Experts estimate that there are over 1 billion websites on the internet and over 177,00 new websites launched every day. How can you make your business stand out against such vast numbers? The answer is search engine marketing. From PPC services to organic search engine optimization (SEO), there are many tried-and-true techniques you can use to bring more users to your website.
Most people use Google to find businesses online. But according to surveys, less than 1% of users click to the second page of the search engine results. If someone doesn’t see your website right away, they’ll probably visit a competitor whose website pops up first. That’s why you need search engine marketing to enhance your online visibility.
In today’s blog, we’ll explore two fundamental parts of search engine marketing: PPC advertising and organic search. Discover the unique benefits of each technique and see which one is the best choice for your business. (Spoiler Alert: You’ll want to use both!)
The Essentials of Search
Even if you’ve never heard of search engine marketing (also known as SEM), you’ve seen it in action. In fact, you probably observe SEM dozens or even hundreds of times a day! Any time you look something up on Google or another search engine, you’re encountering SEM.
In the early days, search engines were relatively simple. They used software known as “crawlers” to examine websites and analyze the website’s content for keywords and phrases. For example, if you created a movie review website, the search engine’s crawlers would register the frequent use of movie titles, directors, actors, and other keywords about film. Then, when someone searched “movies,” the search engine would display a link to your site.
The first generation of search engine marketers primarily helped their clients create more content, add more keywords to existing content, and place these keywords more prominently to gain the attention of the search engine algorithm.
Although this basic principle remains the same, SEM has evolved considerably – and at a very rapid pace. Today, most search engine algorithms are integrated with AI models. These models analyze more than the keywords on your blog. They assign rankings on the results page based on a variety of factors, including:
- Website and functionality
- The quality and accuracy of your content
- How many other websites link back to you
- User behavior, such as how often visitors engage with your site
Additionally, search engines can “read” a user’s intention. Now, when someone searches “movies,” the algorithm can determine whether the user is looking for general info about films or showtimes for their local theatre – and display the search results accordingly.
So how do these advanced algorithms affect search engine marketing? Essentially, the SEM methods of yesteryear no longer cut it. For a successful digital marketing campaign, most businesses will benefit from a combination of paid ads as well as organic SEO.
PPC Services
What Is It?
PPC stands for “pay-per-click.” You may also see PPC services referred to as paid ads, paid media, or paid search.
In PPC campaigns, you bid on keywords or phrases relevant to your brand. Then, when a user searches for these terms, your brand’s ad appears in the search results. When the user clicks on your ad, you’re charged a fee based on the bid price.
PPC ads typically have the same look and feel as an organic search result, but with “Sponsored” appearing above the text. However, PPC services aren’t limited to traditional search engines like Google. Most PPC platforms offer options to create display ads (which appear on websites and apps) as well as ads or “boosted posts” on social media.
So what are the pros and cons of pay-per-click marketing?
Pros of PPC
- Immediate Results: Your PPC ad campaigns can go live and start driving traffic as soon as you set them up.
- Precision Targeting: PPC publishing platforms let you target specific audience segments based on location, demographic, device type (mobile vs. desktop), and other factors.
- Scalability: As your campaign grows, you can easily raise your budget and expand your reach by bidding on new keywords. Similarly, if you’re not quite hitting your goals, you can scale back and devote your budget to the ads that are performing better.
Cons of PPC
- Competition: For many keywords, you’ll face a lot of competition. This leads to higher costs when bidding, which can quickly chew through your budget if you haven’t planned well.
- Ongoing Maintenance: Successful PPC strategies require regular monitoring and frequent adjustments. You’ll need to continuously refine your campaigns so they don’t become stagnant.
- Traffic Drops If Paused: While PPC ads can deliver a significant boost, this is often temporary and contingent upon continuously running the ads. If you stop or pause your campaign, you may see your website traffic plummet.
Organic Search
What Is It?
Organic search, also called Search Engine Optimization or SEO, has the same goal as PPC services. But unlike PPC, SEO doesn’t require purchasing keywords or buying paid media placements on a third-party platform.
Instead, SEO focuses directly on your website to boost your visibility via content and technical improvements. Common SEO strategies include blogging, on-page work such as properly formatting title tags and headers, link-building, and UX optimizations like improving your site speed and fixing broken assets.
SEO is a comprehensive approach that’s responsive and scalable. However, like PPC services, it has pros and cons:
Pros of Organic Search
- Cost Effective: SEO doesn’t require high startup costs. Although most brands will benefit from hiring or consulting with an SEO marketing agency, there are many SEO basics that you can incorporate on your own with no costs – aside from your time and energy.
- Build Trust and Authority: When you incorporate SEO into your digital marketing strategy, you’ll naturally enhance the expertise of your brand. Customers will see your website as a source of valuable information and an authority in your industry.
- Sustained Results: Whereas the results from PPC services can dissipate if you pause or stop your campaign, your SEO efforts are more sustainable and long-lasting.
Cons of Organic Search
- Slower Growth: SEO is a “slow and steady” strategy that requires a lot of effort, especially in the beginning stages. It’s unlikely that you’ll see results overnight.
- Requires Constant Content & Refinement: To see success with organic search marketing, you’ll need to publish lots of content on an ongoing basis. You will also need to closely monitor your campaign and refine your strategy as you go.
- Algorithm Changes: Organic search is also at the mercy of the search engine algorithm, which can change without warning. You’ll need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in search and alter your marketing strategies accordingly.
Choosing a Search Engine Marketing Approach
At Mandzok Marketing, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to digital marketing. We believe the best strategy encompasses a blend of PPC services and organic search engine marketing, as well as email marketing, UX optimizations, and more.
For help choosing the best digital marketing plan for your business’ needs, contact us today for a free consultation.