SEO and PPC Visibility

What are the Differences between SEO and PPC (Google Ads) in Boosting Online Visibility?

If you’re not sure whether your business would benefit more from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising, you’re not alone. The reality is there are no straightforward answers; but here we offer a few pointers.

SEO is essentially a set of techniques to help your web pages rank more highly on the non-paid search results by boosting the quality and relevance of your website’s content. It provides enhanced visibility with none of the per-click fees of PPC.

PPC ads, in contrast, are paid-for web-based advertisements which, thanks to laser-sharp keywords and demographic targeting, can put in front of the right people at the right time. They appear in prominent spots above the organic search results and soak up most of the clicks for strongly commercial terms.

But which of the two is best for you?

SEO: The Advantages

With SEO, you can look forward to:

  • Awareness: Visibility with the main search engines via targeted keywords to drive greater awareness of your business.
  • Trust and credibility: Because you get pushed up the organic search results, this can boost credibility among those who may be looking for your services. Especially where someone is researching something they want to buy; they often place more trust in the organic results. There should also be a knock-on effect for your branding.
  • Versatility: Organic search results are versatile, offering varied opportunities to put your business in front of potential clients as they search for what they want to buy.
  • Reviews and reputation: These search results encompass reviews from varied sources, again enhancing trust.
  • Cost: While developing strong visibility takes time and effort, which effectively is money, there is no direct cost associated with each click or impression. So, it is typically more cost-effective than other marketing techniques, with a better overall Return on Investment (ROI).
  • Sustainability: Organic traffic does not stop when you cease paying, unlike PPC. Indeed, SEO can sustain you at times when budgets are tight. And once you are established with a place in the organic results, your competitors can’t just buy their way ahead.

What are the challenges?

SEO is highly competitive and can look very ‘busy,’ with several types of results appearing. What is more, titans such as Amazon or eBay often dominate. Meanwhile, algorithmic changes can be bumpy and create unexpected issues. Equally, if you’re a smaller business, content development can be potentially problematic.

Indeed, the entire process can feel labour-intensive.

PPC (Google Ads): The Advantages

This can be a little more expensive and competitive for commercial terms, and it needs consistent investment. It is also important to be sure that everything is set up correctly. Yet it will bring many benefits:

Speed

You can create a PPC campaign in days – indeed, there is no quicker way of getting yourself in front of customers poised to make a purchase.

Page position

Even if they scroll right on past them, a searcher will always see paid search adverts. There’s great visibility among the right people.

Budgetary considerations

It is true that PPC is not always cheap. But it does allow for budget control. Decide your daily expenditure stick to a fixed limit. You can still enjoy a cost-effective way of generating leads for your business.

Stability

This tends to be better with PPC, with any changes typically lower-impact and more manageable.

Agile

PPC allows for rapid feedback, for example on the launch of a new product or a fresh marketing message. You can do this when you run a brief advertising campaign.

Marketing intelligence

Thanks to integration with the likes of Google Analytics, you can easily establish which keywords convert, to what extent, and at what percentage and cost. This can inform SEO and be used to enhance results across the board.

Customisable

The dynamic ad copy means there are thousands of variations available to you with built-in testing. So, you can customise ads to help encourage more clicks.

 

In summary

There are quite a few things to balance, and there are a lot of considerations, including the time and money you want to spend, how much extra business you want or need to generate, plus the keywords you’re targeting.

Talk to us!

Front Page Advantage has been helping its clients to gain optimal return from their marketing budget for the best part of 20 years. We can help you decide whether SEO or PPC would work best for your business and put a plan in place to boost sales and leads. Discover our SEO Packages and PPC packages today.

Start by asking for a free SEO heath check video today.