Why SEO is aging in place while PPC is getting scrappier, and what that means for your content investment strategy
Let’s start with a little reality check: SEO is getting older. Not in a tired, worn-out way, but in a “you’d better respect your elders” kind of way. A new study from Ahrefs confirms what many of us have suspected for a while. If you’re hoping to rank fast, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
Only 1.74% of new pages published today make it into Google’s top 10 within a year. That’s down from 5.7% in 2017. And the average top-ranking page? It’s been around for five years. Five. That’s not just a fluke; it’s a signal. Google’s algorithm is playing favorites with the old guard, the long-lived, well-maintained, deeply relevant content that’s been earning its stripes over time.
So what does that mean for your content strategy? It means quick wins are mostly off the table, especially for competitive keywords. That shiny new blog post you published last week? It’s probably not going to climb the SERPs anytime soon. Instead, the smart money is on building a content library that matures well. Think less “flashy new launch,” more “seasoned expert who updates regularly and never forgets their sources.”
The takeaway here? Patience only works if you’re maintaining what you’ve built. Updating old content, reinforcing topical authority, and creating depth over breadth—that’s how you stay in Google’s good graces now. The algorithm is aging, and honestly, it’s expecting your content to do the same.
PPC Is Playing a Different Game
Now, flip the script. Over in paid media, it’s all gas, no brakes. Ahrefs also pulled together a list of the best PPC tools under $300 a month, and the common thread is speed. Not just fast results, but fast everything: setup, testing, optimization, reporting. It’s a lean stack built for teams who don’t have time to waste or budgets to burn.
Tools like Optmyzr let you automate rules without needing a dev team. CHEQ Essentials catches click fraud before it drains your spend. AdCreative.ai uses generative AI to churn out and test ad creatives faster than most teams can write a brief. Even Ahrefs’ own ad intel tool gives you a peek at what competitors are doing; no more waiting on laggy data.
These aren’t luxury tools; they’re practical ones. Built for solo marketers, small agencies, or startup teams who need to move fast and make it count. And while SEO is rewarding the slow burn, paid search is rewarding the hustle. Test quick, learn fast, adjust
constantly.
For executives juggling both organic and paid strategies, the contrast is sharp. SEO is a pension plan; PPC is a poker game. You need both, but you play them differently.
Connecting Content and Channel
Now, if you’re trying to connect the dots between content and channel, a few side reads are worth your time. HubSpot’s latest piece on content pillars makes a solid case for organizing your social content like a publisher, not a poster. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s a good reminder that structure beats spontaneity when you’re scaling.
And for anyone still winging their media planning, there’s a refreshingly practical guide, also from HubSpot, that breaks down how to actually build a plan that gets results. Not just impressions or reach, but the kind of outcomes your CFO actually cares about.
The Niche SEO Playbook
One last thing, and it’s a bit of a curveball: cybersecurity companies are apparently outpacing AI Overviews by going niche with SEO. According to Ahrefs, the fastest-growing players in that space aren’t trying to win broad terms. They’re zeroing in on long-tail queries, using specialized tools, and staying under the radar. It’s a good reminder that sometimes the smartest move isn’t to go bigger—it’s to go narrower, and smarter.
That’s it for today, folks.
Catch you in the next post.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog