SEO vs PPC Strategies: Which Is Right for Your Business?

SEO vs PPC Strategies: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Two of the biggest ways to drive traffic to your site are SEO and PPC. We take a look at SEO vs PPC strategies and help you decide whether to use one or both.

 

Your new website has just gone live and you want to lead customers to check out — and purchase — your products or services.

Or maybe your site has been online for a while but it’s not getting the amount of traffic you hoped for.

What do you do?

There are two kinds of online marketing techniques that can bring inbound leads to your website. You may have heard the acronyms: SEO and PPC.

SEO means search engine optimization. PPC is pay-per-click advertising.

Both online marketing tactics can generate traffic to your site. But they both work differently. While their objective is the same. They are different internet marketing strategies that require different methods and have different effects.

But which one is right for your business website?

This depends on several variables. In this article, we’ll discuss these variables so you can decide which is right for your business: PPC strategies or SEO.

Let’s hit it.

SEO Vs. PPC: Which is Right For Your Website?

Both SEO and PPC strategies have their benefits and limitations. Here’s what you need to know about SEO.

The Nuts and Bolts of SEO

Search engine optimization is often referred to as organic search results. The goal is to get your website on the first page of Google. While Bing and Yahoo show search results, Google has a wide lead when it comes to search engines.

SEO is essential for online companies because search engines generate the most traffic.

Websites generate SEO traffic over a long period of time. While appearing on page one of Google won’t happen overnight, there are steps businesses can take to build a strong SEO presence.

One thing that helps with SEO is consistent content marketing. Writing content that is SEO friendly can build a good reputation with Google. It helps businesses rank well with Google.

What Google Wants

Google prefers longer content that is well researched and includes authority external links. It can be difficult for an unskilled SEO person to keep up, so companies often hire SEO companies to do the job.

Keyword strategies need to be planned well. This is done by performing keyword research. During research, researchers can learn popular questions that users ask when searching for products and services.

Keywords and Grade Level

Keyword placement is also important. Keywords must be contained in headings, introductions, body copy and conclusions. Text should be simple and easy to understand and contain short sentences.

Grade level should be around grade 9 or below. You can find out your text grade level by plugging your content into a site called Hemingway App.

When a website performs well in SEO, it can maintain a good SERP ranking, providing it follows Google algorithm rules. It may take time to build a strong SEO presence, but when you do it can last.

What About PPC?

Now let’s talk about PPC. Pay-per-click marketing provides another online marketing strategy to navigate traffic to your company’s website.

Businesses bid to have text advertisements appear on page one of search results. Google typically reserves the top four spots on the page for paid ads. They often have a heading that says “ads” or “sponsored content.”

Pay per click gets its name because the buyer pays every time an internet user clicks on the ad.

You might recognize these popular advertising platforms such as Google AdWords and Bing Advertisements.

Other PPC platforms include specific niches such as match.com’s dating as well as other niche PPC options.

PPC Works Faster

PPC marketing can be quite effective went you want fast results. Once a search engine approves your PPC ads, you’ll see a large number of website visitors browsing your pages.

Just check Google Analytics or your analytics app and you’ll be amazed how fast visitors stop by. Keep in mind, you must win a bid to have your ad placed in a prominent position.

Have a product launch around the corner? PPC can be an effective tool to get the word out fast.

It’s also successful with event marketing, seasonal promotions like a back-to-school sale or holiday promotion or other online ad campaigns.

Are you an electronics business that sells big screen TVs. Then put up a PPC ad selling your merchandise before the Superbowl.

PPC Enables You To Narrow Your Target

Unlike SEO, PPC enables marketers to target their audience by location and demographics. You can also ldo this with Facebook marketing ads.

You can actually hone your social media PPC ads to an audience based on gender, income level, age range, marital status, hobbies, and geographic location.

Looking for people who love gardening to sell your gardening products? Then PPC on social is your best way to go for the quickest sale.

It’s a great way to reach a narrow audience interested in the products you sell and drive them to your company website.

When PPC Strategies Works Better Than SEO

PPC works as a good marketing tool when you feature a time-sensitive promotion.

Working with an expiration date for a sale creates a sense of urgency that makes shoppers want to respond to take advantage of your discounts and special offers.

On the other hand, counting on SEO when you’re on a deadline will be unlikely to produce good results unless you already have established a good SEO presence in search engines.

Have a promotion that ends by the end of the week? Then a PPC campaign is a smart choice and will quickly drive traffic to your company website. SEO? Not so much.

With a PPC campaign, you don’t even need to have a good SEO site established. And they’re great for squeeze pages which don’t work well with search engine optimization.

And when you use pay-per-click advertising, you’ll still appear on the top of organic search results.

The Wrap Up: SEO Vs. PPC Strategies

Now you know the fundamentals of search engine marketing and pay-per-click advertising. SEO takes more expertise and longer to build

PPC strategies work great for time-sensitive campaigns.

But you have to pay for PPC and bid for your place on the page. While working with an SEO expert isn’t free, it can offer longevity and consistent traffic when done right. PPC brings users to you fast.

Have more questions about SEO or PPC management? Contact us today to get started or just to talk.