SEO and PPC Working Together – The Best of Both Worlds

As more businesses move online, the competition for web traffic is heating up. This has led many companies to invest in search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to improve their visibility in search results. Both SEO and PPC can be effective in driving traffic to a website. However, the best results will often be achieved by using SEO and PPC together as part of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

How are SEO and PPC Different?

SEO and PPC advertising are both designed to help drive visitors to your website, but they work in very different ways. SEO is an organic form of marketing, while PPC is a paid form of marketing.

SEO entails optimizing your website so that it will rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can be done through on-page optimization, such as keyword research and optimized content, and off-page optimization, such as link building.

PPC, on the other hand, is a paid advertising method, such as Google Ads, where you pay to have your ad shown on SERPs. Your ad will appear in a designated “ad space” above or below organic search results. When someone clicks on your ad, you will pay the agreed-upon amount to the advertiser.

So, how are SEO and PPC different? Here are a few key ways:

Cost

SEO is free. You don’t have to pay for your website to show up in organic search results. Of course, you can hire an SEO agency to help you with your optimization efforts, but you don’t have to.

PPC is paid. As mentioned above, you will need to pay every time someone clicks on your ad. The amount you pay will depend on how much you bid for the keywords associated with your ad.

Time

SEO takes time to see results. It can take weeks or even months to see your website rise in the SERPs organically.

PPC is immediate. As soon as you start your campaign and your ads are approved, they will start appearing in SERPs. And, if you have a good quality score, your ads could appear in prime ad space almost immediately.

Results

SEO is more long-term. Once you achieve a good ranking, you can maintain that ranking for a long time (assuming you don’t do anything to damage your SEO).

PPC is more short-term. Your ads will only appear for as long as you continue to pay for them. Once you stop paying, your ads will stop appearing.

Complexity

SEO is more complex. There are a lot of factors that go into SEO, such as keyword research, schema markup, on-page optimization, high-quality content, and link building. This can make it difficult to do SEO yourself if you’re not familiar with all the different ranking factors.

PPC is simpler. You just need to create your ad, set your budget, and start your campaign. Of course, there are still some complexities, such as choosing the right keywords and setting the right bids, but overall it is a simpler process.

As you can see, SEO and PPC are two very different online marketing strategies. Now let’s take a look at how these two digital marketing strategies are similar.

How are SEO and PPC Similar?

While there are some differences between SEO and PPC, there are also some key similarities. SEO and PPC are both digital marketing strategies that can be used to help improve visibility and traffic to a website.

Here are the key ways in which SEO and PPC are similar:

• Both SEO and PPC require keyword research in order to identify the best keywords to target.
• Both SEO and PPC require ongoing effort and monitoring in order to be successful.
• Both SEO and PPC can be used to target specific demographics, locations, and devices.

Should SEO and PPC be Used Together?

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using SEO and PPC together to help you make the best decision for your business.

Advantages of Using SEO and PPC Together

1. You Can Reach More People

The main advantage of using both SEO and PPC is that you can reach more people with your message.

SEO can help you attract organic traffic from people who are already interested in what you have to offer. PPC, on the other hand, allows you to reach people who might not be familiar with your brand but are searching for keywords related to your products or services.

By using both SEO and PPC, you can have a wider reach and connect with more potential customers.

2. You Can Get Quick Results

Another benefit of using SEO and PPC together is that you can get quick results.

PPC ads can be live within minutes, which means you can start driving traffic to your website almost immediately. SEO may take longer to produce results, but it will ultimately provide you with long-term benefits.

3. You Can Test Different Messages

When you use both SEO and PPC, you can also test different messages to see what works best with your target audience.

You can use PPC ads to test different keywords and ad copy to see what generates the most clicks. Then, you can use the data you collect to improve your SEO strategy. This way, you can fine-tune your marketing approach and get the best results possible.

4. Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy

Another advantage of using both SEO and PPC together is that it can be a more cost-effective marketing strategy than relying on one or the other. This is because PPC can help supplement any organic traffic you’re already getting from SEO.

For example, let’s say you’re currently ranking in the top three spots for a certain keyword. While this is good news, you might still want to consider running a PPC campaign to help increase your chances of getting clicks. This way, even if you do drop down in the rankings, you’ll still have some visibility, thanks to your PPC ads.

