Discover effective Online-Marketing strategies to enhance your e-commerce success and drive sales. Read the article for practical tips to elevate your e-commerce.
SEO or SEA: Which one should I start with in e-commerce?
- Understand SEO vs SEA in e-commerce
- The value of starting with SEO in e-commerce
- The strategic use of SEA (Google Ads) in e-commerce
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) for SEO & SEA
- Debunking misconceptions & rogue advice
- A roadmap for e-commerce success
- Conclusion & final recommendations
Every storeowner dreams of ranking at the top of search engine results and attracting a flood of eager buyers. But before you sprint into the world of online marketing, you face a fundamental question: Should you invest first in SEO or SEA? This decision determines whether you’ll lay a strong, organic foundation for long-term success—or simply pay for short-term visibility without a proper base. In this article, I’ll shed light on why starting with SEO for e-commerce often paves the way to more sustainable growth, and how Search Engine Advertising (SEA) can complement your efforts once your store is ready to scale.
Understanding SEO vs. SEA in e-commerce
What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?
Search Engine Optimization is the art of improving your website so that it ranks higher for relevant, organic (unpaid) search queries. This involves:
- Content Optimization: Creating valuable, keyword-rich, and informative content.
- Technical Optimization: Enhancing site speed, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability.
- Off-Page Optimization: Building a robust backlink profile and leveraging external signals of trust.
SEO aligns perfectly with the nature of e-commerce because it focuses on ranking for multiple relevant keywords across the buyer’s journey. However, SEO is a long-term investment. It usually takes at least three months before you see noticeable improvements in your rankings. Most agencies need 6 to 12 months.
What is SEA (Search Engine Advertising)?
SEA, such as Google Ads, focuses on paid search placements. You choose keywords, bid on them, and pay for every click on your advertisement. This method can boost visibility in as little as one or two weeks. But remember, you pay for every click, and how much you pay depends on factors like the competition and your Quality Factor—a Google metric rating the relevance of your ad and landing page from 1 to 10.
With SEA, you’ll likely start with fewer, more focused keywords to manage cost and relevance. Spreading your budget too thin across too many keywords can waste lots of money!
Advantages & Disadvantages of Each Approach
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Pros and Cons
SEO Pros:
- Long-term,
- sustainable traffic growth
- authority-building;
- improved user experience;
- ranking for numerous relevant terms.
SEO Cons:
- Takes time (3+ months) to see results;
- ongoing effort is required.
- Lots of work
Google Ads (SEA): Pros and Cons
SEA Pros:
- Quick results;
- immediate visibility;
- full budget control;
- easy to test different messages.
SEA Cons:
- Ongoing costs;
- pay-per-click can be expensive;
- no long-term asset like organic rankings.
The value of starting with SEO for e-commerce
The role of content, technical, and off-page optimization
Effective e-commerce SEO begins by building a solid foundation. High-quality content that answers your potential customers’ questions improves your organic visibility. Technical optimizations ensure fast-loading, mobile-responsive pages, while off-page efforts like link-building increase your domain authority.
How long does SEO Take?
Search engines need time to crawl, index, and evaluate your site. In many cases, it takes at least three months to see meaningful keyword improvements. But don’t be discouraged—this long-term approach leads to a stable ranking that can continue to generate traffic without additional ad spend.
Building a foundation before launching ads
Investing in SEO first can enhance your Quality Factor in Google Ads campaigns later, ultimately lowering your cost-per-click (CPC). Even a standalone optimized landing page—costing up to €1,500—can pay off if it’s properly optimized. If you’ve built a well-structured online store full of great content, your ads will perform better and cost less.
The strategic use of SEA (Google Ads) in e-commerce
When to consider SEA
Once your SEO efforts have taken root, consider layering in SEA to maximize visibility. After 3-6 months of proper optimization, your organic search engine presence improves, meaning your ads will be more cost-effective and relevant.
Budget control and quality factor
In Google Ads, you pay for every click, so you must choose your keywords wisely. Your Quality Factor—which is influenced by ad relevance and landing page quality—also affects your click price. By ensuring high-quality content and user experience, you can manipulate this factor and reduce costs.
