Globally, companies are expected to spend nearly $390 billion in 2021 on digital marketing. How can you be sure your digital marketing approach puts that money to good use?
The first step is to have a better understanding of which web business digital marketing efforts are worth your time. You might’ve heard about two common marketing terms: SEO and PPC. But what do those initials actually stand for and what are the differences between both approaches?
We’re here to clear it all up. Keep reading to learn about SEO vs PPC so you know if either of them could help your online business (hint: they can!).
What Is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. Essentially, by incorporating SEO best practices in your online marketing plan, you’re optimizing your website so that search engines will display your site in search results.
Let’s say, for example, that you own a shoe store. If someone does a Google search for the term, “best sneakers” you want your site to show up in the search results so that they consider purchasing from your shop. But, with so many other shoe stores on the market, how can you compete? The answer is SEO.
SEO involves doing keyword research to learn which search terms your target market is using. Then, you’ll want to use those keywords organically in your site’s content so that search engines like Google will display your site in search results when it’s deemed relevant.
You can use these keywords in blog posts and on various pages of your website to get more traffic.
What Is PPC?
PPC stands for pay-per-click. Unlike SEO, which is a free tactic, pay-per-click involves paying for advertising spots in search results.
Think about when you’ve done Google searches in the past. At the top of the results, you may have noticed some sites marked as ads. That means they paid to bid on the keywords you used in your search so they show up at the top of the page.
You can use the same keyword research from your SEO strategies to determine which keywords to target with your ads. Then, you’ll pay a small fee every time someone clicks on an ad to come to your site. While there are several PPC options to use, Google Ads is the most popular platform.
SEO and PPC Work Best Together
Aside from being free vs paid options, the difference between SEO and PPC is that SEO usually takes longer to work, while PPC can bring faster results.
However, they work best when you use both strategies together. You can use PPC to get more immediate traffic to your site while building a strong SEO foundation to give your site more authority. In the long run, that will bring more regular traffic to your site that you can then supplement with PPC efforts.
Kickstart Your Web Business Marketing Efforts
Now that you’ve learned more about SEO and PPC, you can see that you need to include both methods in your web business marketing. As a result, you can expect more website traffic, leads, and eventually sales.
Looking for more digital marketing tips like this? Browse through our content before you go and check back often for new articles.
