The SEO vs. PPC Debate

SEO vs. PPC

You finally finished the redesign for your website and now you are excited to start marketing your business. Now comes the number one question: Do you market through SEO or should you go the PPC route? The big SEO vs. PPC debate has been going on for quite some time. In order to make the right decision, one must consider each marketing strategy and appoint the campaign that works best for your business needs.

The Pros of SEO

Let’s say that you are considering an SEO marketing strategy over a pay per click campaign. SEO differs from PPC in the event that your website achieves its high-ranking position through organic search results. In other words, you are not paying for a slot on Google, which brings us to our first benefit of SEO. SEO’s return on investment will continue to rise and sometimes sustain value even after your budget has stopped. Think of it as paying on a long-term investment with a fixed monthly budget that is autonomous of the users click capacity. That way, even if someone stumbles on to your site by accident, your wallet won’t feel the repercussion of an accidental click. Research has also shown that users tend to trust organic search listings more than that of their paid counterparts.

The Cons of SEO

The downside of SEO is time.  In order for effective SEO strategies to become efficient, time is a vital element as well and ongoing upkeep for improvements.  Then there are Google’s infamous algorithm changes. When a Google Panda update happens, it is vital for you or your SEO professional to be aware of upcoming changes in the industry.  Furthermore since we are on the topic of Google, if you are choosing the route of SEO, it is imperative that you practice acceptable SEO techniques and tactics and if you aren’t practicing within Google guidelines, you may just find your website being banned.

The Pros of PPC

If SEO didn’t seem like the right market strategy, you may want to consider a PPC campaign. A Pay-Per-Click campaign or PPC is when a business can pay to get visibility to your site by means of keyword bidding. I would have to say that the biggest upside of PPC is instant gratification. A PPC campaign can directly generate traffic and leads to your site. Additionally, data has been shown that traffic by virtue of PPC leads to more sales because the user is actively clicking on a product they are searching for. Furthermore, unlike SEO, PPC campaigns are secured when search engines update their algorithms; therefore no campaign changes are required.

The Cons of PPC

A PPC can be a dream come true for a business that has inferior web traffic. However, if you are inexperienced in running a PPC campaign, I suggest you hire a professional.  Not only does a PPC campaign require in depth research and training, it requires money up front. That money can easily be wasted on keywords that are not relatable or have a low conversion rate. If you are running a campaign without testing website variables, conversion data, and keyword targeting, then more than likely your ROI will be unfavorable. Lastly, some data has been shown that users can be weary of PPC listing and are unsure of the sites validity.

So Who’s Better?

In the argument of which marketing strategy is better, I would have to say that it completely depends on your businesses needs. If your business is in need of instant sales, then it would probably be wise to try a PPC campaign. If you’re not in any hurry and looking to gain organic traffic over time, then SEO may be the better route.  As the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” It may be in the best interest of your business to try both marketing approaches. Many Internet marketing companies offer both SEO and PPC policies and often times will negotiate lower prices for those who want to invest in both.

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