One of the most common questions asked in business when it comes to digital marketing is ‘should I invest in PPC or SEO?’. Both come with pros and cons, with the key difference between the two being that PPC (pay per click) requires a monthly spend, but SEO (search engine optimisation) doesn’t, unless you pay for a marketing agency to run it for you.
SEO and PPC are both important marketing strategies for businesses. SEO is a long-term strategy that helps your website rank higher in organic search results. PPC is a short-term strategy that helps rank higher in paid search results.
The best marketing strategy for your business largely depends on the goals you have. We’ve looked at the pros and cons of both SEO and PPC to help you make a more informed decision on which channel is best for your brand.
Pros and Cons of SEO
SEO is a marketing strategy that requires patience and consistency. It pays off in the long run and is worth investing in to build trust and credibility with your audience.
The benefits of SEO for business
Boost credibility
Ranking high organically on SERPs (search engine results pages) creates a certain level of trust with your customers that paid ads just don’t get. Users can see you haven’t paid for the position your website ranks in which makes you appear more reliable and authentic as a business.
Reach more people
One key area of SEO is organic keywords. The more you optimise your website content and metadata to include relevant keywords to your business, the more searches your website will appear for. This in turn means you reach a wider group of people that are all interested in your product or service.
No spend needed
Basic SEO doesn’t have to cost you anything. With the right skills and knowledge of the algorithms and best practices, you can get good results from it, without spending a penny.
The downside of SEO
It doesn't usually deliver instant results
SEO takes time. It can be six or even 12 months before you start seeing your hard work pay off, which is more often than not, totally worth it. But if you’re looking for instant results within a few weeks, it’s not the strategy for you. However, there are some instances where, if the SEO is done correctly before a website launches, the content will begin to rank straight away.
It requires time and consistency
Ranking on the first page of SERPs organically takes time and constant optimisation. At the beginning, your website may only rank on page six or seven for relevant keywords. But with time and ongoing work, you’ll start to see those rankings climb further and further up the pages.
Google updates can make or break your SEO
Google likes to keep you on your toes and releases numerous algorithm updates every year. This can sometimes lead to websites losing a large chunk of the keywords it’s worked so hard to rank for. However, more often than not, after a month or so, you do start to gain those same keywords back again. This is where hiring an SEO specialist may benefit your business. They’ll know the ins and outs of Google updates and will be able to keep on top of your SEO and maintain its performance when these algorithm changes hit.
Pros and Cons of PPC
PPC is a short term digital marketing strategy that can sky-rocket your website to the top of the SERPs. Google, Bing and social media platforms can all be used to implement PPC campaigns for your business.
The benefits of PPC for business
Laser targeted
PPC, especially Google Ads, is all about choosing a selection of keywords that your website appears for when a customer Google’s that same word or phrase. That means you have the opportunity to create a super targeted campaign strategy.
Get to the top spot
PPC can get you to the number one position on the SERPs instantly with the right budget, ad copy and keywords. As soon as you set your ads live, they begin to appear online. It’s a great way to get exposure and traffic to your website, especially if your website is relatively new.
Reach people already interested in your service
You can target users who search specific words and phrases that exactly match your service or product. That means you can target an already ‘warm audience’ which means you’re more likely to have a high conversion rate.
The downsides of PPC
Website stops showing when you stop spending
Pay Per Click, as the name suggests, relies on a monthly spend. As soon as you run out of budget or turn off your ads, your website will disappear from the search rankings, unless you have a solid SEO strategy as well.
Can be very competitive
With more and more businesses utilising PPC ads for their business, it’s becoming very competitive. The more people in your industry who start running ads, the harder it is to be in the top position. This means you could end up with an increased monthly spend, but still not great results.
Can be costly
With any PPC campaign, you pay every time a user clicks on your ad, and depending on your industry this can be extremely costly. By using the Google keyword planner, you can identify the keywords to use, and the ones to avoid, based on the average cost per click. This will also give you a good indication of the size of budget you will need to get results from PPC advertising.
SEO or PPC?
Both SEO and PPC are great ways to get visitors to your website, whether that’s through paid or organic traffic. SEO and PPC heavily rely on targeted keywords to get relevant traffic to your website, but one requires a monthly spend and one doesn’t.
As the saying goes, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket, and this applies to your digital marketing strategy too. If you can utilise both paid advertising and SEO for your business, both will give you great results.
There is no right answer to whether SEO or PPC are better for your brand. It really depends on your individual business goals and what you want to achieve with your marketing strategy. If you want longer-term results, then SEO might be the best option for you. If you are looking for instant results, then PPC might be better suited for your needs.
How can QBD help?
Getting your website found on search is difficult and both SEO and PPC offer great results, when done correctly. As a business, you may not have the time, resources, or in-house skills to be able to implement and maintain SEO and PPC strategies. That’s where an agency like QBD can help.
We have an in-house team of specialists who can manage SEO activity and PPC campaigns on behalf of your business to ensure they deliver great results month on month.
Talk to us today to learn more about our services.