How Traditional SEO Practices
Influence Discover Rankings

In 2025, the lines between paid and organic reach are blurrier than ever - but that’s not a bad thing. For businesses aiming to dominate the digital landscape, it's actually an opportunity.

At Evonix, a results-driven a leading digital marketing company in Pune, we’ve seen firsthand how traditional SEO strategies—when executed right—significantly influence Discover Ads success and overall Google Discover rankings. Especially with Google’s pivot toward Demand Gen campaigns and its ever-growing emphasis on YouTube, Gmail, and personalized content, SEO is no longer just about keyword rankings.

Let’s break it down.

Organic Traffic Isn’t The Main Objective for SEO Anymore

Google Discover is a content feed served to users before they even enter a search query, providing a more personalized experience. How does it work? It observes your behavioral signals—like page engagement, content quality, and topical relevance—so it gives you the right content before you search for it. If you're wondering how SEO plays a role in this, here's the deal:

A well-optimized page feeds Google the right signals to qualify it for Discover placement. That means structured content, mobile-first design, strong metadata, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) compliance.

For businesses running Google Ads—especially Discovery Ads—this is critical. Why? Because the algorithm isn’t just analyzing your ad creative. It’s judging the landing page too. And that’s where SEO comes in.

The Funnel Effect: How SEO Supercharges Discovery Ads

Here’s a simple way to visualize it from top to bottom:

• 1. SEO
• 2. Quality Landing Page
• 3. Higher Engagement
• 4. Better Ad Rank
• 5. Lower CPA

Example:
In a campaign for a client’s B2B SaaS product, Evonix implemented traditional SEO practices—faster loading speeds, topic clusters, intent-based blog articles—and matched these with Discovery Ads. The result? A 47% drop in cost per lead (CPL) and a 2.3x boost in signup conversion rate.

Why Click-Through Rates Still Matter (Even in Discover Ads)

Let’s talk metrics.

• 1. Average CTR in Google Ads (2025): 6.66%
• 2. Average CPC: $5.26
• 3. Average Conversion Rate: 7.52%
• 4. Average Cost per Lead: $70.11
  (Source: Wordstream)

That’s steep—especially if your content isn’t aligned with user intent. Traditional SEO teaches us to optimize for CTR using compelling meta titles, structured headings, and rich snippets.

And guess what? The same rules apply to Discovery Ads.

According to Search Engine Journal, their tech client achieved:

• 1. 690% more impressions
• 2. 70% lower cost per visit
• 3. 93% drop in CPC

All of this by aligning their Discovery Ad campaign with properly segmented SEO-based content.

Evonix Tip: Pair Discovery campaigns with blog content optimized around mid-funnel keywords. It nurtures clicks into conversions.

Real-World Case Studies: SEO + Discovery Ads = Funnel Power

Case Study: Ted Baker’s Digital Reboot

The British fashion brand Ted Baker faced a major issue: their foot traffic had plummeted post-pandemic. So they turned to Discovery Ads.

By combining ad creative with SEO-optimized landing pages and retargeting via Display and Discovery Ads, the company saw:

• 1. 70% increase in revenue
• 2. 62% increase in tROAS

SEO gave Ted Baker’s ads the foundation they needed to convert interest into sales.

Case Study: FireEye's B2B Launch

FireEye launched a Discovery ads campaign for Mandiant Advantage for a duration of 4 months. They optimized their gated content using classic SEO tactics: structured headings, performance-optimized pages, and strong internal linking.

Results:

• 1. 653 qualified signups
• 2. $88 CPA (56% below target)
• 3. Discovery Ads delivered double the efficiency compared to past campaigns.

Case Study: Intertop Ukraine

In just a month:

• 1. CPA dropped 22x
• 2. CTR increased 2.6x
• 3. Conversions up 6.5x

SEO had prepped the site with mobile-first architecture and localized schema markup, making the Discovery ads more effective in engaging local buyers.

What Traditional SEO Does for Discovery Campaigns

Let’s keep it real—good SEO means better ads. Here’s how:

Evonix, a trusted provider of SEO services in Pune, routinely audits clients’ ad funnels to ensure every part—starting from the SEO-optimized page to ad creative—is working in sync.

Can SEO Influence Ad ROI?

Short answer: yes.

Let’s look at some recent data:

• 1. Google Ads returns $2 for every $1 spent (200% ROI), which rises up to $8 in some cases. That’s a whopping 800% ROI!
• 2. 63% of consumers click Google Ads over other formats.
• 3. 50% can’t distinguish between paid and organic results.
  (Source: Google, HubSpot, demandsage)

That means your organic strategy directly affects perceived trust in your ads.

When users land on a page that mirrors the language, design, and value proposition from your Discover Ad, conversions go up.

Case in Point: Seer Interactive

With Discovery Ads layered over SEO-rich email opt-in pages:

• 1. 58K+ email signups
• 2. 26% lower CPL vs YouTube
• 3. 120% lower CPL vs Google Display

Lesson: Ad creative drives the click, but SEO drives the conversion.

Ad Targeting: SEO Signals Enhance Personalization

• 1. 65% of users will click on ads when they show genuine interest in buying.
• 2. 30% more sales can be achieved thanks to personalized ads.
  (Source: Social Shepherd)

But how do you personalize at scale?

You lean on SEO.

Evonix’s digital marketing services in Pune include persona-based content strategies that allow ad targeting lists to sync with what users are already searching for. That gives you warm traffic—people are more likely to click and convert.

Combine this with Google's AI-powered Demand Gen Campaigns, and you get:

• 1. 3x higher CTR
• 2. 84% more cost-efficient CPC
  (Source: Medium)

Demand Gen + SEO: The Future of Funnels

With the integration of Google Discovery Ads into Demand Gen Campaigns across YouTube, Gmail, and more:

• 1. Generative AI is driving 1.5x more searches
• 2. YouTube Shorts hit 70 billion daily views
• 3. Video assets now outperform text + image ads
  (Source: Google, Embryo, AC Nielsen)

Your SEO strategy should now include video metadata optimization, YouTube channel tagging, and embedded transcripts.

Evonix helps businesses create SEO-backed video assets to power these new funnels—keeping content findable and clickable, even in non-traditional ad spaces.

FAQs Answered: The Role of SEO in Paid Ad Campaigns

1. Do I really need SEO if I’m running paid ads?

Yes. Paid ads get the click, but SEO-optimized pages ensure conversion. Plus, Google still gives special consideration to page quality and ranks based on performance.

2. Can SEO reduce my ad spend?

Absolutely. Better landing pages improve Quality Score, which lowers CPC and increases impression share.

3. Is SEO still relevant in 2025?

More than ever. With Discover, YouTube Shorts, and Generative AI, SEO is evolving, not fading.

4. What kind of content performs best in Discover Ads?

Based on case studies:

• 1. Video-first, especially on YouTube
• 2. Answer-based articles (like this one!)
• 3. Location-rich content (80% higher engagement)
• 4. Content synced with ad keywords and user intent

Final Thoughts: Build Smarter Campaigns with SEO at the Core

2025 is not about choosing between organic and paid. It’s about merging both to create smart, adaptive campaigns that convert with precision.

Whether you’re a startup or a scaled enterprise, aligning your SEO efforts with Discovery Ads and Demand Gen strategies will set you apart in a saturated market.

At Evonix, a leading SEO company in Pune, we’re helping clients do just that—by connecting traditional SEO frameworks with cutting-edge ad technologies for explosive ROI.