The Main Difference Between PPC and SEO
PPC (pay-per-click) marketing focuses on paid clicks whereas SEO targets exposure through organic results.
With PPC, advertisers pay a fee whenever someone clicks on their ad. Payment cannot influence the location of a business in the search results in SEO advertising.
This article discusses the difference between PPC and SEO, and how to choose the best marketing method for your business.
What is PPC
PPC, which stands for pay-per-click, is an advertising strategy where businesses pay each time someone clicks their ad.
PPC ads are on Google search results and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Google Ads is Google’s PPC marketing service. Businesses can bid on keywords for their advertisements. Google will show the highest bids to the most users, and advertisers will pay their bid amount every time someone clicks on their ad.
Even though PPC is a paid ad service, it qualifies as inbound marketing because it targets specific audiences.
Check out this article by SEMRush that dives deeper into PPC advertising.
What is SEO
Search engine optimization is a marketing tactic where businesses aim to rank higher on Google or other search engines without paid ads.
There are many different SEO efforts that marketers will practice to help their search engine rankings. These can include on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and local SEO to name a few.
Be cautious not to use spam tactics that Google disapproves of, as it can harm your site’s SEO.
On-page SEO refers to developing quality content on your website so Google will show those pages to inquiring users. Essentially, you want to become the knowledge expert on whatever your target audience is searching for on Google. That way, when someone researches relevant keywords, Google will show your web pages to users first.
Off-page SEO refers to practices that occur off of your website. These can include increasing the number of credible backlinks and boosting your social media presence. The goal of both of these practices is to drive your target audience to your website.
For a more in-depth look at SEO, check out Google’s SEO Starter Guide.
Main Differences – What Strategy Should I Do?
Deciding which route to take when developing a marketing strategy relies on a few major factors. These factors include budget, time restrictions, and existing visibility.
If you have a limited budget and no time restrictions, developing a good SEO strategy might be at the top of your to-do list. Researching, drafting, and testing SEO strategies takes time. However, finding one that works for your business will be beneficial in the end.
It is important to consider the already existing visibility of the keywords you are trying to rank for. If there is a lot of competition for the keyword, it will take some time to develop content, build up credible backlinks, and improve your technical SEO.
Conversely, if you are interrupting the market with a new product or service that doesn’t already have much visibility, it probably makes the most sense to start with a PPC strategy. That way, you can introduce new keywords into the market and increase your brand awareness. Then, you can build up your SEO later.
If you have a decent-sized budget and are in a time crunch, PPC could be the best route for you. In that way, you can target your prospective clients and ensure that your ads show only to the people who are interested.
If you are looking for help developing an SEO or PPC strategy for your business, give Vortex Digital a call today at 319.621.0191 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