On the other hand, let’s say you’re not currently ranking for a certain keyword, but you’re running a PPC campaign for it. In this case, utilizing SEO can help you improve your chances of getting organic traffic from that keyword. And as an added bonus, if you do start ranking for the keyword organically, you can then cancel your PPC campaign and save money in the long run.

Disadvantages of a Combined SEO and PPC Strategy

1. It Requires More Work

Another downside of using both SEO and PPC is that it requires more work than using just one or the other. If you want to get the most out of both strategies, you need to invest time and effort into making them both successful.

This means creating high-quality content, researching the right keywords, and constantly monitoring your results. It can be a lot of work, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be worth it.

2. You Might Not Need Both

Finally, you should keep in mind that you might not need both SEO and PPC to be successful. If you have a limited budget or you’re short on time, you might want to focus on just one of these strategies.

For example, if you’re selling products online, investing in PPC might be a better option than SEO since you can use shopping ads to directly target potential customers who are interested in what you have to offer.

3. It Can Be Costly

One of the main disadvantages of using both SEO and PPC is that it can be costly. If you’re not careful, you could end up spending a lot of money on your marketing efforts without seeing any return on investment.

To avoid this, you need to be strategic about how you use both SEO and PPC. Make sure you set a budget for each and track your results so you can see what’s working and what’s not.

4 Ways SEO and PPC Work Together

The best approach for your digital marketing strategy may be to combine SEO and PPC. Here are four ways these two tactics can drive more customers to your website.

Elevate Brand Awareness

There are many benefits to using both SEO and PPC together to increase brand awareness. For one, doing so can help reach a wider audience with your message. Additionally, using both approaches can help increase traffic to your website and improve your search engine rankings for brand and solution-based keywords.

When creating content for your website or blog, be sure to use keywords that are relevant to your business. This will help improve your chances of being found by potential customers who are searching for what you offer.

Maximize SERP Opportunities

Another benefit of using both SEO and PPC is that it gives you more control over your SERP real estate – the amount of space your website occupies on a search engine results page. A combined ad campaign and SEO strategy could result in your brand appearing for ads and in organic search results.

By using both SEO and PPC together, you can help ensure that your website always has a presence on SERPs, giving you a better chance of driving traffic to your site.

Keyword Coverage

One of the biggest advantages of using SEO and PPC together is that this strategy can help increase your visibility for target keywords. If you’re only using SEO, you’re at the mercy of the search engine algorithms. This means that you could rank highly for a certain keyword one day and then drop down several spots the next.

On the other hand, if you’re only using paid advertising, your ad might not show up every time someone searches for a relevant keyword. And even if it does show up, there’s no guarantee that people will actually click on it.

A dual approach enables you to double down on your efforts to get noticed by potential customers who are searching for keywords related to your business.

Data-Informed Decisions

Using both SEO and PPC together can also give you better insights into what’s working (and what’s not) with your overall marketing strategy. This is because you can use data from both campaigns to see which keywords are driving the most traffic and conversions.

For example, let’s say you notice that a certain keyword is getting a lot of clicks but not many conversions. This could indicate that your website’s landing page needs some work. On the other hand, if you see a keyword with a high conversion rate, this could be worth targeting more with both your SEO and PPC efforts.

Using both SEO and PPC together can give you a better understanding of your target market and what they’re looking for. This, in turn, can help you adjust your strategy as needed to get the best results possible.

Combine SEO and Pay-Per-Click to Drive Website Traffic

As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to improve your bottom line and get ahead of the competition. One way to do this is by using both SEO and pay-per-click advertising to maximize your opportunities for appearing in search engine results. In addition, using both SEO and PPC together can give you a better understanding of your target market and what they’re looking for. This, in turn, can help you adjust your strategy as needed to get the best results possible.

If you’re not currently using both SEO and PPC together, now is the time to start! Doing so can help increase your visibility in SERPs, give you more control over your SERP real estate, and provide you with better insights into what’s working (and what’s not). In addition, it can be a more cost-effective marketing strategy than relying on one or the other.

Don’t miss out on the benefits of using both SEO and PPC together. Consider talking to a digital marketing agency that specializes in SEO and PPC. At SMA, our team of digital marketing specialists can help you determine the right strategy for your business. Contact us today!