Getting your name out there is hard; everyone knows this. You may hear people talking about SEO and PPC advertising, but it can be difficult to know which is right for your business and what route to take. This holds especially true when you are not really sure what the difference is between the two. SEO is short for search engine optimization, which means you have enhanced your website’s visibility in rank through organic (or unpaid) efforts. PPC, short for pay-per-click, pays whatever search engine (Google, Bing etc.) for each click on your ad and it is based on a bid model. The higher the bid, the more likely you are to appear at the top of the search results. There are pros and cons to both, but we are going to focus on key takeaways of both so you can make an informed decision on your marketing strategy.
SEO:
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Having great SEO improves your credibility and trust in the eyes of consumers.
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Ranking organically builds brand awareness by increasing visibility among consumers.
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The cost is relatively low – basically free – in comparison to PPC, but does take a lot of time and effort on the initial setup. The ROI is usually better in comparison to PPC.
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SEO is more sustainable because it continues even when you stop paying, unlike PPC.
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SEO is highly competitive and is often overshadowed by PPC ads and many results are dominated by larger businesses that smaller businesses will never be able to compete with, like Amazon.
PPC:
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With PPC, you are able to easily target your customers based on keywords, time of the day, geographic location, and so on.
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How much you pay determines your position on the SERP (search engine results page).
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PPC is a form of advertising, so you have much more control over your ad space and the delivery of your ads.
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You can advertise in different ways (visual ads, dynamic ads, etc.).
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PPC is based on the budget you set.
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PPC can be very expensive and is also very competitive.
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These ads are easy to start but can be difficult to master.
A few key questions to ask yourself when you are deciding which route to take:
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What are your keywords?
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What results are you looking for?
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How do results vary by location?
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How much business do you need? How much scaling can your business handle/
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Which resource do you have more readily available – money or time?
Choosing a marketing avenue can always be tricky; if you are looking for more direction, feel free to reach out to us! We would be more than happy to help you grow your business! Give us a call or fill out our contact form today!
