget: the real cost comes down to how well it’s executed. We’ve seen people spend thousands per month on Google Ads with zero conversions because they didn’t have a landing page strategy or a good UX. We’ve also seen clients sit on brilliant SEO content for months, never ranking, because the technical SEO was broken.
Should you do both?
In most cases, yes.
Use Google Ads to drive traffic quickly while your SEO builds in the background. Once your organic visibility picks up, scale back your ad budget and reinvest in more SEO content or backlink outreach.
Here’s how the right blend works:
Google Ads captures demand immediately
SEO builds long-term authority
Data from Google Ads helps refine your SEO strategy
SEO content improves the quality and performance of your ads
That’s exactly how we helped Chatty Chums become an authority publication.
We used tools like Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, and AnswerThePublic to map out a content strategy designed to win. When we paired that with backlinks and technical SEO, the whole platform became a powerful reference point that brands now want to be featured on.
Want a tailored SEO strategy?
We’ll audit your site, check your competition, and give you a custom roadmap showing how SEO and Google Ads could work together for your business.