Seasonal peaks (e.g. Christmas Sales)
Sometimes market trends dictate strategies. During the holiday season, when consumers search heavily for products like perfumes or stuff like that, a rapid boost of SEA can complement your SEO foundation. Being visible when it matters most can drive significant seasonal revenue.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for SEO & SEA
SEA KPIs: ROAS, CPC, and Beyond
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Measures revenue generated for every euro spent on ads.
- CPC (Cost Per Click): The amount you pay for each click. A direct indicator of ad efficiency.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Percentage of people who see your ad and actually click it.
- Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who complete the desired action, like a purchase.
SEO KPIs: Keyword Positions, Visibility Index, Domain Authority
- Keyword positions: Track how well your site ranks for selected keywords. Improving positions means better visibility and more organic traffic.
- Visibility index: A holistic metric that measures your brand’s overall presence in search results.
- Domain authority: A third-party metric indicating your site’s trust and credibility.
- Organic traffic & conversions: The ultimate indicators of SEO success, showing how many visitors find your site organically and what they do once they arrive.
Shared KPIs: Impressions, clicks, engagement, bounce rate
- Impressions: How many times your site or ads appear in search results.
- Clicks & engagement: How users interact with your content, whether organically or via ads.
- Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors leaving after viewing only one page, indicating relevance and user satisfaction.
Debunking misconceptions & rogue advice
Why not start with a huge ads budget?
Some agencies push for large ad budgets from day one, but this is often a red flag. Trustworthy advisors will recommend starting slowly and scaling as you see results. Throwing money at ads without a strong SEO foundation can waste both budget and opportunity.
Trustworthy vs. Dubious Agencies
A trustworthy agency will:
- Recommend a balanced approach, often starting with Search Engine Optimization to improve your site.
- Suggest gradually increasing your advertising spend.
- Focus on long-term ROI rather than short-term wins.
A dubious agency might:
- Immediately push large ad budgets.
- Promise instant results without building a proper foundation.
- If an agency frequently pushes you to increase your ad budget without sound strategic reasons, they may be prioritizing their own fee growth over your campaign’s effectiveness.
Pricing Models: Setup Fees, Hourly Rates, Budget-Based Fees
Most agencies charge a setup fee. After that, pricing models vary:
- Hourly based: You pay for the exact hours spent on optimization and campaigns.
- Budget-based: You pay a percentage of your ad spend. Often, tiers or steps exist to reduce percentage fees as your spend grows. Always ask for these details to ensure transparency.
- Project-based: You pay a flat fee for a clearly defined set of deliverables or a specific campaign objective. This can offer predictable costs and outcomes, but may require careful scope definition to avoid unexpected changes or overruns.
A roadmap for e-commerce success
Start with SEO & Improve Content
Begin by investing in e-commerce SEO. Enhance your site’s structure, ensure technical cleanliness, produce high-quality content, and build authoritative backlinks. Over the first few months, you lay the groundwork for future growth and profitability.
Launch SEA After Initial Optimization (3-6 Months)
Once your site is well-optimized and shows initial SEO results, introduce SEA. With a solid Quality Factor, your ads cost less and perform better. Adjust your keywords and budget based on performance, scaling up gradually.
Adjusting your strategy over time
Monitor KPIs, refine your SEO and SEA strategies, and adapt to seasonal trends. Over time, your combined approach will yield steady organic growth and a cost-effective boost from paid campaigns.
Conclusion & final recommendations
In the e-commerce world, choosing between SEO or SEA doesn’t have to be an either/or scenario. The most robust path is to start with Search Engine Optimization—building a solid base of content, technical excellence, and authority. Once that foundation is in place and your SEO has had time to deliver results (often 3-6 months), you can smartly layer in SEA to capture immediate opportunities and seasonal spikes.
Beware of those who push for large ad budgets from day one. A trustworthy partner, like an international SEO Agency, will guide you through incremental, data-driven improvements, helping you achieve sustainable growth that stands the test of time. By taking the long-view approach—starting with SEO and then tactically using SEA—you set your e-commerce business up for success, credibility, and enduring profitability.
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