SEO
SEO and paid ads both put a business in front of searchers, but they work on very different timelines and cost structures, which makes the right first choice depend on the business's situation.
Ads can put a business at the top of search results almost immediately, which is valuable for a new business or a time sensitive promotion, but the visibility disappears the moment spending stops.
SEO takes longer to show results but keeps working without ongoing per click spending once it's built. For most established local businesses, a combination of both, weighted toward SEO over time, tends to work best.