PPC Or SEO: What Will Work Best For My Small Business?

Paid Ads or SEO?

When it comes to marketing your small business, you have a lot of different options to choose from. Two of the most popular ones are PPC and SEO. With PPC, you pay for your ad to be shown on the first page of search results. SEO is a bit different – it’s a long-term strategy that involves optimizing your website so that it ranks higher in search results organically.

So, which one should you choose – paid ads or SEO? The answer really depends on your specific business and goals. If you’re looking for quick results and are willing to pay for them, then PPC may be the way to go. However, if you’re looking for a more sustainable (and cost-effective) solution, then SEO is probably a better option. 

In this blog post, we’re going to take a closer look at PPC and SEO to help you decide which one is right for your small business.

Digital Marketing – A Full-Spectrum Solution

When it comes to marketing your small business, you have a lot of different options to choose from. You could invest in paid advertising, or put money into SEO so that your website ranks higher in search engine results pages organically. With so many options available, it can be hard to decide which one is right for your business.

So which one should you choose – paid ads or SEO? – The answer really depends on your specific business goals. 

If you want quick results and are willing to pay for them, then PPC may be the route to go. This is because, with PPC, you can get your ad on the first page of search results immediately – for a price. A skilled PPC manager can also help you to target your audience more effectively so that you’re not wasting money on ads that no one will see. 

However, if you’re looking for something more sustainable (and cost-effective) over the long run, then investing time and effort into SEO might be a better solution. With SEO, you can’t just pay your way to the top of the search results – it takes time, patience, and a lot of hard work. But, once you get there, the results are usually worth it. 

Let’s take a closer look at each option to help you decide which one is right for your small business.

Which one should you choose – paid ads or SEO? Graphic illustration of two people sitting on and in computer windows.

Pay Per Click (PPC) Ads

When it comes to PPC campaigns, one of the main advantages is that they can produce quick results in the short term. If you’re running a sale or promotion, for example, then Google Ads can be a great way to drive traffic to your website and generate leads quickly. Ad copy and keywords are also important factors in a PPC campaign. You’ll need to make sure that your ad is relevant and targeted to your audience, or else you’ll be wasting your money.

Another advantage of PPC advertising is that you have a lot of control over your campaigns. You can choose how much you want to spend when your ads will run, and who will see them. This level of control is not always possible with SEO, which can take longer to produce results. It is important to remember that PPC campaigns can be a bit tricky to set up, and they also require ongoing management and optimization to be effective. 

Finally, PPC can be a great way to complement your SEO efforts. By running paid ads in addition to long-term digital marketing strategies, you can increase the visibility of your website and reach a wider audience. 

Pros:

  • Quick results
  • Relevant and targeted ads
  • Control over budget and campaigns 
  • Can complement SEO efforts 

Cons: 

  • Requires ongoing management 
  • Can be tricky to set up  
  • Results may not be sustainable 
  • Can be expensive

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

While SEO strategy does take longer to produce results than PPC, it is often more sustainable in the long run. Once you’ve optimized your website, created relevant landing pages, and built up your rankings, you won’t have to keep paying for ads – your website will continue to show up in search results as long as you maintain your SEO efforts. 

In addition, SEO is generally more cost-effective than PPC. While you will need to invest time and resources into optimizing your web pages, you won’t have to pay for each click as you do with paid ads. Organic search results are also generally more trusted than paid ads – after all, people are more likely to click on a result that shows up naturally in search results than an ad that they know is paid for. 

Finally, good Search Engine Optimization can help you build trust and credibility with your audience. If your website is ranking high in google search results, people will see it as a more reputable and trustworthy source of information. 

Pros:

  • More sustainable in the long run 
  • Cost-effective 
  • Trusted by users 
  • Can help build credibility 

Cons: 

  • Takes longer to produce results 
  • Requires ongoing effort  
  • Results may fluctuate over time
  • Can be challenging to get started 

The Best Of Both Worlds

While both PPC and SEO have their own advantages, the best solution for most small businesses is to use a combination of both. By running paid ads and optimizing your website for organic search results, you can reach a wider audience, build trust and credibility with your users, and generate leads more quickly.

Draw in organic traffic with a well-optimized website and relevant landing pages, then use PPC to supplement your efforts and drive even more traffic to your site. By using both SEO and PPC, you can create a digital marketing strategy that is sustainable, cost-effective, and produces high-quality results.

When you implement a holistic approach that incorporates both paid and organic search tactics, you’ll be able to create a campaign that meets your specific business goals. This s true whether your aim is to improve brand awareness, boost website traffic, or increase sales and conversions.

A well-rounded digital marketing strategy that includes both SEO and PPC can help you to achieve all of this and more. 

PPC and SEO are both effective marketing strategies for small businesses. Graphic illustration of man choosing between PPC and SEO.

So What Will You Decide?

PPC and SEO are both effective marketing strategies for small businesses. But which one is right for your business? The best way to answer that question is to experiment and see what works best for you. 

Try running a few PPC campaigns and track your results. Then, invest time into SEO and see how that affects your website traffic. You will likely find that a combination of both PPC and SEO is the best solution for your small business. But the only way to know for sure is to try out both strategies and see what works best for you.

Here are some factors to consider when making your decision: 

  • How much money do you have to spend on marketing? 
  • What are your goals? 
  • Who is your target audience? 
  • What kind of product or service do you offer? 

If you’re not sure which route to take, talk to a digital and search engine marketing professional, like those on our team here at Website Genii. We will be able to help you make the best decision for your business’s needs.