Webgranth
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising are two of the most lucrative and effective online marketing practices out there. There is a continuous debate on which of the two works better and some experts would say it may depend on the nature and needs of every business. However, beyond that tough unmade decision is a simple answer. Why not just combine the two?
Before pondering on the benefits of integrating SEO and PPC, it’s important to understand the difference between them.
SEO is the process of driving more traffic to your site by employing multiple keyword improvement techniques in ensuring a high ranking on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). PPC is a paid advertising tool geared towards the same goal but extends beyond SERPs and onto social networks and other related websites.
Taking into account Google’s intermittent changes in search algorithms, organic SEO will take more effort and time without guaranteed returns; and although PPC may give you better precision in targeting customers, it may not be very cost-efficient in the long run with their cost-per-click’s continual increase in price.
An integration of SEO and PPC gives you a higher chance of staying on top of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), maximizing web traffic and obtaining higher conversion rates.
To get a closer look, here are more reasons why adopting both SEO and PPC is the driving force behind every search marketing success:
Shared Information Can Polish Ad Campaigns
When SEO and PPC teams working for the same company share their data, magic happens. This shouldn’t be too arduous because both groups are, after all, working towards the same goal. They may use different systems and methodologies in driving traffic to your site but creating a channel for them to exchange information can influence necessary modifications to your online marketing strategies.
While SEO is rooted in the best possible use of keywords to steer the direction of your growing content, PPC experts also rely on keywords in retaining a relationship with existing customers. Data relevant to this area must be able to flow freely between both teams to ensure an aligned branding tactic across the web and foster faster conversions.
In addition, combining PPC and SEO sheds more light on consumer behavior considering the broader scope with which you can examine their activity closely not only within your website, but on other digital platforms as well. Organizing metrics received from both parties can also guide you in creating ads for other marketing channels such as e-mails and social media sites.
Greater Visibility on SERPs
When customers search for a product to purchase, paid ads are first to appear on SERPs. This isn’t an assurance that these ads are getting clicks but even when they are not, the primary exposure is enough to raise brand awareness. Imagine the even greater visibility you’ll get by staying on top of organic results as well. The main goal of PPC and SEO is to cover as much space as you can on the very first page of SERPs and a combination of the two can give you exactly that to keep you on top of your competitors.
Search marketing manager Julian and his team were able to strategically gain greater prominence on SERPs for one of their clients by running paid ads using keywords that their client already organically ranked high for. This is just one of many advantages you can get from utilizing organic SEO and PPC together.
Extended Presence on Other Websites
SERPs are not the only place where you should be gaining ground. There is limitless space to explore outside of SERPs. Investing in PPC will put your ads in relevant spots where consumers looking for the kind of product you offer can see them. What makes it even better is the wider range of media to choose from in displaying your ads such as videos and images, which are clearly more eye-catching than just text-based ones.
With PPC tools, results from paid ads can be measured and examined. This allows you to analyze which sites are getting your ads the most clicks, giving you more information to incorporate into your SEO practices.
This is also where building partnerships can play a smart role. Once you’re assured that these sites are a good venue to attract customers, you can collaborate with the hosts by guest blogging. By partnering with influencers who share the same or related audience, you are opening your website to an influx of curious visitors.
Experts predict that in 2018, SEO will be zooming in on social media, particularly through content marketing. More and more online brands today are taking advantage of social media advertising to broaden their presence.
Being visible on these networking sites isn’t enough. Your ads must stand out in order to grab users’ attention instantaneously. Practice creativity by being flexible in your ad campaigns. Show them eye-catching infographics or short creative videos. But, take note that paying attention to these users’ behaviors to optimize your keywords doesn’t give you enough edge over your competitors. An additional investment in PPC will guarantee your presence in the spots relevant to their needs.
Optimized Conversion Rates
The first step in an ad campaign is attracting your target market. The role of SEO here is crucial for boosting your ranking on SERPs. PPC is just of as much use by precisely targeting your site visitors based on age, location, and other demographics. However, the pursuit doesn’t end there. You are still left with the obligation to convert those visitors into customers and keep them coming back.
For this, you need to gather significant data on ads you’re running, which you can access by using PPC web analytics tools like AdWords. Here, you’ll have a clear picture of your site’s traffic and other vital information, from bounce rates to conversion rates, which you can use to measure progress.
Optimizing keyword usage alone doesn’t guarantee an increase in sales. To sustain your business long term, you must also find a way to gain repeated exposure to existing customers. Retargeting is a profitable method in PPC advertising you can bank on to boost that ROI.
People who have already visited and left your site will most likely come back if shown a visual reminder elsewhere. Statistics show that only 2% of first-time visitors convert into actual customers. Meanwhile, previous visitors who come across remarketed display ads are more likely to convert by 70%.
SEO and PPC supplement each other in not only reaching a wider audience but also contributing more to your ROI.
Optimized Landing Pages
Persuasive marketing isn’t the only thing that keeps customers loyal. Optimizing your landing pages to improve user experience is another factor that influences their decision to choose your business among the rest in the industry.
Your PPC team should be able to access relevant data gathered by the SEO team regarding customer motivations and objectives in order to increase click-through rates and trim down bounce rates.
This supplementary insight on customer activity can also be used by the PPC team to sustain paid ads that are visible to customers most likely to purchase your product. In this way, SEO and PPC are able to support each other with complementary information to maximize relevant traffic and eliminate unnecessary costs.
With PPC ads, you can test titles by, for example, running two ads of similar content but with different titles. PPC analytics tools will present you relevant information like the amount of time spent on the site or the number of pages opened per session. This gives you an idea of which keywords or titles are performing well and which ones aren’t.
Testing Different Markets
Because PPC lets you choose your audience based on demographics, studying results from ad campaigns will help you decide where else you can gain consumer interest.
For example, you can do this by running a new ad targeting a different location. If it brings in an abundance of new buyers, your SEO consultants can then use the sales data in modifying certain elements on the website to let your new customers know that your business is extended to the market they’re in.
The Winning Team
The success of every marketing campaign is driven by a variety of factors and SEO and PPC are there to help you sift through them. For smaller brands, these tools may be a lot to take in initially but the long-term benefits you can reap is priceless.
A well-executed combination of both advertising tools is proven to effectively streamline every step in your advertising campaigns. Instead of treating SEO and PPC as separate entities, it is high time online businesses consider bridging them to create the perfect tandem to propel your business forward and ahead of everyone else.
Author Bio:
Callum Mundine is part of the marketing team at oneegg.com.au. He is an Amazon marketplace & white hat link building specialist, and has launched multiple successful brands on Amazon.com. Callum like his eggs boiled.
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