Should I pay for Google Ads or focus on SEO?

Forget vanity metrics—here are the numbers that actually matter for your business. **The Only Metrics That Matter:** 1. **Organic Traffic Growth** • Baseline: Should increase 10-20% monthly after month 3 • Check: Google Analytics > Acquisition > Organic Search • Red flag: Flat or declining after 6 months 2. **Keyword Rankings That Convert** • Track 10-20 money keywords (not just any keywords) • Goal: Page 1 for 50% within 6 months • Tool: Google Search Console (free) 3. **Revenue from Organic** • The ONLY metric that pays bills • Track: Conversions from organic traffic • Goal: Positive ROI within 6-12 months 4. **Share of Voice vs Competitors** • Are you gaining or losing ground? • Track: Your visibility vs top 3 competitors • Goal: Consistent gains each quarter **Early Warning Signs (Month 1-3):** • Pages getting indexed (Google Search Console) • Impressions increasing (even without clicks) • Long-tail keywords starting to rank • Technical errors decreasing **Success Indicators (Month 4-6):** • Organic traffic up 25-50% • Primary keywords on page 2-3 • Engagement metrics improving • Some conversions from organic **When to Worry:** • No ranking improvements after 4 months • Traffic increase but no conversions • Rankings but no traffic (wrong keywords) Get a clear SEO performance tracking system that shows real business impact, not vanity metrics.

The smart answer isn't about how much you spend, but what ROI you get. Here's the realistic breakdown: **Traditional SEO Costs:** • DIY with free tools: $0-100/month (lots of time required) • Basic SEO tools: $100-500/month • Freelancer/Consultant: $1,000-5,000/month • Full-service agency: $5,000-25,000+/month • Enterprise solutions: $25,000+/month **The ROI Reality Check:** Good SEO typically returns $3-8 for every $1 spent, but only when done right. The problem? Many businesses spend thousands on SEO that doesn't move the needle. **The Smart Approach in 2025:** Invest in AI-powered tools ($200-1,000/month) that provide: • Automated opportunity detection • Content optimization guidance • Competition analysis • Performance tracking • Actionable recommendations This gives you 80% of agency results at 10% of the cost. **Budget Guideline:** Start with 5-10% of your target revenue increase. If you want $10,000 more monthly revenue, budget $500-1,000 for SEO. Learn how businesses get agency-level SEO results without agency-level costs.