Should I do SEO or PPC first?

If you need traffic immediately — a launch, a sale, a new market test — start with PPC. If you're building for the next few years and want traffic that doesn't disappear when spend stops, start with SEO. Most brands eventually run both together.

Is PPC a waste of money if I'm already investing in SEO?

No — they solve different problems. SEO takes months to compound; PPC fills that gap with immediate, controllable traffic, and its keyword and conversion data can also show which offers are worth SEO's longer investment.

How much should I budget for SEO vs PPC?

Both are available from our Starter retainer, from £1,500/month as a single channel. Most brands running both together do so on our Growth retainer, from £3,500/month, which bundles SEO, AI search and PPC.

Does PPC data help my SEO strategy, or the other way round?

Yes, in both directions — PPC keyword and conversion data shows what actually converts, sharpening SEO content priorities, and strong organic rankings reduce how much you need to spend on PPC for the same terms.

Comparison

SEO vs PPC

Organic and paid search solve different problems — here's how they compare, and how to know which to fund first.

SEO and PPC are both search-marketing channels Ripple18 runs, and most clients eventually run both — the real question is usually which to prioritise first, not which one to pick forever. SEO earns organic rankings through technical fixes, content and authority; it compounds over months and keeps paying back after the work is done, but it takes longer to show results and can't guarantee a top position. PPC buys placement directly across Google, Meta, LinkedIn and programmatic, so traffic starts the moment a campaign goes live — but it stops the moment spend stops, and cost per click rises with competition. Both are available from our Starter retainer, from £1,500/month as a single channel, or bundled into the Growth retainer, from £3,500/month, alongside AI search. The table below compares cost, speed, longevity, ownership and scalability.

Last updated: July 2026

How do they compare?

Criteria	SEO	PPC
Cost model	Retainer-based, from £1,500/month (Starter tier) — no per-click cost, but the work takes time to compound.	Retainer plus ad spend — retainer from £1,500/month (Starter tier), excluding media spend.
Time to results	Slower — typically weeks to months before rankings and traffic move meaningfully.	Fast — traffic and conversions start as soon as a campaign goes live.
Longevity of results	Compounds and persists — rankings and traffic tend to keep working after active investment slows.	Stops when spend stops — no residual traffic once campaigns pause.
Traffic ownership	You own the ranking position; traffic doesn't stop the moment spend stops.	Rented, not owned — the position exists only while you're paying for it.
Scalability	Scales with content, authority and technical depth — growth is gradual, not instant.	Scales quickly with budget, but cost per click rises with competition and demand.
Best for	Long-term visibility, brands playing a multi-year game, and reducing dependence on paid spend.	Immediate demand capture, testing new markets or offers fast, and filling the gap while SEO compounds.

So, which should you fund first?

Lead with SEO if…

You're playing the long game and want compounding, owned traffic.
You can invest before seeing results — SEO takes months, not days.
You want to reduce long-term dependence on paid spend.

Lead with PPC if…

You need traffic and conversions now, not in three months.
You're testing a new offer or market before committing further.
You want to fill the gap while SEO compounds in the background.

In practice, most of our Growth-retainer clients run both together — SEO for compounding organic reach, PPC for immediate demand — rather than choosing one channel permanently. Talk to us about your timeline and budget and we'll recommend a starting point.