Which is better, PPC or SEO? We probably hear this question more than any other from companies trying to figure out how to best spend their Internet marketing dollars. It would be great if there were a simple answer, but there are way too many variables for that to be the case. Here are some questions to ask about your organization that will help you zero in on the right answer.
- How patient is our organization? SEO usually takes months or longer to succeed, especially in competitive verticals. In contrast, PPC can obtain results very quickly — at a price, of course. Some company cultures have a difficult time waiting for results; if this sounds like your business, you may be fighting an uphill internal battle getting the level of commitment for SEO necessary for success.
- How are your competitors succeeding? Are your top competitors tearing it up with PPC, or are they noticeably absent? It could be that if competitors are shying away from PPC, they have already determined it’s not a good avenue. Instead of recreating the wheel, you can piggyback on their experience and avoid a flat tire. Same logic can apply to SEO.
- Can you budget for both? A very sensible approach is to implement a long-term SEO campaign while running PPC campaigns concurrently. If you can succeed on both fronts, you will tap into what are usually the two largest and most important sources of online leads. But can you afford to excel in both? If you spread your budget too thin, you will not succeed in either PPC or SEO, and end up with a lose-lose instead of a win-win.
Not Sure What to Do?
If you’re not sure how to approach PPC and/or SEO, please contact us. We can guide you through a more detailed analysis and assist you in developing a plan that makes sense for your business.