Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) are two of the most essential elements of digital marketing. Both are important for a winning digital marketing plan. Understanding the differences between the two can help you pick up the right strategy.
In short, SEO offers organic traffic, but it takes more time and effort to put into practice. On the contrary, PPC does not offer free organic traffic or lasting results. Though the results for PPC speak much more immediate than that of SEO. Our blog further discusses both the strategies – pros and cons.
SEO and PPC
SEO is the action of increasing the visibility of your website or a webpage to users on a search engine results page. By stocking up high-quality content over time + quality back-linking to your site, Google will identify the website as authoritative.
The Pay-Per-Click strategy also drives traffic to your website, but through paid ads. For search engines like Google, PPC users bid over keywords to gain a position in the search results.
Advantages of SEO
Sustainability: Web traffic is sustainable once a good strategic traffic-drive is established. This works only if you rank particularly well for high-volume keywords.
Higher Clicks: The chances of your website’s getting clicks is proportionate to your website’s higher rank. Studies say First page rankings receive 90% of the web traffic.
Increased Authenticity: Your website will have higher trust with SEO. Visitors will trust your brand with higher search engine rankings.
CONS OF SEO
Time Consuming: SEO takes time to get your website ranking on the first page (~ 3-6 months depending on your location, competition, etc) and effort to implement. Depending on how competitive a keyword is, it can take many weeks and months to see the ultimate result of your labor.
Competitive: SEO is competitive. Almost 90% of visitors click on the first page of search results. Most sites on the first page of high-traffic keywords (or key-phrases) are implementing some sort of SEO techniques; so it will take time to get your website ranking because of the competition — this is to be expected and explained to anyone who seeks immediate SEO results.
Unique Content: To be effective in SEO, you need to provide or generate unique, relevant and informative content throughout your business’s website. This content should inform, educate and help your website visitors.
BENEFITS OF PPC
Fast Outcomes: As soon as your ads are approve by the platform, they begin appearing immediately in search results.
Position: Paid Ads are located at the top and bottom of the web page so as to get easily visible to visitors.
Space : Ads tend to have the potential to occupy more space than organic results.
Conversions: Targeted and optimized ads drive high conversions. The above ad represents the high conversion possibility on search engines with PPC action.
Solid Control: You have tight acute control over ads. You can control your budget for each day, the keywords you use, how much you bid, and more.
Gain Marketing Intelligence: You can gain knowledge of marketing intelligence with access to data and scope. This will allow for more informed decisions.
CONS OF PPC
Expensive: Ad spend can skyrocket very easily. Because ad costs are calculated on the number of clicks. Even a lead can cost at least 8 to 12 times the cost per click value, which can amount to $500 to $700+. We typically recommend an average media spend of ~ $1100-1500 for a beginning lead generation campaign.
Disappears When Stopped: If you pause or stop your advertising campaign, it will no longer appear in search results. Unlike SEO, where your website will still appear in search results but your ranking will begin to dwindle down over time.
BENEFITS OF USING BOTH SEO & PPC
Using both strategies has sure benefits. You will certainly benefit from traffic from both sources. In terms of SEO, it will make your website well-optimized with good performing keywords and phrases. Whereas with PPC, you can use SEO tools like Google Search Console to capture keywords. You can then apply those keywords to the PPC campaign.
Another benefit is the exposure effects and higher conversion rates. The PPC exposure will build awareness and confidence. This will make your company a credible source to your visitors.
SEO OR PPC FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
We would rather suggest you implement both for your business. We always recommend a stronger SEO approach; especially for a local business with little competition. Using less competitive keywords, you will see quicker and more profitable returns.
On the other hand, if your targeted market or industry is highly competitive, we would instead recommend you focusing on PPC. Because it will give you that initial boost.
If you find it complicated on how you want to invest and implement your SEO and PPC efforts, Cyrusson can help your business strategize according to your needs. Reach out to us or book a free consultation today.