We have helped 100’s of businesses, and we see one question over and over again. SEO vs PPC, which one should you choose? Should you do both? Should you just throw your computer out the window and stop now? – No, definitely don’t do that. Bad plan.
So how do you determine which one you should choose? Well, we let’s start by defining what SEO & PPC are to begin with. Because how can you determine which is better in the match-up between SEO vs PPC unless you know what they are?
Definition of SEO and PPC
Ok, so SEO and PPC are two of the most important aspects of online marketing. This isn’t really up for debate.
What is SEO?
SEO is short for “Search Engine Optimization” and refers to the process of optimizing a website for Google search. This includes things like optimizing titles and descriptions, creating keyword-rich content, and building links.
What is PPC?
PPC, on the other hand, stands for “Pay-Per-Click” and refers to the practice of buying ads on Google. These ads are then displayed when someone searches for relevant keywords.
What's the difference between the 2 strategies?
SEO and PPC are both incredibly important for driving traffic to a website, but they work in different ways. SEO is a long-term strategy that can take months or even years to see results, while PPC is a quick way to get your website in front of potential customers.
SEO is also free (although it takes time and effort, which can cost money too), while PPC costs money. Ultimately, both SEO and PPC are important tools that should be used as part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy.
What is the cost of PPC?
The cost of PPC depends on the keywords you’re targeting and the competition. Generally, the more competitive a keyword is, the more expensive it will be to buy ads for that keyword.
For instance, if you placed an ad for Website Design, you are going to pay through the roof right now. But if bid for Art Therapist (yes, that’s a real thing), it probably won’t cost that much.
So, how do you pay, and how do you know what you will pay?
Well, that depends… Terrible answer right?
When you are on Google, you pay per click, which is where PPC comes from. This means, every time someone clicks on your ad, you pay.
And I know we are calling it PPC, but in reality, there are platforms that don’t charge by the click. Facebook is a great example. Most of theirs is by impression, or views.
Now, to answer how much you will pay, luckily, you have control over that… Mostly…
On most platforms, you can give a top amount that you want to pay for a time period. Pretty simple, right?
Well, that doesnt’ always mean that they will spend up to that amount. If you have a bad keyword that never gets traffic (like professional mouse chaser), then you may not pay anything.
Clear as mud?
What is the cost of SEO?
SEO is a long-term strategy and doesn’t have an exact cost associated with it. It takes time, and effort to optimize a website for Google search.
But here’s the deal…
If you don’t have any idea of what you are doing, you are likely just going to waste your time. You might even actually cause damage. So, SEO is best left to the professionals (or those who read a lot of books and watch a lot of YouTube).
So to answer the question… It depends. I know that answer again, right. But it’s true…
Just like PPC, you will be fighting for keywords. If you want to rank for “professional mouse chaser”, then you could probably rank for that today… Unless someone actually is a professional mouse chaser…
(Nope, no one is a professional mouse chaser… I looked).
But if you want a competitive keyword, then you have to work for it. And if it’s really competitive, you have to work hard for it. Or the person you hire has to work hard for it.
Does that make sense?
But here’s the deal. If you are going to hire someone, you should expect a minimum of $750 / month.
Is one better than the other?
In short, no and here are some reasons why:
- PPC is great at getting traffic FAST!
- PPC can be turned on and off like a faucet
- With PPC, you pay for what you get, literally
- SEO can take months to see results
- A plus for SEO is that 94% of people SKIP over search ads
- Another SEO plus is There are ad blockers on 615M+ Devices
- SEO Plus 3 – 86% of people are impacted more by Google Maps
From what we can see above, they both have their ups and downs. So we have to know when to use them.
Here is a quick version. If you need FAST traffic, do ads. But if you want your business to have sustainable growth over time, then you need SEO…
What I’m really telling you here is that you need both. No way around it.
Alright, I hope that answers the debate of SEO vs PPC, which one is better. SEO and PPC are both important tools that should be used as part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy. While SEO is a long-term strategy that doesn’t have an exact cost associated with it, PPC can be turned on and off like a faucet and you pay for what you get. In short, no one tool is better than the other – they both have their ups and downs – so it’s important to know when to use them.
If you need help with your SEO and PPC, reach out to us today. We have helped 100s of businesses, just like yours, get the results they want.
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