When it comes to getting more traffic online, you usually have two big options: pay per click or SEO. Both options can be efficient, and both have their share of pros and cons. However, there are also cases when one method will be largely ineffective or unworkable for your particular website. This is why you need to understand the characteristics and limitations of each method before you start. Let’s take a look at the PPC vs SEO question in detail, and who they’re the best fit for.
PPC
PPC, which is short for Pay Per Click, is one of the most common online marketing models there is. It’s also one of the oldest. PPC is about bidding on certain keywords and getting prime visibility in the form of an ad either on search engines or websites revolving around said words.
PPC works especially well for people who want to get instant results or those who can attach a clear value per visitor. For instance, someone who wants to build a list might be able to profit from PPC if they can get a return on the back end. But, in most cases, PPC works best for e-commerce sites that can quantify how much they can afford to spend per click to get a return.
One of the drawbacks of PPC, however, is that it can be competitive, and you might get priced out of certain categories. It’s also not the best if your goal is something less tangible, like building authority for instance.
Technically, SEO isn’t marketing per se. SEO should be at the very core of any website’s design. SEO is just as much about not getting penalized for things you’re either not doing or doing wrong than it is about climbing positions on search engines.
However, SEO can be used to increase traffic, and it should ultimately be one of your goals as well. SEO is best for people who are looking at a long-term trajectory or want to build a brand over time. One of the beauties of SEO is that work that was done years ago can continue getting results in terms of traffic and visibility, and it can sometimes take only one piece to open the floodgates.
Is SEO for Everyone?
Yes, it is. Everyone should have an SEO strategy, and there is no reason not to. However, not everyone will benefit from spending all of their time and money on SEO. But those who are really trying to build something for the future, and want to reap the benefits of their strategy organically without constantly having to pay for results, will get the best out of SEO.
You should also know that the team you work with will make a world of difference as well. If you’re looking for an SEO Perth team, we suggest you go for one that has a multidisciplinary experience, like PWD. They’ve been in the business for years and have helped thousands of companies increase their visibility on search engines. Their scope of services extends beyond SEO as well, and they can also give you advice on PPC if you want to give it a try.
PPC and SEO are very different when we look at them in detail, and might work better in different scenarios. However, it should not be viewed as a PPC vs SEO showdown as they can also be a very formidable force when used together.
