Types of Keyword Advertising on Google: Paid Ads and Organic SEO

Paid keyword advertising (Google Search Ads) is a form of paid promotion on the Google search engine. When users enter keywords related to your product or service, your ad appears at the top or bottom of the search results page — and you only pay when someone clicks on it (PPC – Pay Per Click). In addition to this paid method, there's also organic keyword advertising, known as SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s content, structure, and technical elements to improve its rankings in search results — without paying for each click. When done effectively, SEO can help your website appear at the top of Google in a sustainable way, generating high-quality traffic at a lower long-term cost.

This is an effective promotional channel that enables businesses to reach the right potential customers at the exact moment they have a need, thereby increasing conversion rates and boosting revenue quickly.

Why Should Businesses Run Keyword Ads on Google?

Running keyword ads on Google is a top choice for many businesses—from small shops to large corporations—for the following reasons:

1. Reach customers at the right time

Users actively search → high intent → better conversion rates.

2. Appear on Google quickly

No need to wait months for SEO—your ads can appear within a few hours after setup.

3. Flexible budget control

You only pay when someone clicks on your ad (PPC – Pay Per Click). Businesses can adjust their budget daily or per campaign.

4. Easy performance measurement

With Google Ads and Google Analytics, you can track clicks, conversion rates, cost per click (CPC), ROI, and other key metrics.

5. Increase brand awareness

Even if users don’t click, appearing in top positions still boosts your brand visibility in your target market.

Paid Keyword Ads (Google Ads) vs. Organic Keyword (SEO): Which Should You Choose?

Keyword advertising is an effective method for businesses to reach users who are actively searching for products or services. One of the most popular forms today is Google Ads, a solution that helps businesses quickly appear at the top of search results. However, to run keyword advertising effectively, there are two main approaches:

• Google Ads (Paid): You pay per click to appear at the top of Google.
• SEO (Organic): You optimize your website and content to rank naturally on Google, without paying per click.

Each approach has its own advantages and limitations, and is suitable for different business goals. This article will help you clearly understand the differences between SEO and Google Ads, so you can choose the most suitable solution for your business.

1. Basic Concepts

Method	Google Ads (PPC)	SEO (Organic)
Definition	Pay to display ads based on user search keywords	Optimize website to rank high in unpaid search results
Positioning	Top or bottom of the page, marked “Ad”	Below paid ads, in organic search results
Time to results	Fast – within a few hours after setup	Slow – usually 2–6 months depending on the industry

2. Cost

Google Ads:

• You pay per click (PPC)
• Cost per click (CPC) varies by industry and keyword competition: ₫1,000 – ₫50,000/click
• Monthly costs are flexible, but ads stop showing when your budget runs out

SEO:

• You don’t pay per click, but you need long-term investment in:
  • Quality content
  • Website technical optimization (technical SEO)
  • Backlinks
  • SEO tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, etc.)

SEO is more cost-effective in the long term, but requires consistent investment and patience.

3. Speed of Results

Criteria	Google Ads	SEO
Time to see results	Same day	1–6 months
Campaign testing	Very fast, easy A/B testing	Slow, difficult to adjust frequently
Best suited for	Quick campaigns, flash sales, events	Long-term branding, evergreen content

4. Sustainability

• Google Ads: Works only while the budget is active. When you stop paying, your ads disappear.
• SEO: Can maintain Google rankings even after pausing investment, as long as content remains relevant and the site stays optimized.

SEO is ideal for long-term and sustainable goals.

5. Click-Through Rate (CTR) & Trustworthiness

Many users trust organic results more than paid ads, as they consider ads to be "paid placements."

Method	Average CTR
Google Ads	1% – 5%
SEO (Top 3)	20% – 30%

Research shows that 70–80% of users skip ads and click on organic results when available.

6. Targeting & Control

Criteria	Google Ads	SEO
Targeting accuracy	High – by location, device, schedule	Lower – relies on user search behavior
Content control	Flexible – full control over ad copy	Limited – depends on Google's algorithm
A/B testing	Easy and fast	Difficult and slow

Google Ads is suitable for campaigns that require tight control and continuous performance tracking.

