SEO versus PPC

Here's a question I'm often asked, "Which is better, doing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on my site and get "free" search engine rankings, paying for clicks on Google Ad Words or buying a Facebook ad?

My answer is always the same, if you can profitably generate website traffic in all three venues, then it is best to do all three to generate maximum ROI (Return on Investment).  But, you should also keep in mind that free search engines and paid search engines are very different animals.

Let's look a little deeper to understanding the pros and cons of SEO for the "free" search engines and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) optimization on paid search engines. 

SEO vs PPC

1- PPC is fast and an effective way to generate highly focused and relevant traffic - you can generate significant traffic to your website literally within 10 minutes. When compared to SEO, SEO takes much, much  longer to see tangible results.

2- You can easily decide where to send each visitor, for example, if a visitor searches on "blue widgets", you can direct them to your "blue widgets" product page. With SEO, the search engines decide for you.

3- You can easily test multiple headlines/ content/offerings by testing ads in Google Ad Words or Facebook.  It is very difficult to test these same features in your SEO, due to the length of time it takes to properly test and measure your traffic.

4- PPC allows you to drive traffic for a broad range of keywords. With SEO, you are wise to focus on just a few keywords.

5- Your website does not have to be "search engine friendly" for PPC to work.  Be aware that if your website was built with "Flash", you will find that search engines are notoriously un-friendly, but conversely they don't necessarily impact PPC traffic.

6- Changes in "the rules" for PPC search engines tend to be smaller and less frequent than changes to the SEO rules.

Common SEO myths:

Myth #1: You need to submit your site to the search engines. The more frequently the better.

The Truth: search engines have been using their own "spiders" to find new websites for over 5 years now. Re-submitting your website to a search engine is like sending a change of address postcard to the Post Office to remind them where you live...again.

Myth #2: You've got the right keywords in your website "Metatags". 

The Truth: "Metatags" are bits of your website code that used to be important for SEO about 10 years ago. But you still need them, however they are have limited uselessness.

Myth #3: Your SEO results will be helped/hindered by how much you spend on paid search.

The Truth: So, if I spend a lot of money on Google Ad Words, will Google also increase the rank of my site in the "free" search engines?.  NO.  Paid search and "free" search engine optimization are entirely separate.  Results in one will not impact the other.

Myth #4: You need to update your site frequently to get better rankings.

The Truth: More frequent updates to your website may increase the frequency at which search engine spiders come back to check on your site (crawl rate), but won't necessarily increase your rankings.

Myth #5: I often find ads that read . . .“Get your site to #1 in Google by adding your site to 14 million directories for only $49.95!”

The Truth: Services that claim to "submit your site" to multiple directories are notoriously unreliable,  and not effective as an key SEO strategy. If they were, everyone would be using them.

Myth #6: SEO success is all about being #1 for the "killer" keyword in my industry.

The Truth: Being #1 for the "killer" keyword in your industry (for example- if you're a plumber, the most obvious killer keyword might be "plumbers") may not necessarily produce enough results to justify your efforts. There may be other keywords that are less competitive and convert into sales better, meaning that they produce a superior ROI for you.

Myth #7: I'm already doing well at SEO. My company name is already #1 in the search engines.

The Truth: If people are searching for your company name, they already know you. The best strategy for adding NEW visitors to your online lead generation funnel is to go for “unbranded" keywords (e.g. "plumbers Denver" as opposed to "XYZ plumbers"). That's where the highest potential remains.  Additional thought .  . business owners often forget to brand their personal names to the company name - make certain you optimize your company and personal name.

Conclusion

SEO and PPC both have their place in a lead generation strategy for your business. However, be careful not to blow your entire budget and become frustrated and broke.  Therefore, continually test and measure everything, with a key eye towards the ROI for each strategy.