Pay-Per-Click or Search Engine Optimization, which one should you use?
Many view PPC marketing as a colossal waste of money while others disdain search engine optimization. In reality, the two marketing strategies can work together to form a perfect marriage.
Pay-Per-Click – PPC
PPC marketing is a “love it or hate it” platform. For the “love it” crowd, PPC marketing is a way to get instant exposure, more clickthroughs and feedback on site designs. In a matter of minutes, you can start receiving traffic and adjusting your site to convert the traffic at the best rate possible. For those in the “hate it” crowd, bids are to high and one never knows how many of the clicks are fake and worthless. If the PPC campaign was unsuccessful, but still garnered a bunch of clickthroughs – you still pay for each click regardless.
Search Engine Optimization – SEO
As with PPC, SEO has its proponents and detractors. Those who love it look at the free traffic and glorious profitability of a site that converts the traffic at a decent rate with no overhead cost at all. Detractors view seo as an unnecessary waste of time since it can take upwards to a year or more to get high rankings. Detractors also argue that high listings are subject to changes in the search engine ranking process, which means you can lose your rankings. Although if you have you SEO performed the right way the chances of this happening are slim-to-none.
So, who is right? In truth, both sides make accurate arguments for and against. PPC is expensive and click fraud is a monstrous problem. SEO produces free traffic, but it takes along time to get to the top and rankings are subject to the whims of search engine ranking changes. The truth, of course, is both marketing platforms should be used in tandem.
PPC and SEO Are Perfect for Each Other
The key is to perfect your SEO first so you’re ranking decently (or satisfactorily) for your organic searches. After your site is SEO optimized, take your time to craft a great PPC campaign and get the most from your online target market.
Every site is unique, but most could combine PPC and SEO marketing as part of an overall internet marketing strategy and get results.
PPC and SEO marketing are not mutually exclusive, but when paired together as part of an overall marketing strategy, becomes a perfect marriage.