SEO and PPC, so different yet so alike. Two different methods of generating traffic towards a website. If both are approached correctly, they can be very effective for various types of e-business and e-commerce. In this article, we will look at some of the differences between the two methods.
Difference between SEO and PPC
SEO
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimisation and essentially describes the way search engines optimise pages on the internet, depending on their relevance to the particular subject. A site with a lot of relevant content performs well because search engines (such as Google, Bing and Yahoo!) like to see quality content and make informative pages more authoritative.
SEO involves both on-page and off-page optimisation, meaning what is visually seen by the user as well as what is not. There is also some technical work involved, which helps to improve page rankings, for example to ensure that a site doesn’t have any broken links or errors for user satisfaction.
Search engines are still the primary way and method for the majority of internet users to discover a site. As a formula, one could suggest that the approach to take is to analyse what people want, optimise the content to be what they want and corresponding results will be seen.
PPC
PPC is short for pay-per-click, a type of internet marketing which may be referred to as a ‘short cut to the top’ because advertisers must pay a fee every time a user chooses to click on an ad (normally one of the top search results). Of course, an advertiser must be willing to pay to appear at the top and must bid against other competitors to do so. In some cases, advertisers will be competing for placement using the same keyword. Naturally, this can sometimes result in a high bid value for a single ad click.
PPC example
As an example, the phrase ‘Insurance’ in America has a total average cost of €55 per ad click! Crazy right? However, if the ad is well optimised and relevant, the fee may be justified - if the click costs €55 and results in a €1,500 sale, then the advertiser has profited from the advertising investment.
The more relevant and interesting a page is, the less Google will tend to charge per click, resulting in a higher overall revenue for a business that is advertising. The key here is to ensure the approach is well-thought and planned from start to finish with KPIs in mind. Do it right or do not do it at all – perhaps more importantly, do not take it forgranted that results will be generated.
SEO and PPC – the pros
SEO
- Trust and reputation: Many sources state that natural search visitors obtain a sense of trust towards a high ranking website or business or product and the service a site offers. Having a high organic ranking in a search engine when searching for a specific keyword or query would be considered a sign that the website is legitimate and reputable.
- Traffic on your website: SEO gives you the opportunity to gain visibility and deliver more traffic on your website, which means more leads, sales and conversions.
- Cost effective: You have to invest time and resources, but the clicks are “free”.
PPC
- Brand visibility: PPC allows you to promote your ads above the organic results and advertise on other sites which may have a lot of traffic and therefore the potential to gain new audiences.
- Faster results: Once you launch your PPC campaign, you can start seeing results. This includes number of impressions, clicks and conversions.
- Target audience: With PPC you can set up your target audience based on demographics, interests and behaviors.
SEO and PPC – the cons
SEO
- Time consuming: Good SEO is not that simple as the process is quite time consuming and requires a certain amount of skill to master due to the many elements and strategies.
- Continuous investment: SEO is an ongoing process; technologies and algorithms are always changing and this requires a significant investment.
PPC
- Cost: Generating leads from PPC campaigns can be expensive, especially if you have a broader audience.
- Time consuming: Keyword research, ad copies and all of the factors involved in the PPC campaigns can take a bit of time to implement.
Can SEO and PPC work together?
Depending on your objective, you can opt for SEO, PPC or both. For example if you are just looking for faster results, you should opt for the PPC campaigns.
If approached correctly and with serious intent, both PPC and SEO can help an advertiser extend their reach, dominate search engine results pages and obtain a higher conversion rate – with respective benefits and costs.
SEO and PPC work differently; nevertheless, with the integration of these two channels you can identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. Utilising both channels will help you to:
- Reinforce and consolidate your presence on SERP (Search Engine Results Pages).
- Get insights from PPC campaigns such as keywords that are yielding the most conversions and use them for your SEO effort.
- Use SEO insights to create your PPC campaign audience.
- Implement your SEO metadata such as title tags and meta descriptions with the most successful ad copy texts.
In conclusion, there many beneficial reasons why you should invest on both channels. In our experience, integrating the two channels can benefit your overall digital marketing strategy.
Are you looking for SEO and PPC experts?
The Deloitte Digital SEO and PPC team can help you reach your business objectives by increasing brand awareness, traffic to your website, gaining a higher ranking position on search engines and conversions.
