When it comes to digital marketing there are many techniques that can be used. Figuring out which service to use may seem challenging because you want the one that will drive more traffic to your website. Specifically, lets talk about PPC and SEO. These services are two of the most powerful traffic drivers. Although each has the same end goal, their concepts involve different techniques. Let’s discuss when it’s best to use PPC and SEO.

When to use SEO

SEO services are typically used to help websites land on the first page of search engines. This is vital for online businesses. Studies have found that being seen on search engines can generate 80% of traffic. Now what’s the best time to use SEO services? Here’s a list of circumstances where SEO would be recommended:

  • Consistency desired
  • Established website
  • Increased value

Consistency desired

SEO has a long gestation period. Being in the top search results won’t happen overnight. Getting to the top of the SERPs will take time. Patience is a virtue and once your website gets there via SEO, you will notice increased traffic. Once you have reached your desired ranking, you can maintain your placement by constantly improving your results and keeping up with the latest trends.

Establishing a credible website and increasing value

Creating an established and credible website is a huge factor for any business wanting to become successful. Online presence is your best friend. This in turn contributes to your overall value. Some key factors that help increase value include: amount of traffic generated, page rank, search engine rankings and popularity. Without gaining the trust of your potential customers all of your efforts will have been for nothing. SEO is so powerful when it comes to gaining attention and validating your credibility. An essential component to credibility is link building. Having more links on your site boosts the reputation. However, make sure that the links are natural rather than forced. Top search engines like Google factor that in when ranking your website. Creating an authority website is often desired. This is essentially the “go to” website for when users are online looking for certain information. The best way to create an authority website is by generating traffic to your pages, which in turns builds up your reputation and credibility. Now the only way to effectively accomplish this is by implementing strategic SEO planning.

When to use PPC

PPC marketing is a type of advertising that deals with search engine results pages. Essentially, you have to bid to have your ads appear in the sponsored results when someone searches for something using your keywords. Here are some circumstances where PPC would be more beneficial then SEO:

  • Immediate results desired
  • Specific target audience
  • Making your keywords seen

Immediate results desired

One big advantage of using PPC is that results are fast. Once your campaign is approved you are guaranteed to reach a wide bandwidth of viewers. This is huge for companies. Although, the placement of your ad is based upon the amount of bids you have, you are still visible online, which will help drive traffic. PPC services work best especially for product launches, seasonal promotions and CPA marketing.

Specific target audience

PPC allows you to gage and narrow your audience. This is beneficial when reaching certain demographics. Social media is a great PPC platform that allows you to target specific sectors such as age, gender, and education level. Understanding your audience is a vital component for success. If you are able to identify and properly reach your audience than you will see increased traffic.

Making your keywords seen

The use of PPC allows your results to be displayed above organic search results. This prime positioning of your ads allows them to be seen. Studies have found that 50% of search traffic comes from the top 3 sponsored links. With that being said if you are absent from PPC, you are allowing your competitors to take advantage of potential placement.

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