7. When to Use Each

Business Goal	Recommended Method
Need instant customer leads	Google Ads
Long-term brand building	SEO
Limited budget but patient	SEO
Want detailed analytics and testing	Google Ads
Want full control over messaging	Google Ads

8. Combining Google Ads & SEO – The Ideal Strategy?

In practice, SEO and Google Ads should not be separated – they complement each other:

• Use Google Ads to boost short-term sales and promote new or seasonal products
• Invest in SEO to maintain high rankings long-term without depending entirely on ad budgets

Example:

• An electronics store runs Google Ads for the keyword “Toshiba fridge on sale” to drive immediate traffic
• At the same time, they do SEO for the keyword “best energy-saving fridges 2025” to reach users in the research phase

9. Summary Table

Criteria	Google Ads	SEO
Long-term cost	High	Low
Speed of effectiveness	Fast	Slow
Sustainability	Low	High
Click-through rate (CTR)	Lower	Higher if ranked top 3
User trust	Moderate	High
Optimization & testing	Flexible	Difficult to track directly
Best for	New business, quick wins	Established business, long-term strategy

Keyword Advertising Services in HCMC & Binh Duong at Competitive Prices

1. Why Hire a Professional Ads Agency?

• Experience in keyword optimization, ad copywriting, and budget management
• Custom strategy per industry
• Ongoing monitoring, reporting, and campaign optimization
• Minimize wasted budget and improve ROI

2. Keyword Advertising Services in HCMC & Binh Duong – Pricing Overview

Currently, businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong can choose between two main approaches for visibility on Google:

Google Ads (paid) and SEO (organic). Each method has unique costs and advantages depending on the business scale and goals.

A. Google Ads Service Pricing

Package	Price Range	Description
Starter (5–10 keywords)	5 – 8 million VND/month	Ideal for small businesses with low-competition products
Standard (15–30 keywords)	10 – 18 million VND/month	Includes Google Ads budget + service fee
Advanced (50+ keywords + remarketing)	20 – 35 million VND/month	For competitive industries or cross-platform campaigns

💡 Note: Pricing includes both click budget (CPC) and management service fee. Ads stop appearing when your budget ends.

B. Organic SEO Service Pricing

SEO Package	Price Range	Description
Basic SEO (10–15 keywords)	6 – 10 million VND/month	For new websites and low-competition markets
Full SEO (30+ keywords)	12 – 20 million VND/month	Comprehensive optimization: on-page, content, technical, backlinks
Advanced SEO + Content Strategy	25 – 40 million VND/month	For large businesses or highly competitive industries like real estate, law, healthcare

💡 Note: SEO is a long-term investment. After 3–6 months, your site may rank organically without ongoing ad spend.

Summary Table:

Method	Google Ads (PPC)	SEO (Organic)
Fast results	Yes, within hours	No, takes 3–6 months
Pay per click	Yes (CPC)	No
Result sustainability	Requires budget to maintain	Long-lasting if well-optimized
Starting cost	From 5M VND/month	From 6M VND/month
Best for	Short-term campaigns	Long-term brand building

5 Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Running Keyword Ads

1. Choosing the wrong target keywords

Using vague or generic keywords that don’t reflect user intent.

Example: Using “water purifier” instead of “buy water purifier in Tan Phu”.

2. Not setting negative keywords

Your ads may appear for unrelated terms → wasted ad spend.

3. Unoptimized landing page

Users click the ad but don’t find what they expected → bounce → poor performance.

4. No campaign tracking or optimization

Failing to identify which keywords are performing well.

No ongoing adjustments based on real-time data.

5. Running ads without remarketing

Missing the opportunity to re-engage users who previously visited your website.

How to Choose a Reliable Google Ads Agency

Do they have experience in your industry?

→ Ask for relevant case studies, especially in competitive fields like real estate, healthcare, or education.

Are they transparent about budgets and results?

→ Request a detailed quotation that separates ad spend from service fees.

Do they provide regular reports and monitor performance?

→ Reports should include impressions, clicks, CPC, conversion rate, ROI.

Do they support content, visuals, and banner design?

→ Some agencies only run the ads, but don’t assist with landing pages — which can lower ad effectiveness.

Conclusion

Keyword advertising on Google is an essential marketing channel for businesses aiming for revenue growth in the digital age. When set up and optimized correctly, it allows you to reach the right customers, drive high conversion rates, and increase sales effectively.

With support from affordable keyword advertising services in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, even small and medium-sized businesses can harness the power of Google to grow their brand and stay competitive.

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