"marketing helps a customer go to business X rather than business Y"
That is a succinct description of a zero-sum game.
* Business X gains the same amount business Y loses.
There is no additional value!
That is a succinct description of a zero-sum game.
* Business X gains the same amount business Y loses.
There is no additional value!
Marketing effect can be difficult to quantify, but it's about more than ad dollars and the bottom line is definitely not a zero-sum game. While SEO doesn't lack for bad actors, white-hat SEO can help grow markets.
For example, if the number of customers can be the same but if they are served better or cheaper than the competition then value is created