Vesna Scepanovic 
AI has already changed how search works. Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping visibility for brands across industries, while the rollout of Search Live in the U.S. is pulling real-time information directly into results. At the same time, platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT make search more complex and competitive, shifting where and how people discover information.
Yet one of the most persistent SEO myths is that if you’re running paid ads, you don’t really need to invest in organic search.
In this SEO Mythbusting Series, we break down the misconceptions that hold back your strategy. This myth belongs in the past, not in your marketing plan.
The Myth: Paid Ads Are Enough on Their Own
Paid ads deliver quick results. You can launch a campaign today and see clicks coming in tomorrow. That’s why many businesses treat them as a complete strategy and push SEO aside.
The problem is that ads only work while you’re paying for them. Once the budget runs out, the visibility disappears. SEO, on the other hand, builds equity that continues to drive traffic long after making the initial effort.
This difference matters even more now. AIO and different AI tools don’t pull from ads. They pull from optimized, trusted content. In fact, with AIOs taking up most of the screen, ads are often pushed several scrolls down. There’s no way to buy your way into that space because only organic results are cited. Without SEO, your brand simply won’t appear where people are actually looking.
The Truth: SEO and Paid Ads Work Better Together
This is one of those SEO myths that sounds convincing at first glance but falls apart when you look at the data. SEO and paid ads aren’t substitutes. Instead, they complement each other. SEO builds long-term visibility and credibility, while ads provide speed and targeting. When they work together, they create more sustainable growth than either can deliver on its own.
A 2025 survey shows that 91% of marketers say SEO positively impacts performance. On the other hand, paid campaigns, when optimized, can return about 200% ROI, but those results stop the moment you stop spending.
SEO continues to generate traffic and lower acquisition costs over time. In industries like legal and finance, organic traffic often converts at significantly higher rates than PPC, sometimes two to three times better, showing how powerful organic visibility can be for building trust and driving results.
And AI raises the stakes even further. AIO and other AI-driven search tools rely on optimized, authoritative content, not ads. Businesses that fall for SEO myths such as this one risk being invisible in the very spaces where customers are now searching.
Why It Matters
Falling for SEO myths like this one exposes your business to three overlapping risks:
- Paid ads vanish as soon as the budget goes dry. SEO keeps paying off long after you invest in it. Optimized pages can rank for years and continue to generate visibility without additional spend.
- Search is shifting toward AI-generated answers, and without optimized, credible content, your brand won’t be included in the pool of information these systems use. Ads don’t influence this visibility.
- Consumers often view organic results as more trustworthy than sponsored ones, especially in sensitive industries. Relying solely on ads can make your brand appear less authoritative and reduce conversion potential.
What We Recommend
The best strategies don’t choose between SEO and paid ads. They use both. Each brings unique strengths, and together they create a system that balances quick wins with long-term growth.
- Use PPC campaigns to test which keywords and messages convert, then feed that data into your SEO plan.
- Build optimized content that captures organic traffic and positions your brand in AI-driven results.
- Aim to occupy more space on the search results page by showing up in both ads and organic listings, which reinforces authority and increases clicks.
- Treat SEO as a long-term asset and PPC as a short-term accelerator.
Beyond this, staying visible in AI-powered search requires strong signals that AI systems trust. That includes brand mentions, topical authority, high-quality content, E-E-A-T, and structured data. These factors go further than ads and keywords.
The bottom line is simple: don’t let SEO myths shape your strategy. Ads can give you speed, but only SEO builds the visibility, credibility, and authority you need to stay relevant and visible.