Differences Between PPC and SEO
If you are venturing into the world of online marketing, then knowing the difference between PPC and SEO is key. These are two of the most common acronyms that you will come across when learning how to promote your website. Knowing how the differences between PPC and SEO, along with the positives and negatives for using it, is key to success for any Internet marketing plan.
How does PPC differ from SEO?
SEO is the acronym for “Search Engine Optimization,” and refers to the method of trying to rank your website high in search results. This is done through making your website “search engine friendly” by creating quality landing pages, submitting your sitemap, and obtaining links to your website from valuable other sources. SEO is the natural traffic that you will receive to your website from people searching various key terms in search engines.
PPC is the acronym for “Pay Per Click” which is the method of paying a search engine for traffic that comes to your website. This is done by paying for a search engine to display your website (or advertisement or link) for specific key words. Search engines display these results in advertorial sections within regular SEO results and you pay them a specific amount each time someone clicks on your website from the displayed result.
One of the differences between PPC and SEO is that you actual pay for results with PPC. With SEO, the results depend on the algorithm of the search engine used. It is possible to have both search engine results from SEO and PPC displayed on the same page. This gives your website more of a chance to earn site visitors for specific key terms.
One of the Key Differences Between PPC and SEO is That PPC May Not Appear Every Time.
If you are paying for specific traffic from search engines, you would think that your ad would display every time someone searches for that term. However, this is not always that case. The two main reasons for this is your bid for specific keywords (the price you are willing to pay to receive traffic for a specific keyword) and the quality score of your ad.
Your actual bid can affect where your ad displays. Those who bid higher for a specific keyword will likely be displayed higher. And, if there are 10 ads and only 5 spots to display them, then it is likely that the lower bids will not be displayed. This is one of the main differences between SEO and PPC.
Another key factor in determining who receives those available spots on the page is quality score. PPC quality score is the measure of the specific keyword you are paying for, the relevancy of your website landing page, and the wording of your advertisement. The higher quality score will translate into a higher position (and the antitheses – not being displayed at all). That is why it is important to create a quality ad that leads to a quality landing page on your website.
PPC fraud is One of the Differences Between PPC and SEO
PPC fraud happens when a webmaster manipulates the number of clicks on ads in an attempt to maximize revenue. For PPC advertising, some websites allow ads to be displayed on their pages and are given a percentage of revenue generated by the search engine. This means that a website owner has an incentive for people to click on ads displayed on their website. This can lead to webmasters clicking or paying others to click on ads so that they can generate revenue. The clicks are not genuine and cost you money with little (if any) chance to convert the click into a sale.
There have been heavy penalties handed down by search engines when they discover click fraud. One such penalty is to not allow a website to display any more ads and also seizing the revenue generated from the clicks. While click fraud is not as wide spread as you may read online, it is still there and could potentially hurt your PPC campaign.
Differences Between PPC and SEO: The Value of PPC
When developing an Internet marketing plan, you need to make sure to spread the wealth. This is true for any type of marketing and the online world is no different. When spending marketing dollars, do not throw your eggs into one basket. You need to spread your investment around and choose several methods of promotion, including content marketing, PPC, etc. Having a good PPC campaign can bring quality traffic to your website and fill a void left by other marketing efforts.
PPC advertising make sense if you go about it the right way. After all, you are guaranteed leads for your payment. This means that if no one comes to your site, you do not spend a dime, unlike you would if you take out a display ad on a website or spend money to rent a billboard. PPC can grab quite a bit of quality traffic if your advertisement is on point and you lead clickers to valuable content (which is why they clicked your link in the first place). PPC also lets you control the amount of money you spend so you can set a limit and measure your results for the future (increase or decrease your spending according to results).
Trends in PPC Marketing
PPC advertising is always changing and needs to be monitored just as you would your SEO practices. There has been a recent surge in PPC campaigns for ecommerce, which is something that wasn’t seen in large amounts when PPC was first introduced. Ecommerce sites that sell clothing, shoes, electronics, and other consumer goods have been increasing spending on PPC campaigns and it seems like they are going to continue doing the same for at the least the next couple of years.
Remarketed ads are also becoming a trend and lead to more leads to your website. Remarketed PPC ads are the advertisements that will follow you around the Internet. For instance, if you searched Google for a new leather couch, chances are you will continue to see ads for leather couches when you access your Twitter account or visit a website that has nothing to do with couches. While this may seem like a form of stalking, it is a great technique as the advertisement is following a consumer who the search engine knows is in the market for the ad you are running.
PPC advertising money has increased and decreased over the years. While some see the increases as a move into PPC advertising, this should not be the case. As stated previously, you need to spread your marketing dollars throughout various marketing methods. So, increases and decreases in PPC spending over the years only shows that webmasters are putting less or more into PPC and then supplementing with other methods. Adjusting your PPC budget is something you need to do as well. Find out what ads work for your niche and the right amount to spend each month in order to generate quality traffic.
