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A comparison of SEO v PPC Search Engine Marketing
What is Pay-Per-Click Advertising?
PPC is a form of Search Engine Marketing that involves buying website traffic from the Search Engines. For example, wherever you see the term 'Sponsored Results' on a Search Engine, the Sponsored Results actually come from an advertising network (e.g. Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing). You only pay for users that click through your listing and arrive at your site. This model is great for getting instant visitors while not worrying about Search Engine Optimisation. However without proper management a PPC advertising campaign can be ineffective and costly.
What is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?
Search Engine Optimisation is the ongoing restructuring of HTML content on a web page in order to make that page both more visible and more relevant to Search Engines. The SEO process requires the careful re-writing of content and code from a Search Engine's point of view, using keywords and themes that reflect core business goals. Our analogy is that of a newspaper editor writing content for the front page in order to engage the reader. Consider the Search Engine as a special type of website visitor, one who requires very specific elements to be present before it will interpret the meaning of your site correctly and thereby give you a high search ranking.
SEO or PPC?
Omega Digital Media recommends a customised marketing mix, i.e. combining the advantages of PPC advertising with good SEO rankings. Our status as one of only 35 official Google Analytics Partners means we use class-leading website analysis tools to assess your Search Engine Marketing campaigns and maximise ROI though 24/7 bid management, keyword analysis and SEO refinements. Using this method, we have successfully reduced a client's online marketing budget by an amazing 86%, compared to a PPC Advertising campaign alone.
| Pay-Per-Click Advertising | Search Engine Optimisation |
|---|---|
Advantages |
Advantages |
| Fast to implement. | SEO costs decrease over time. |
| Highly targeted traffic on your search terms on the major search engines. | Credibility - 'earning' the ranking rather than paying the highest bid. Research shows users prefer to click on organic search results than "Sponsored Results". |
| You only pay for users that click through your listing and arrive at your site. | Improvements to your website made from a search engine perspective usually result in a more user-friendly website. |
| Complete control of what keywords you want to bid on and no limit to the number of keywords. | A well optimised website can appear across multiple search engines and search markets, at no extra cost. |
| Complete control of budget - decide how much you want to bid for a keyword and your total or monthly spend cap. | Once good search engine rankings are achieved, as long as optimisation is ongoing and monitored then the rankings acquire a "snow ball" effect, increasing over time. |
| Complete control of what text the listing shows - as long as it meets the engines copy and relevancy specifications. | |
| Good for seasonal activity - immediate start and stoppage. | |
| Testing new keywords/text copy/bid caps easy to implement and measure. | |
Disadvantages |
Disadvantages |
| PPC costs increase over time. | We will need to make changes to your website. |
| Visitors may perceive less credibility than organic listings. | Results can be slow. It can take months for your listings to move up the rankings. |
| 24/7 expertise is required to efficiently run a cost effective campaign. | An ongoing process rather than 'quick fix'. |
| Only certain engines accept PPC advertising. | Limitation on number of keywords to optimise for. |
| 8 out of 10 searches result in an SEO click through. | Can be difficult to implement for dynamic web sites. |