SEO vs. PPC — When To Use Each One
SEO vs. PPC — Why Each One Matters to Your Company
With the right marketing tools, you can encourage clicks, capture leads, and improve your bottom-line results.
Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising are two effective digital marketing strategies. Each offers unique benefits for your business, but do you need both?
We’re here to break down the differences between SEO vs. paid search and how you can use each in your plan.
Want to talk it through? Call 800-601-5359 to talk to an FXer today!
What is SEO?
SEO is the process of improving your website to appear organically in search engine results pages (SERPs). The first five positions get 68% of all clicks, so you want your site to appear in the top spots.
The main types of SEO are:
- Local: Targets local users and highlights your service area.
- On-page: The factors you implement on each page to attract more traffic.
- Off-page: Factors out of your control and off your website that can boost SEO.
- Technical: The technical factors that can improve your SEO.
Through each SEO method, you address different aspects that impact how reliable you appear to Google.
Top SEO factors
- Keyword placement
- Page speed
- Content quality
- Link quality
- Domain age
- Design and layout
- Mobile-friendliness
- User experience
What is PPC?
PPC ads are paid online ads. With PPC, search engines display your ad, and you pay whenever someone clicks on it.
Types of PPC ads include:
- Search ads
- Social ads
- Video ads
- Display ads
- Remarketing ads
- Shopping ads
When someone searches for a term, Google will begin an auction and evaluate different advertisements that could be relevant to the search. If Google chooses yours, you’ll appear at the top of the SERPs. If the user clicks, you will pay Google the predetermined price.
Below is a PPC ad that you would find while searching on Google.
PPC ads can take different forms depending on the site. Below is an example of what you would see in your Facebook feed.
Top PPC factors
- Your bid
- Expected click-through rate
- Your quality score
- Ad relevancy
SEO vs. PPC differences
While SEO and PPC both pertain to search engine rankings, their differences will impact your choice.
Cost
The most significant difference between these two strategies is their cost.
With SEO, there is no cost to rank organically. Your budget goes towards your tools and SEO team, whether that’s in-house or through an agency. The price-results ratio is ideal for businesses that want to garner organic attention over time.
With PPC, you must pay whenever someone clicks on your ad, whether they convert or not.
For PPC, you will pay more for words with higher competition. Most companies invest between $9000 and $10,000 per month for PPC management, which includes the cost-per-click, tools, and services they use.
Timeline
In general, you can expect almost immediate results from your PPC campaign. As more people see your ads, your site will get more traffic, and you will gain more leads.
SEO is more of a long-term strategy, as it takes longer to show results. While you might see a quick uptick in traffic, you will see more consistent results over time. SEO will build lasting impressions and maintain your site’s position.
Uses
You can run PPC ads for various purposes. For example, you can run multiple PPC campaigns that target different words or pay more for one ad targeting high-competition keywords.
SEO affects all aspects of your site. From design and content to technical arrangements and mobile friendliness, SEO matters for all website choices.
Is SEO better than PPC?
SEO is not inherently better than PPC — you can use each tool depending on your goals. Combine the two approaches into one comprehensive digital strategy.
In this video, Dan explains how you might use PPC or SEO for your business.
You can use PPC to:
- Get a lot of people to your site quickly.
- Increase traffic to one high-priority page.
- Highlight specials or deals that you don’t have to pay for monthly.
If you want a long-term solution, try SEO to:
- Improve overall page visibility.
- Prove to Google and users that you are a reliable industry source.
- Set yourself apart from competitors.
- Grow your website into a well-designed space.
While you wait for your SEO to improve, you can use PPC to earn revenue to encourage growth. If you still need help deciding which is the right one for your team, a digital marketing agency like WebFX can help you find the right strategy.
Drive more revenue with SEO or PPC from WebFX
Finding the strategy that works for your company will set you up for success. A digital marketing agency can help you reduce your workload while reaping the benefits of either approach.
Since 1996, WebFX has served small to midsized businesses with expert digital marketing solutions. We back our methods with data and prove our results time over time.
Our award-winning SEO services and various PPC services will address each area. Request a quote today or call 888-601-5359 to see what we will do for your business!