Many eCommerce retailers view PPC and SEO marketing as two separate strategies and may only invest in one channel at a time. However, both strategies need to be combined for a business to reach its full potential in digital marketing.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a practice for your site to organically rank higher on a search engine results page (SERP) for enhanced visibility and site authority.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a type of online marketing where advertisers pay a fee each time their ads are clicked. When someone types certain keywords or phrases into the search engine, the SERP will display the ads you create to direct consumers to your landing page.
Although these marketing strategies are different, they both achieve similar goals and are often reliant on one another. SEO and PPC relay crucial information to each other to improve the performance of one another.
In this article, we will explore the symbiotic relationship between these marketing strategies, how your brand can benefit from the combination, and ensure your PPC and SEO work hand in hand to achieve your digital marketing goals.
The Differences Between SEO and PPC
Search engine optimization (SEO) aims to increase the ranking of a page in search engine results pages, with the end goal of directing increased traffic and clicks to its respective landing pages. To improve rankings, there are many techniques that can be used such as content creation, link building, and technical optimization.
PPC advertising is a form of digital marketing where marketers pay a fee every time a consumer clicks on one of their advertisements. These advertisements appear on search engines, websites, and social media platforms.
The main key difference between these two forms of advertising is that PPC marketing is paid and often generates quicker results, whereas SEO is a long-term strategy that hopes to boost brand visibility so the website is organically ranked at the top of SERPs.
Another difference is that PPC marketing requires advertisers to pay for each click, hence the name pay-per-click, which is not the same as organic listings. Clicks do not cost anything with SEO strategy as the aim is to enhance brand visibility.
The Similarities Between SEO and PPC
Both SEO and PPC strategies aim to drive traffic to a landing page and generate conversions. Although these tactics work towards this aim differently, they both achieve the same goal.
SEO and PPC are both keyword-driven marketing strategies. SEO will analyze relevant phrases and keywords to optimize content, titles, and aspects of the website while PPC focuses on keyword research to find terms to bid on, excluding irrelevant queries that do not serve the brand or product on offer.
These online marketing strategies share important similarities and utilizing a blended approach is the formula for search engine success.
How PPC and SEO Can Be Combined For Powerful Results
Now that the similarities and differences between PPC and SEO have been covered, let’s discuss how you can use a blended strategy and its benefits.
By combining the two methods, you have the potential to:
- Improve budget efficiency
- Increase mutual growth for your brand or service offering
- Boost search visibility and online exposure
- Increase consumer confidence in the brand
- Remarket your product
Share PPC and SEO Keyword Data
PPC and SEO heavily rely on keyword research and optimization to drive qualified traffic for related searches. For pages to rank high on search engine result pages, advertisers must use relevant keywords and phrases.
As PPC campaigns generate conversion data, advertisers can take commercially viable key terms and introduce them to their SEO practice. On the other hand, SEO conversion data can inform PPC marketers to generate more cost-efficient and smarter bidding strategies.
Maximizing SERP Coverage
When a website uses PPC advertising, the page will appear at the top of the search engine results page, acting as the first search result potential buyers see.
When adequate SEO practices are also in place, your brand and its services will occupy considerable real estate on SERPs. If a consumer skips over the ‘sponsored’ portion of the page and chooses only to look at organic listings, they will still find your business on the results page.
In short, a blended strategy allows your brand to gain double the exposure in comparison to implementing a single-channel approach.
Click rates will increase, and because of this added exposure, affect consumer perception of your brand which will enhance consumer confidence and trust in your company.
This is a win-win because this will lead to higher engagement among consumers, create brand awareness and increase website traffic.
Talk to the Experts
If you are looking to learn more about PPC, SEO, or how the two strategies can intersect to elevate your business goals, Soup Agency can help.
Visit the Soup Agency website for more information regarding their digital marketing services and get your FREE audit to transform your digital marketing strategy for high-quality leads.
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