What’s The Difference Between SEO & PPC Advertising?

What Is SEO?

SEO is the process of optimizing a website to display prominently on the first page of Google’s organic search results. Generally Google ranks websites based on relevance and quality of content. It is up to the SEO to manage a successful SEO campaign. The processes below are required in order to have a successful SEO Campaign.

• Keyword research
• Meta tag optimization
• Content optimization
• Markup optimization (if necessary)
• Submit XML sitemap
• Setup Robots.txt file
• Setup .htaccess file
• Create quality content
• Social Media Optimization
• Create quality back links
• Create local listings (for local businesses)
• A/B testing
• Rinse and repeat process.

 

What Is SEM or PPC Advertising?

PPC (Pay Per Click) Advertising or SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the process of creating keyword targeted ads that display in the “sponsored results sections” on search engines like Google. SEM can also be applied to display network ads on websites like YouTube and other third party websites. The processes below outline the scope of work that needs to be done in order to create a successful PPC campaign. They key to getting top placement in PPC campaigns in to create relevant ads, that link to relevant content, with the best CPC (Cost Per Click) or CPM (Cost Per Impression) bids.

• Keyword research
  
• Create PPC campaign budget
• Create display network budget
• Create brand awareness budget
• Create interests based budget
• Create ad specific landing pages for each ad campaign
• Monitor and adjust ads to create an optimal CTR (Click Through Rate)
• Rinse and repeat process

 

Which Is Better SEO or SEM?

In my personal experience I have noticed that SEO traffic tends to be of higher quality and higher in quantity. Site visitors that come from organic search results visit more pages, have longer site visits, and tend to be more receptive to making a purchase vs a PPC or CPM visitor. Also the cost of SEO services generally costs between 5 and 10 times less per unique site visitor when compared to SEM or PPC advertising.

 

So Why Should I Employ A PPC or SEM Marketing Campaign?

PPC campaigns can have many direct and indirect benefits that SHOULD be included in any well devised online marketing campaign. Here are some facts that should be taken into account when creating an SEM marketing campaign

• You can reach your customer base with keywords that you don’t rank for in organic searches
• You can create Locally Targeted ADS in places that you service
• You can create Mobile Device targeted ads that has a further reach than SEO
• You can create time sensitive ads based on current events, holidays, or sales
• You can create a “brand awareness” that can help increase your Organic Search Traffic
• You can reach your target audience on major traffic websites like Youtube, Gmail and the entire Google Network
• You can reach users on social media sites with interest based ads

 

SEO & SEM Are Vital For Successful Online Marketing

While there are many other forms of online advertising SEO & SEM are the primary forces of getting quality traffic to your website.