How PPC and SEO Work Together
In the modern world of digital marketing, the connection between Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a powerful force driving online success for businesses.
In this article, we will explore the relationship between PPC and SEO to uncover the ways that these two strategies work together to maximise visibility, enhance the user experience and accelerate online presence.
What are the differences between PPC and SEO?
Although they work towards the same goals, there are some key differences between PPC and SEO.
SEO
SEO focuses on driving organic traffic to your website. It uses a set of practices and techniques that aim to improve the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in the Search Engine Results (SERPs) such as Google and Bing. It involves optimising elements of a website such as content, meta tags, images, and overall site structure to make it more appealing to the search engines and the user. It looks to increase the authority of the site by way of backlinks (other sites linking to you); ensure solid technical elements like a site structure that is architecturally sound, a site that is optimised for mobile, fast loading and secure.
PPC
PPC is a digital advertising model that focuses on paid ads, meaning the advertiser pays a fee each time their ad is clicked on. So rather than focusing on organic visits to a website, advertisers bid on specific keywords or target audiences. When the user searches for relevant content related to the keywords, the ad may appear. The ads will feature at the top of the search engine results and will be labelled “sponsored”. This provides immediate visibility and results whereas SEO is more of a long-term strategy.
What are the similarities between PPC and SEO?
SEO and PPC use very different techniques in their strategies but they are both working to many of the same goals.
Keyword research
Both PPC and SEO require extensive keyword research to understand what people will be searching for to lead them to your website. The keywords will inform the content for SEO and will determine the ads for PPC campaigns.
Increased visibility
PPC and SEO aim to increase visibility and drive traffic to your website. The goal of both is to ensure that your business ranks as highly as possible in the search engine results.
High-quality, relevant landing pages
When someone searches for your services and clicks through to your website, they will arrive at the relevant landing page. It is crucial that the landing page provides the information they are searching for and allows a clear ongoing user journey to give you the highest chance of a conversion. Whether the user arrives at your landing page organically or from a paid ad, if it meets their expectations, they are more likely to convert.
Data-driven optimisation
SEO and PPC are both driven by data and require continuous monitoring and analysis of performance metrics to refine their strategies, identify opportunities and improve the overall effectiveness of their campaigns.
Target audience
Understanding the intent of the user and how to appeal to the target audience is crucial for both PPC and SEO. Identifying your target audience means you can tailor your marketing strategies to the people who are most likely to use your services or purchase your products.
What are the benefits of integrating SEO and PPC campaigns?
By integrating SEO and PPC you are maximising your chances of increasing your ranking and increasing traffic to your website. Benefits include:
Brand awareness
By using both SEO and PPC effectively you will allow yourself to maintain a consistent brand presence across different areas of the search results page. This will reinforce your brand messaging and ranking.
Maximised click-through-rates
By having organic and paid listings on the SERPs, you will increase the likelihood of users clicking through to your landing page. This builds trust with the user as they will see you appear several times in different parts of the SERP.
Increased visibility
Integrating your SEO and PPC will help you increase visibility and drive the maximum amount of traffic to your landing page. As they target different areas of the SERP, this means you are covering all bases. The SEO will take care of your website to achieve your organic content, while PPC will get you that immediate visibility through paid ads.
Seasonal and short-term campaigns
Some campaigns are only required in the short term, for example, those to do with events or seasonal occasions such as Christmas. PPC is particularly effective for these campaigns. By aligning these with your SEO efforts, you will create a unified strategy that strengthens both channels to maximise results during these periods.
Maximised ROI
PPC and SEO complement each other incredibly well and an integrated approach can boost each of their performances by maximising the investment of their marketing activities. There are a lot of areas where the lines between SEO and PPC are blurred and where one can heavily assist the other. For example, the techniques used in SEO to optimise a landing page will assist the PPC campaigns by creating a brilliant page for the ads to point to. This will help maximise the return on investment.
Run your digital campaigns the right way
At Beyond Your Brand we focus on the things that matter. We are here to help you drive traffic to your website and help you attract new clients. It’s as simple as that. If you would like to know more about our PPC and SEO services, get in touch today.
