SEO vs paid acquisition
SEO and paid acquisition both work, but they optimize for different timelines and risks. SEO compounds slowly and rewards consistency, while paid acquisition buys speed and demands strong conversion to stay profitable. This comparison helps you decide based on time horizon, budget, and your ability to iterate.
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The real tradeoff
SEO trades time for compounding.
Paid trades money for speed.
When SEO wins
- your buyers search
- the offer is stable
- you can publish consistently
- you want durable demand capture
When paid wins
- you can afford experimentation
- you have strong conversion assets
- you need speed
- you can track and iterate
Next step:
If paid “doesn’t work”, it’s usually a conversion or offer issue.
If SEO "doesn't work", it's usually technical, consistency or intent misalignment issue.
Explore next: Conversion or Offer design