Should I use pay-per-click advertising, or search engine optimization? This is the most common concern most business owners have when it comes to driving more traffic to their website. While there are plenty of articles discussing the pros and cons of these useful sources, sometimes it’s difficult to consider which option is the most effective for your business.
Based on our experience as a Fort Lauderdale web design agency, it all depends on the type of business goals you have as well as your budget for internet marketing.
PPC vs organic search: What’s the Difference?
Before getting into the benefits of PPC vs organic search, let’s go over the basics:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – refers to the process of increasing the amount of traffic to your website through organic (unpaid) search results, and establishing a high rank on the search engine results page (SERP) like Google, Yahoo! and Bing.
- Pay-per-click (PPC) Advertising – is a form of marketing in which a company pays to host an advertisement on the internet in order to drive more traffic and attract visitors to their website. Every time a visitor clicks on the ad, the company pays a certain amount per click.
Which One Should I Choose?
Depending on the type of business you have, sometimes it can be beneficial to combine both PPC and SEO. However, it’s important to have a clear understanding of these resources and what they offer (both long-term and short-term) before you make a commitment.
PPC Advertising
PPC advertising can produce immediate results at a premium cost. It’s a helpful method to initiate the process of driving more traffic, and potentially increasing sales by attracting more customers. This can be achieved through different campaigns such as:
- Display Campaigns – which are ads that are shown throughout Google’s Display Network (videos, apps, Gmail, Youtube, etc.).
- Network Campaigns – ads that appear next to search results throughout Google’s Search Network (Google search, shopping, Google maps, etc.).
Even though PPC has its benefits, the results are only short-term; meaning that once the ad stops, you will notice a decrease in website traffic. Also, PPC can be very costly if the ad campaign is not properly set up and managed. Keep in mind that you could end up spending a fortune, and receive little or no results.
Organic Search
In contrast, the process of SEO is a bit more challenging and can take some time before you notice a change in website traffic. Remember, there are millions of other companies competing for that number-one spot on the search engines. Although the results are not instant, this strategy lasts longer and the end result can be rewarding if it’s done correctly.
In order to implement SEO into your internet marketing strategy, you have to first determine your virtual persona. That way, you can produce engaging content such as downloadable documents, factsheets and blog articles. This will allow you to target your potential customers and include them into your marketing funnel.
These organic search results generally receive more clicks than paid ads, which in turn produces more visibility, more conversions and a solid return on investment (ROI).
Conclusion
Still unsure about which option is best for your business? Whether you choose PPC as a quick way to gain more visitors and increase sales, or SEO for a more targeted audience and a solid ROI, it all depends on your business goals. In the end, using a combination of PPC vs Organic Search can be beneficial to your company.
Cultura Interactive is a full service, Fort Lauderdale web design and marketing agency that strives to not only create unique and attractive websites, but also helps businesses improve their internet marketing strategies in a less-complicated way.
Our team of professionals specialize in web design, logo design, WordPress development, eCommerce, responsive web design, mobile apps, SEO, social media marketing, ppc and organic search advertising and more. Learn more about our services or contact us for a personal interview.
