“Should we do Google Ads or SEO?” is the wrong question. It’s like asking “Should we eat or sleep?” You probably need both. The real question is how to allocate your marketing budget between them, and whether there’s a third option that makes both more effective.
The Time-to-Results Reality
Google Ads: Leads within days of campaign launch. Turn on the faucet, leads flow. Turn it off, they stop.
SEO: For competitive PI terms like “car accident lawyer [city],” expect 6-12+ months before seeing meaningful organic rankings. Some firms invest for years before ranking on page one for high-value terms.
If you need cases now, SEO alone won’t solve that problem. If you’re building for the long term, SEO deserves investment.
The Cost Structure Comparison
These channels have fundamentally different cost profiles:
Google Ads
- Variable cost: $50-$150+ per click
- Immediate: Start spending, start getting leads
- Linear: Double spend, roughly double leads
- Stops when you stop paying
SEO
- Fixed cost: $5,000-$15,000+/month retainer
- Delayed: Results take months to materialize
- Compounding: Good work builds on itself
- Rankings persist (decay without maintenance)
12-Month Cost Comparison
| Month | Google Ads | SEO |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | $30,000-$90,000+ (media + mgmt) | $15,000-$45,000 (retainer) |
| 4-12 | $90,000-$270,000+ | $45,000-$135,000 |
| Year 1 Total | $120,000-$360,000+ | $60,000-$180,000 |
| Year 2 if stopped | $0 value | Rankings continue (decay over time) |
The SEO investment looks cheaper, but you’re paying for 6-12 months before seeing significant return. Google Ads costs more but delivers immediately.
The Click Distribution Reality
Where do users actually click?
Organic results capture roughly 70% of clicks on Google search results pages. But that stat hides important nuance:
- LSAs and Ads appear first. For “car accident lawyer near me,” the person sees 3 LSAs and 3-4 ads before any organic result.
- High-intent searches often click ads. Someone ready to hire may click the first relevant result, paid or organic.
- Brand searches favor organic. Someone searching your firm name specifically will usually click your organic listing.
Both channels have value. The question is allocation, not exclusion.
The Volatility Problem (Both Channels)
Neither channel is perfectly stable:
SEO volatility:
- Algorithm updates can tank rankings overnight
- Google’s AI overviews are changing click patterns
- Local pack rankings fluctuate constantly
- Competitor content can displace you
- What worked last year may not work next year
Google Ads volatility:
- CPC inflation year over year
- Quality score changes affect costs
- Competitor bidding can spike prices
- Google policy changes can restrict ads
- Platform changes require constant adaptation
“SEO builds equity” is partially true, but Google can devalue that equity with a single algorithm update. “Google Ads is predictable” is partially true, until a competitor decides to outbid you.
What Both Miss
Here’s the insight that reframes the entire question:
Both Google Ads and SEO capture existing demand. Someone already decided to search for “car accident lawyer.” You’re competing with every other firm to win that search.
Neither channel creates demand. Neither builds awareness before someone needs a lawyer. Neither differentiates you from competitors at the moment of search.
The firms with the best Google Ads AND SEO results often aren’t the ones spending most on either channel. They’re the ones who built brands that people search for by name.
When someone searches “Smith & Associates car accident” instead of “car accident lawyer,” you’ve won before the competition started. That branded search converts at 2-3x the rate and costs a fraction of generic terms.
But branded search requires a brand. And building a brand requires reaching people before they need you, through TV, streaming, social, and other awareness channels.
A Framework for Allocation
Budget Allocation by Scenario
Need Cases Immediately
Google Ads/LSAs: 70-80% • SEO foundation: 20-30% • Start scaling SEO as ads prove ROI
Building for Long Term
Google Ads: 40-50% • SEO: 30-40% • Awareness (CTV): 20-30% • 12-18 month view
Already Rank Well Organically
Awareness: 30-40% • Google Ads: 30-40% • SEO maintenance: 20-30% • Optimize full funnel
The Third Option
The most effective PI marketing isn’t choosing between Google Ads and SEO. It’s building a system where:
- Awareness channels (CTV, social) reach the right households before they need you
- When they DO need a lawyer, they search YOUR name
- Google Ads captures that branded demand cheaply
- SEO captures the branded and informational searches
- You’re not competing on “car accident lawyer” against everyone else
That’s not a Google Ads vs SEO question. It’s a full-funnel strategy question.