When I talk to clients about marketing strategies for their business we discuss both physical and online media. When it comes to online forms of advertising and marketing the three main focuses are Organic search (SEO), Paid Advertising (PPC) and then social media marketing. All three have their place in a business’s marketing plan, and every business is different requiring a different mix. Today though, we will be focusing on Organic vs. Paid Search Strategies.
Let’s start at the basics. Organic search or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is defined as a digital marketing strategy that focuses on your website’s presence in search results on search engines like Google. To take it one step further, it is based not on paying to be in the search results page but the ranking in which your website shows up will be based on the quality of your website, and how relevant it is to the search preformed. For example, if you are a roofing contractor, you want to show up for roofing contractors, metal roof etc. In order to show up for those results, you need to talk about those items on your website. Have relevant content to show Google, and other search engines that they should serve you up as a result when someone searches for those words or phrases. Think about it this way, if you were Google, which is a business. They need to keep their customers happy, so they need to be sure that when a customer (end user) searches for Roofing Contractor, they find results for roofing contractors not florists. That is what SEO is, it is the practice of doing the due diligence on your website and off (linkage) to show Google and other search engines that you (your website) is a good result for them to serve to their customers when searching.
Paid search is the other end of the spectrum. It is defined as an online advertising model in which an advertiser pays a publisher every time an advertisement link is “clicked” on. Now, does that mean that you can simply pay to show up for every single word, relevant or not… No, you still need to have content and a website that backs up what you are trying to show up for, like the roofing example. But you can pay to show up higher on the page, in the ads section and atop (depending) some competitors. Now I said you only pay when your ad is clicked on, that is true. PPC is made up of impressions, which are how many times your ad shows up in a search result. The only time you would pay for the advertisement is when your ad is clicked on, the consumer (end user) goes through to your landing page or website in general. The price you pay per click is based on many factors, but they include, your websites strength, the area of service you are advertising in and your particular area. You can ensure a better cost per click, by working on your website’s strength, which in turn helps your SEO. Good content, quick loading and relevant information. PPC is used as fast or short-term strategy, as it is almost instantaneous. When a client decides they need to begin online marketing, whether they just built a new site, or they are launching a new product or service they may want to incorporate PPC into the plan so that they can begin showing up in searches. SEO is a long-term strategy and takes time for Google to read and “check out” websites, additions to sites to begin making them appear in searches.
Now, again it is important like I discussed in the opener to have a mix of these strategies. They say that if you build it they will come, that isn’t true online, so you have to be sure to have both of these strategies in place to make sure your website is found. To summarize, Short term PPC gets things off and running or when a boost is needed, and then be sure to have a long-term strategy in place, your SEO, a good foundation to ensure the longevity of your online presence and marketing campaigns. Doing both of these items, will ensure your online success!
What is SEO & How does it work?
Web Fix - https://www.webfx.com/internet-marketing/how-SEO-works.html
Pay-Per-Click – What is it? CFI?
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/ecommerce-saas/pay-per-click-ppc/