SEO vs Google Ads for Bedford Businesses – Which Gets Better Results?

Danilo Velimirovic
14 hours ago
4 min read

Google Ads give immediate results but cost ongoing. SEO takes 3-6 months but compounds long-term. Best approach: Start SEO now for future, add Google Ads if you need leads immediately or want to scale faster.

You've got £2,000/month to spend on getting customers. Should you put it into SEO or Google Ads? Your competitors are doing both. Which actually works better?

The answer: Depends on your situation. Let's break it down.

The Core Difference

Google Ads (PPC):

Pay for every click
Show up immediately
Stops when budget runs out
Predictable and controllable

SEO:

Free organic clicks
Takes months to build
Compounds over time
Less predictable short-term

Think of it like: Ads are renting. SEO is buying.

When Google Ads Work Better

You Need Leads NOW

Scenarios:

Just opened, no customers yet
Slow season, need to fill gaps
New service launch
Specific campaign with deadline

Why Ads win: Live in 24 hours. Leads start flowing immediately.

Example: Bedford garage launches MOT campaign. £500 ad spend, 20 MOT bookings in 2 weeks. Immediate ROI.

High Customer Value Services

When £50 click cost makes sense:

Solicitors (£3,000+ cases)
Accountants (£2,000+ annual clients)
B2B services (£5,000+ contracts)
High-end trades (£10,000+ projects)

Formula: If customer value is 20x+ click cost, ads work.

Testing New Markets

Before building SEO for Luton:

Run ads for 1 month
See if demand exists
Test messaging
Validate pricing

Then decide if SEO investment makes sense.

When SEO Works Better

You Want Long-Term Growth

SEO compounds:

Month 1-3: Small results
Month 4-6: Growing traffic
Month 7-12: Significant leads
Year 2+: Dominant position

Example: Bedford accountant invests £1,000/month in SEO. After 12 months, gets 30+ enquiries/month organically. Forever. Without ongoing ad spend.

Lower Budget (Under £1,500/month)

SEO stretches budget further:

£1,000/month SEO = content, optimisation, links, strategy
£1,000/month Ads = 20-30 clicks (maybe 1-2 customers)

For small budgets: SEO gives better long-term value.

Competitive Ad Costs

Some Bedford industries have expensive clicks:

Solicitors: £10-£50/click
Accountants: £8-£30/click
Plumbers: £5-£15/click
Dentists: £3-£10/click

If clicks are expensive: SEO avoids the ongoing cost.

Building Authority and Trust

SEO creates assets:

Helpful blog content
Industry authority
Brand recognition
Sustainable positioning

Ads create: Temporary visibility that disappears when budget stops.

The Numbers: Real Bedford Business Examples

Example 1: Bedford Plumber

Google Ads:

Spend: £1,000/month
Clicks: 100-150
Leads: 10-15
Customers: 5-8
Revenue: £2,500-£4,000
ROI: 2.5-4x (good)

SEO (after 6 months):

Spend: £800/month initially
Organic leads: 15-25/month
Customers: 8-12
Revenue: £4,000-£6,000
Cost per lead: £0 (after initial investment)
ROI: Infinite long-term (amazing)

Verdict: SEO wins long-term. Ads good for immediate fill.

Example 2: Bedford Accountant

Google Ads:

Spend: £1,500/month
Clicks: 50-75
Leads: 8-12
Customers: 2-4
Revenue: £6,000-£12,000
ROI: 4-8x (excellent)

SEO (after 12 months):

Investment: £2,000/month initially
Organic leads: 10-20/month
Customers: 3-6
Revenue: £9,000-£18,000
Ongoing cost: £500/month maintenance
ROI: 18-36x (incredible)

Verdict: Both work. Start SEO early, add ads to scale.

The Hybrid Approach (Best for Most)

Year 1 Strategy:

Months 1-3:

Start SEO immediately
Run small Google Ads campaign (£500-£1,000/month)
Test which services/keywords convert
Build reviews and authority

Months 4-6:

Continue SEO
Increase ad spend on winners
Start seeing organic results
Optimise both channels

Months 7-12:

SEO momentum building
Reduce ads if needed (organic covering demand)
Reinvest savings into more SEO
Compound effect accelerates

Year 2+:

Dominant organic position
Use ads strategically for campaigns
Total marketing cost decreases
Revenue continues growing

Quick Decision Framework

Choose Google Ads if:

✅ Need leads this week/month
✅ High customer value (£2,000+)
✅ Seasonal business (fill slow periods)
✅ Budget £1,500+ /month
✅ Can respond to leads within 1 hour

Choose SEO if:

✅ Building long-term asset
✅ Lower budget (under £1,500/month)
✅ Willing to wait 3-6 months
✅ Want to reduce marketing costs long-term
✅ Building authority in industry

Choose both if:

✅ Budget allows (£2,000+ /month)
✅ Want immediate + long-term results
✅ Serious about growth
✅ Can manage both channels properly

Common Mistakes Bedford Businesses Make

Mistake 1: Ads Only (No SEO)

Building no long-term assets. When budget cuts, leads disappear. Always vulnerable.

Mistake 2: SEO Only (No Ads)

Missing immediate opportunities. Slow start when business needs leads now.

Mistake 3: Trying Both Badly

£500 on ads (too small), £500 on SEO (too small). Neither works well. Better to focus.

Mistake 4: Impatient with SEO

"Spent £2,000 over 2 months, no results, gave up." SEO needs 6+ months minimum.

Mistake 5: Wasting Ad Spend

No tracking, no optimisation, expensive clicks, poor landing pages. Money burned.

What to Actually Do

If budget under £1,000/month: Focus on SEO + Google Business Profile optimisation. Skip ads for now.

If budget £1,000-£2,000/month: Split 60% SEO, 40% Ads. Build foundation while getting immediate leads.

If budget £2,000-£5,000/month: £1,500 SEO, rest to ads. Proper investment in both channels.

If budget £5,000+/month: Full-service approach. SEO, Ads, content, everything. Scale aggressively.

Tracking What Actually Matters

For Ads:

Cost per click
Conversion rate
Cost per customer
Customer lifetime value
ROI

For SEO:

Organic traffic growth
Keyword rankings
Leads from organic
Cost per organic customer
Long-term ROI

Both:

Total leads
Total customers
Total revenue
Marketing cost as % of revenue

The Honest Answer

For most Bedford businesses:

Short-term (0-6 months): Google Ads winLong-term (12+ months): SEO winsBest results: Both together

Budget tight? Start SEO now, add ads later when cash flow improves.

Need leads now? Small ads campaign while building SEO.

Serious about growth? Invest properly in both from day one.

We help Bedford businesses with both SEO and Google Ads - or help you decide which makes sense for your situation and budget.