Understanding the Unexpected Boost in Organic Traffic Following Google Ads Campaign Cancellation
Published on October 14, 2025
In the digital marketing landscape, paid advertising and organic search often operate as complementary channels. However, recent observations suggest that their relationship can sometimes be more complex than initially assumed. This article explores a recent case where discontinuing a Google Ads campaign unexpectedly led to a significant improvement in organic search performance.
The Scenario
On Tuesday morning, October 14, 2025, I made the decision to deactivate a Google Ads catalog campaign that had been actively running for several months. This campaign specifically targeted products related to collectible trading cards, such as Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards, in the Mexican market.
Key Details:
- Business Model: Ecommerce retailer importing and selling card products in Mexico.
- Campaign Focus: Google Ads catalog campaigns promoting product listings.
- Geography: Mexico (excluding blog pages for this analysis).
The Results: A Surprising Organic Upswing
Post-campaign deactivation, our website’s organic search performance experienced an unexpected surge. Data from Google Search Console reveals notable improvements:
| Metrics | During Campaign | After Campaign Stopped | Change |
|———————————-|—————————-|————————-|—————————-|
| Average Clicks | 58 | 177 | +205% |
| Average Impressions | 8,368 | 6,915 | -17% |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | 0.70% | 2.57% | +1.87 percentage points |
| Average Search Position | 6.09 | 5.08 | Improved by nearly 1 position |
In essence, although impressions decreased slightly, organic clicks and CTR nearly tripled, and our average search position improved, indicating better visibility and engagement in organic results.
Unpacking the Phenomenon: Is This Normal?
This case prompts several important questions:
1. Can Google Ads campaigns negatively impact organic SEO performance?
2. Could advertising efforts be unintentionally cannibalizing organic traffic?
Let’s explore these concerns.
The Relationship Between Paid and Organic Search
While paid and organic search are often viewed as separate channels, they can influence each other in some cases:
- Ad Cluttering and User Behavior: Heavy paid advertising may dominate search results, deterring users from clicking