How do I get to be at the top of Google?

The number one question I get from business owners is, "How do I get to be at the top of Google?" Unfortunately, there's not a short answer for this, but I'll try to give you a quick overview with this article. To keep it short, there are basically two ways to get to the top of Google: (1) Paid Ads and (2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Strategy #1: Google Search Ads (Paid Ads)

The first option to get to the top of Google is Paid Ads. Most people refer to this as Google Search Ads, or just Google Ads. Microsoft/Bing and Yahoo are also prime search engines with their own advertising platforms, but we'll stick with Google for this article.

Here's an example of how paid ads and organic listings display on Google:

Alt text: Google search results page showing a business appearing at the top in both sponsored paid ads and organic search listings.

The concept of all of these ads is called Pay-Per-Click (PPC). You run an ad, and if someone clicks on your ad, then you are charged for the click. Sounds easy, but the reality is that if you're not experienced with managing these campaigns, things can get really expensive, really quick. As the world's largest advertising platform, there are a lot of factors to being successful and making the best use of your budget. That being said, here are some of the pros and cons of paid Google Ads campaigns.

Pros of Paid Ads:

• You can get to the top of Google searches within a relatively short period of time.
• Your ad can be placed at the very top of the search results, above organic listings.
• Small businesses can more easily compete with larger businesses because of Google's auction system.

Cons of Paid Ads:

• Campaigns that are not managed well can get expensive without generating any leads.
• It's pay to play, and when you stop paying, your ad stops showing.
• Many people prefer to skip past the top ads because they know they are paid.

Here’s an example of how paid ads and organic listings display on Google:
 

Strategy #2: Search Engine Optimization

The second option to get to the top of Google is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is also known as ranking "organically." I like to look at this as a long-term investment into your website. This process can take some time, but can yield benefits that you don't get with paid ads.

Here's an example of how SEO analytics may display in a dashboard:

Alt text: SEO performance dashboard showing 2026 website metrics.

To rank well organically, without paying Google directly for clicks, the search engine looks at a variety of factors when deciding on who ranks where. This is why we like to break SEO down into two primary categories:

• On-page optimization. This refers to your website and how it's set up. Optimizations include things such as how informative the content on your website is, the titles of your pages, and many technical items such as how your code is structured in order for Google bots to read your website.
• Off-page optimization. This is everything happening outside of your website that boosts your authority. It involves generating backlinks to your site from other reputable platforms, maintaining an active social presence, and claiming hundreds (sometimes thousands) of local business listings across the web.

Pros of SEO:

• Many people skip over paid ads to find organic listings.
• Once you rank organically, you can stay at the top of Google, at least for a while.
• Small businesses can compete with larger businesses because of Google's auction system.

Cons of SEO:

• Ranking at the top of Google organically can take some time; which, time is money.

For both of these options, Google's ultimate goal is to give their clients the best user experience. The "algorithm" everyone likes to talk about uses thousands of factors to determine which website will provide the best answer to whatever question someone types into the search engine.

A Quick Note on AI Overviews

One shift worth mentioning in 2026: Google's AI Overviews now sit at the very top of a lot of search results, sometimes above both the paid ads and the traditional organic listings. This hasn't changed the two core strategies, but it has raised the bar for both. For paid ads, it means your ad copy needs to work harder to earn a click below an AI-generated summary. For SEO, it means the on-page and off-page fundamentals matter just as much, if not more, since Google's AI still pulls its answers from well-structured, authoritative websites. Ranking well the traditional way is still what feeds the newer AI-driven results.

FAQs on Paid Ads and SEO

Which is better, paid ads or SEO?

My answer is always "both." If you want to be found at the top of Google, you want as much territory as you can get. Searchers are more inclined to click through to your website if you have several places at the top of the search results.

How much do Google Ads cost?

That depends on how competitive of an industry and market you live in. An attorney in Miami is going to have to spend a lot more money to be found at the top of the search engines versus a med spa in Ocala, FL. We have clients that start with monthly budgets of $600 up to thousands of dollars each month.

How much does SEO cost?

When I look at SEO campaigns, I see a straight line from point A to point B. The higher the budget, the quicker we can get you to point B. That said, we have clients in lower competition markets and industries that have started at $600/month.

I hope this overview was helpful, and I completely understand that as a business owner, figuring out the most effective way to invest your marketing dollars without wasting money can feel overwhelming.

If you have questions, want to dive deeper into these strategies, or just need some guidance on your specific market, don't hesitate to reach out.

Email Clinton at: clinton@dillonmediagroup.com 

Phone: 352-433-9404