SEO vs. PPC – Who’s The Daddy?
It amazes me that people still ask this question. The question that is more relevant is not which one is best, but which method should my business use and when! Remember, SEO is not a replacement for PPC and vice versa, these are two distinct marketing channels, each with their own pros and cons. When combined and used strategically, the results can be extremely powerful. However, if they are put together without much thought, then the results can be a really miserable (and expensive) affair.
A quick pro and con overview might help out here:
PPC Advantages
Get your Ad on page 1 within hours
Ability to switch Ad on and off as required
High level of control over Ad text and landing pages
Excellent for short term, seasonal or getting rid of stock campaigns
PPC Disadvantages
Running this long term may prove quite expensive
Running PPC is becoming complicated with external factors now affecting your Ad performance
ROI affected as cost per click becomes more costly over time
Highly competitive key phrases will be very expensive, therefore not an option for all
SEO Advantages
More cost effective / affordable over time
Recognised as a must have for many businesses
No pay per click, therefore all traffic result is free
Excellent ROI with targeted key phrases
SEO Disadvantages
Can take months to gain viable search engine visibility
Requires the website design, coding and text to conform to Search Engine criteria
Not built nor applicable for short term campaigns only i.e. seasonal campaigns
There are many more pros and cons for both sides of the argument but the above should offer an effective summary. The next time you have this question pop up, just change it to "Which way is best for my business?" When you arrive at this question, contact us, because we are sure we can help you arrive at the right answer!
