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SEA: definition, and how it differs from SEO
SEA means advertising on search engines, Google Ads first and foremost. How it works, what it costs, and when to choose it over SEO for your business.
Published on · Joh · 5 min read
SEA (Search Engine Advertising) means advertising on search engines. In practice it mostly means Google Ads: the ads labelled "Sponsored" that appear above and below the results when someone types a search.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) covers everything that helps a page climb the natural results, the ones you do not pay for.
How SEA works
You choose keywords, the searches you want to appear on: "fibreglass pool Brighton", "emergency plumber", "bespoke kitchen". You write ads and set a budget.
On every search, Google runs an auction between the advertisers targeting that keyword. The winner is not simply whoever pays most: Google weighs the quality of the ad and of the landing page, and how well they match the search. A relevant ad can beat a more expensive one.
You pay per click, meaning only when someone clicks your ad. On a standard search campaign, being shown costs nothing.
SEA or SEO: what actually changes
| SEA | SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Visible as soon as it goes live | Several months before it climbs |
| Cost | Every click is paid | The click is free, the work is not |
| Stopping | Budget off, the ad disappears | A good position holds over time |
| Control | Keywords, area, schedule, message | Google decides what it shows |
They are not opposites. SEA produces quickly, SEO builds an asset. A tradesperson starting out will struggle to wait six months for a site to climb, while a well-tuned campaign can bring enquiries in the first weeks.
When SEA is the right choice
SEA works when your customers already search for what you sell. Someone typing "air conditioning installation price" has a project in mind and is comparing. You appear at the moment they decide.
It works less well when the demand does not exist yet. Few people search for a conservatory before seeing one that gives them the idea. There, a video ad on Meta, which reaches people before they search, often takes over. Meta or Google, the full comparison.
I run both. The choice depends on what your customers do before they buy, not on a preference for one tool.
The three most common mistakes
- Letting Google choose the keywords. On broad match, with no exclusions, a plumbing campaign can pay for clicks on "become a plumber" or "plumber salary". A negative keyword list fixes that.
- Sending the click to the home page. The person searched for a specific service and lands on a menu of ten sections. A dedicated page converts better.
- Judging by cost per click. An expensive click that brings a decided customer is worth more than a cheap one that brings a browser. The only number that counts is what a signed customer costs.
Further reading: What Google Ads budget to plan and Digital marketing, where to start.
Want to know if SEA makes sense for your business? . We look together at what your customers type and what being there would cost you.