SEO Vs. PPC: Which One Is Better For Your Business Marketing?

One question we get asked a lot is, “SEO vs. PPC: Which is better?” And we get it. Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) ads are two of the most effective ways of getting more traffic to a site.

The answer to this question is highly dependent on a company’s target audience and objectives. There are times when SEO strategies would be more beneficial to use, and sometimes paid ads would be recommended.

Before making that decision, Infintech Designs will discuss definitions, pros and cons, and when to use these two methods.

Table of Contents

What Is SEO?

SEO is the process of enhancing a site’s components to increase visitors’ quantity and quality from search engines, especially Google.

The search engine giant generated almost 2.3 trillion searches in 2019, making up about 87% of the world’s searches.

It is a complex process that involves several factors like using the right keywords, being relevant to the audience, keeping users satisfied, and building links to a site.

The goal of most SEO efforts is to land on Google’s top organic searches, the top five links of which get over 67% of all clicks. The farther down the list a site is, the number of SEO clicks gets lower.

What Is PPC?

PPC is an advertising model where a company pays for every click it gets from its online ads.

A company will not be charged if a user sees the ad but does not click on it.
It is quite simple to run a PPC ad, but creating an effective campaign is a different story.

It takes a digital marketing expert to create a specific, sustainable PPC plan.

Pros And Cons

Now that we have defined what SEO and PPC are, let’s discuss some SEO vs. PPC statistics, pros, and cons.

Pros And Cons Of SEO

Let’s begin with the pros:

Establishes Credibility: when a site is in Google’s top searches, it means that the search engine deems the site as a reliable source of information for specific keywords. Potential site visitors also equate being in the top site searches to being legitimate and trustworthy.
Stays In Effect For A Long Time: unlike paid ads, traffic from successful SEO efforts will not stop when the ads stop running. When a company reaches Google’s first page, the site will likely be there for a while and keep generating organic traffic.
Generates High CTR: generally, a higher percentage of users click on organic results more than paid ads. Less than 10% of people click on paid ads.
Increases Your Reach Immensely: there are about 3.5 billion Google searches per day, and when a site is placed in the top 5 or 10 slots, it will receive a massive increase in brand visibility and awareness.
SEO Advertising Cost. Building a company’s SEO will take a lot of time and effort, but once it’s been established, there is no advertising cost, like PPC ads.
The cons of SEO include:
Requires Patience: observing a single SEO component might not make a dent in a site’s rank. It takes several key activities to make a difference in a company’s Google rank. It may take months or years for a company to achieve its initial SEO goals.
Requires Resilience: achieving SEO goals is tough, especially when a company is going against industry leaders who have been around longer and have spent millions of dollars building the strength of their site.

Pros And Cons Of PPC

Here are some advantages to applying PPC strategies:

High Visibility: there are usually four ads on desktop and three on mobile phones, and they are placed on top of organic searches. Even if a visitor scrolls past the ad, he will still have some recall of the brand.
Improved System: it’s now easy to target a specific audience with paid ads, with options on location, age, gender, and even income. With a targeting system like this, it will be easier for companies to increase clickthrough rates and revenues.
Visual Ads: Google now has the option of showing product photos in Google Adwords. Organic search does not have this option.
Instant Gratification: there can be an instant spike in CTR, traffic, and sales with a properly-implemented paid ad.
Marketing Data: Advertisers will get relevant business data, like which keywords are significant, from software like SEO Google Analytics. Any advertiser can use this data to strengthen its other digital marketing campaign

Some of the cons of PPC are:

Can Be Costly: PPC ads can be costly, mostly if the targeting is not done right. If the targeting is not ideal, the company might pay for clicks from visitors who are not interested in a company’s products or services.
Availability Of Data To Competitors: once a company runs PPC ads, competitors may copy PPC styles and even estimate funnels.

The Verdict

Let’s answer the question, “SEO vs. PPC: Which is better?” We’ve said it earlier—it highly depends on a company’s situation.

Like curated charcuterie boxes in Cerritos—New Orleans for this matter—a niche product or service will most likely have little competition and can do some DIY SEO.

Google Analytics is a free tool that can help such a business with its SEO activities.

A new clothing e-commerce store in Louisiana will need to rely heavily on PPC in the beginning because it will have stiff competition in using SEO.

Using PPC is also ideal for launching a new item, announcing a big event like a 4th of July sale, or moving inventory with an expiration date.

Ideally, if a company has enough budget, it would be best to have PPC and SEO working together to increase visibility, brand awareness, site visitors, and revenue.

SEO success is a great long-term goal that PPC methods can help achieve. Utilizing these two together is the best way to be noticed in the digital world.

With the help of best business practices and digital marketing experts, any company can achieve its digital marketing goals with the power of seo and ppc working together.

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