Being visible on Google doesn't just happen. It's a strategic battle waged by thousands of companies every day. Two main levers dominate the field: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEA (Search Engine Advertising).
Here, the focus is on SEAIn other words, pay-per-click advertising on search engines. And why? Because when you want fast results, it's often the most direct - and powerful - channel.
1. SEA: what exactly is it?
An SEA (Search Engine Advertising) involves paying to appear at the very top of search results, at the exact moment when someone types in a keyword related to your offer. In other words, it's ultra-targeted advertising, visible only to those who are already searching for what you're selling.
Unlike advertising on social networks, which targets people according to their interests or behavior, SEA is based on real intent. In other words, when someone searches for "wedding photographer Montreal" on Google, they're probably ready to book. SEA puts you right at that critical moment.
The principle is simple: you choose your keywords, write a catchy ad, then set a daily or monthly budget. Then, the search engine (Google, Bing, etc.) displays your ads to users who perform these searches. What's more, you only pay when your ad is clicked. Hence the name of this system: PPC (pay-per-click).
But in reality, behind this apparent simplicity lies a powerful system, fine-tuned to the millimeter. Every keyword has a cost. Likewise, every click has a value. And every detail counts.
To find out more about how Google Ads works, take a look at this official Google guide on launching SEA campaigns.
2. Why SEA?
Because you can't wait months to be found on Google.
Surgical targeting
SEA makes it possible to target Internet users with impressive precision:
You can choose the language, city, l'device used (computer or mobile), the time of day or even the type of audience according to its habits.
As a result, your ad is only displayed to those who have most likely to convert.
Immediate results
SEO takes time. SEA, on the other hand, delivers results as soon as the campaign is activated. In fact, you can test an offer, launch a new product or take advantage of seasonality without delay. It's the perfect lever to get a project off the ground quickly.
Optimized mobile visibility
On the phone, SEA ads often appear before organic results. So these are the first things a user sees. If your site is mobile-friendly, that's a major advantage.
Control and flexibility
You decide everything: the message, the audience, the budget, the landing page. What's more, you can adjust your strategy in real time. It's this flexibility that makes it such a powerful lever.
Pairwise, if you also manage your social networks, think about automating your publications. Discover how to schedule posts on Instagram to save time and stay active even outside office hours.
Precise data and analysis
With SEA, you know exactly how much you're spending and what your return is. You have concrete figures on clicks, conversions and cost per acquisition. This data is invaluable for fine-tuning your offers and maximizing your return on investment.
3. SEA and SEO: two complementary strategies
It is tempting to compare the SEA and the SEO as two opposing paths. One is fast, the other takes time. One is paid for, the other (seemingly) free. But this opposition is misleading. In fact, it is, SEA and SEO are two complementary levers which, used intelligently, can create a powerful, coherent and sustainable digital strategy.
ATS for immediate impact
An SEAallows you to gain visibility in just a few hours. Once your campaigns are launched, your ads appear in the first results, ahead of all organic links. This positioning gives you maximum exposure, precisely when your target audience is searching for your product or service.
It's the ideal tool for :
Starting a new business
Promoting a one-off offer
Testing a niche
Managing peak periods (sales, events, seasonality)
Reacting to a sudden drop in organic traffic
In other words, SEA is a solution fast, precise, adjustable. It acts as a gas pedal. However, it also has its limits: as soon as you stop paying, your visibility disappears. This is where SEO comes into play.
SEO for long-term success
An SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is based on regular, methodical work. It involves optimizing your site so that it appears naturally in search results. In concrete terms, this means quality content, a solid technical structure, backlinks and an excellent user experience.
However, results are not immediate. In general, it often takes several weeks, even monthsto see the first effects. But once your site is well positioned, the traffic becomes free, constant and sustainable. SEO is no longer dependent on a daily advertising budget. It is gradually becoming a strategic asset.
In other words:
An SEA gives you momentum.
An SEO gives you stability.
How SEA and SEO can feed off each other
Where it gets really interesting is that the SEA can feed SEOand vice versa. Here are a few concrete examples of this synergy:
Use SEA to test keywords
With SEA, you can launch several campaigns with different keyword variants. You'll soon know which terms trigger the most clicks, which expressions convert bestand even at which times of day the audience is most receptive.
This data is invaluable in guiding your SEO strategy. You'll know what to target first, with concrete proof of demand.
Identify resonant headlines or messages
SEA ads require you to be concise, punchy and clear. You learn quickly what attracts attentionwhat gets clicks, what converts. These lessons can then be applied to your page titles, meta-descriptions, article titles or home page teasers.
Optimize your landing pages (and improve your SEO)
The quality score of an ATS campaign depends in part on the relevance and quality of the page to which the ad redirects. The faster, well-structured and mobile-friendly your page is, and the more relevant it is to your ad, the lower your cost per click will be.
But guess what? They're also SEO criteria. By working on your pages for SEA, you also improve them for SEO. Result: your pages convert better and gain positions in organic results.
