This is a topic that often comes up in our industry and one that many of our clients ask us about.
Of course, there’s no simple answer to the question, “Which is better?” Both SEO and online advertising have their pros and cons, so the right answer is that both can be good depending on the situation.
Looking at the topic as a whole could fill an entire book, so let’s focus on just one aspect: time.
In general, it takes about one to six months after launching a new company website before it starts appearing in search results for the company name. In some cases, it can happen as early as the next day, or as late as a year later—but those are exceptions. And when it comes to ranking on the first page of search results for generic, highly competitive keywords rather than your company name, it typically takes at least a year of steady SEO work.
Online advertising, on the other hand, appears within minutes. Once the ads are set up, payment is completed, and Google’s review process is finished, they start showing. The review itself usually takes only a few minutes to a day, so we can practically call it “instant.”
In other words, if your goal is to attract visitors immediately after launching a new website, online ads generally outperform SEO in the short term.
However, ads can be expensive and inefficient at first. Google Ads goes through a “learning period” during which the system optimizes performance through repeated PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act) cycles. It takes time before the delivery and targeting become fully optimized. Similarly, website owners often make gradual improvements after launch based on user feedback and data, which also requires time.
In short, immediate results are rare. Whether it’s SEO or ads, planning with a realistic timeline is essential for success.
