How Google Conditionally Links Advertising and Organic Positions

For decades, entrepreneurs have wondered whether organic positions are linked to whether a company advertises on Google or not. We even received calls from entrepreneurs who were convinced that their positions dropped when they stopped advertising. Until now, we have argued that paid and organic ads are in no way related (except indirectly).

Now, things have changed. Since Google introduced personalized search results into its algorithm, organic positions have become strongly linked to whether someone advertises or not. How?

Personalization of Search Results

Google made a significant shift with its so-called personalized SERPs. Search results are no longer objective or uniform for all users; instead, they are based on individual behavior: what they searched for, which links they clicked, which pages they visit frequently – including through ads.

And here comes the key insight:

If a user frequently sees and clicks your ad, Google will start showing it more often in unpaid results as well.

This is therefore an indirect, but very concrete link between Google Ads and organic presence.

“Frequently Visited”

One of the most noticeable signs of this phenomenon is the label “Frequently visited”, which Google displays next to certain domains in search results. This happens when a user has visited your page multiple times – often through ads.

What does this mean in practice?

• If someone clicks your ad multiple times, Google will personally for them also boost you among unpaid results.
• This way, you can create the illusion of a better SEO presence – but not for everyone, rather for your target customers who have already encountered you through advertising.

Advertising Shapes the User’s “Bubble”

Google “records” users and then builds an personal information bubble for them. In it, the following appear more frequently:

• pages they have already visited,
• pages they stayed on for a longer time,
• pages they clicked on via Google ads,
• and pages with which they had any interaction (e.g., via Gmail, YouTube, Android).

Your ad presence thus creates a flow of exposure that continues even when advertising is no longer active.

Why is this important for entrepreneurs or advertisers?

Ads Also Increase Organic Reach

When someone repeatedly sees and clicks your ad, Google recognizes you as a relevant choice. The result? The next time this same user searches for a similar service or product, your page will appear higher even among unpaid (organic) results – even if you don’t otherwise have the best SEO optimization.

Google remembers what convinced them about you – and therefore shows you again.

Your Page Remains Visible Longer

Every ad click and every quality experience on your website creates an anchor in the algorithm. Even after you stop ads, you will still be present in organic results for certain users. And this without additional investment.

The ad triggers an effect that continues – if the website is good enough to retain or even convince the visitor.

For serious SEO results, advertising is almost essential today

If you are present with an ad and among the top organic results, you occupy more space on the page. This increases recognition and CTR (click-through rate), which Google further rewards – even at the organic level.

And what’s most interesting: even when you temporarily stop advertising later, organic presence for already acquired users often remains.
SEO and Ads are no longer two separate stories. They are one mechanism with a dual effect.

How to Adjust Your Strategy

The above is both good and bad, depending on your position. If you have invested in ads but not in SEO until now, then your investment in ads now has added value, i.e., higher organic positions.

If you did both – SEO and paid ads – then you are again in a better position. Your page has a greater reach with the same investment.

If you only focused on website optimization, then you are at a disadvantage. Your investment and effort have less impact, as those who advertise and have already been visited by your potential customer will be ranked above your results, even if they are less relevant in other aspects. In this case, probably the best decision is to divide your optimization budget and allocate a portion to paid ads in Google Search and Google Discover.

Google no longer strictly distinguishes between paid and unpaid results – at least not in the eyes of the user. What you frequently show them through ads becomes their digital reflex. And this reflexive behavior is fed and reused by algorithms – including when displaying organic results.

For entrepreneurs, this means one clear thing: Advertising is no longer just a channel for immediate sales, but also a necessity for organic growth. So, if you have been working on organic positions until now, ads and paid traffic are something that needs to be included in your strategy. This way, you ensure that you are present throughout the entire buying cycle of your target audience.

Although the step (personalization of search results) is logical in a way when viewed from the perspective of the end-user, one cannot ignore the fact that Google indirectly “encourages” those who have not invested in ads until now to start doing so. With this and other changes (AI), it is becoming increasingly clear that “organicity” is disappearing from the digital world.