Strengthen your brand presence
Have a presence in SEA and SEO on the same search increases your credibility. The user sees your ad... then also sees your organic link a few lines down. This double presence boosts brand awareness and increases the chances of clicks, as you become a reference in the customer's mind.
SEA to fill the gaps left by SEO
Even with an excellent SEO strategy, some pages will take a long time to be visible. SEA allows you to cover these pages todayIt's also very useful for highly competitive keywords. It's also very useful for highly competitive keywords that are difficult to reach with SEO.
4. Beware of pitfalls
An SEAno matter how powerful, can become a trap if misused. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Believing it will work on its own
A lot of people open a Google Ads account, choose a few keywords, write an ad in a hurry... and click on "Launch campaign". It's quick, simple and, above all, almost too easy. However, this apparent ease is misleading. Without strategic thinking, the risk is enormous: your budget evaporates without concrete results.
SEA is not a game of chance. On the contrary, every click costs money. And every misadjustment - no matter how small - can cost you. tens, even hundreds of euros in just a few days.
That's why, before even writing an ad, you need to take a step back. In concrete terms, start by thinking things through:
Who's your target audience? Define exactly who you're talking to. Is it a customer in a hurry or a prospect in the discovery phase? Are you talking to young urbanites or experienced professionals? The more precise you are, the more effective your ads will be.
What keywords do they use? Think like your customers. They don't necessarily type what you think they do. A quick semantic audit or a test with Google's keyword planning tool can reveal much better performing terms.
What is their objective? Are they looking for a price? A quick solution? Reassuring testimonials? The ad must meet this immediate need.
And above all... what happens after the click? A perfect ad isn't enough if the landing page is confusing, slow or too busy. That's where conversion comes in. A bad landing page = an ineffective campaign.
Choosing the right keywords
Some keywords are too broad. Others are too expensive. You need to find the right balance between volume, relevance and cost. A keyword that's too vague attracts unqualified visitors. A keyword that's too precise may lack volume. You need to test, analyze and adjust regularly in order to hit the mark.
Neglecting the landing page
Your ad may be perfect, but if the page it redirects to doesn't convert, all your investment is lost.
The landing page must be clear, fast and action-oriented. It must respond directly to what the user expects after clicking. Otherwise, they'll close the tab... and you'll lose your budget. Every extra second it takes to load a page reduces the chances of conversion. The page's message must be consistent with the ad, without detours or visual overload.
Think of a single objective: to get people to click, fill in a form or buy, without distraction.
Failure to optimize campaigns
An effective SEA campaign doesn't just happen. On the contrary, it vitshe evolvesshe breathe with your audience. Every day, every click, every conversion provides valuable data. And it's precisely in this ability to adapt that the power of ATS lies.
It's not enough to create a compelling ad or target the right keywords. That's just the starting point. After that, you need to keep a close eye on performanceUnderstand what works... and above all, spot what doesn't work. Because even a profitable campaign can become ineffective if it isn't regularly optimized.
What's more, initial results, no matter how promising, never reflect the optimal balance. Only by testing, comparing and adjusting will you achieve a true return on investment. Sometimes, a simple keyword changea slight adjustment in the text or a more striking visual can double your click-through rates. And all without increasing the budget.
However, even the best campaigns have a limited lifespan. An ad that performs well today may run out of steam in a week, or even a few days if the competition gets stronger or ad fatigue sets in. That's why you need to keep a close eye on your key indicators Click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rate, cost-per-acquisition (CPA), return on advertising spend (ROAS).
In short, in SEA, optimization is not optionalis a requirement. This is precisely what separates costly, ineffective campaigns from high-performance, precise, profitable ones. In other words, never let an ad run on autopilot.
5. SEA: an ideal lever for testing and growth
An SEAcan literally transform your digital visibility. It's not just about appearing at the top of search results. It's about position yourself at the right moment, in front of the right person, with the right message. When properly mastered, this lever allows you to :
Win a qualified traffic quickly, without waiting months for natural referencing
Test offers or marketing messages before anchoring them in your strategy.
Generate concrete leadssometimes right from the start of the campaign
Strengthen your brand image by occupying a visible, strategic position
Complete your SEO by targeting keywords you haven't yet conquered naturally
But, like any powerful tool, SEA requires rigor. It's not enough to click on "Publish" to see the results appear. Behind every click lies a budget, a goal, and an opportunity. That's why every campaign needs to be thought through, built up and, above all, adjusted over time.
This involves understanding your audience, choosing relevant keywords, designing engaging ads and creating optimized landing pages. Then it's time to observe, analyze and correct. ATS is a science, but also a game of balance and finesse.
Want to get started? Start with a small budget. Test. Learn from it. Then you'll be able to invest more, with more confidence - and, above all, with more results. It's not about spending, it's about make every euro work for you.
ATS is not a magic wand. But in the right hands, it can become one of the best growth drivers for your online presence.
