Search Engine Optimization vs. Pay Per Click Advertising

A few weeks ago, we discussed the benefits of a custom web design for your business website. Well, now that you have a customized design showcasing how unique your company is, it’s time to turn your focus to how you get that website found online.

As companies increase their search engine marketing budgets, the comparison of results from search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising is bound to surface at least once.   The short answer is both can be effective tools to use in your company’s marketing arsenal, depending on your budget and timing requirements.  

Below, we have built comparison charts showing side-by-side pros and cons of search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising. If your company is considering either SEO or PPC in your marketing efforts, or if you’re even considering both, these comparisons should take you a long way to making a final decision for your business-marketing plan.

Search Engine Optimization

Pros	Cons
SEO tends to be more cost effective than PPC.	The initial setup takes more effort and time.
Click rates are up to 80% higher on the organic (left) side of search engine results.	Some research points to less serious purchasers clicking organic vs. paid search.
Credibility is generally increased when found on the organic side.	Many visitors avoid clicking ads on the right side of search engine landing pages because they feel it’s not genuine.
Visibility can last longer for less investment.	Continuous website updates are typically required to sustain results.  An SEO Expert is recommended.

Pay Per Click Advertising

Pros	Cons
Incredibly fast.  When speed to market is vital, nothing is faster than building a Google AdWords account or similar.	Depending on the required phrase(s) it can be very expensive for many companies and organizations to effectively rank their ads.
Many serious buyers gravitate towards it for clicks.	Many potential buyers refuse to click sponsored ads.
Full control over A/B testing to see which phrases work better, for optimal click rates.	In addition to click cost, retaining a Marketing Services Professional becomes more important to analyze results.
Visibility can be limitless.	Visibility for your hardest-to-reach- (i.e. most competitive) keywords depends on your marketing budget.

Optimally, you want to implement a mix of both pay-per-click advertising and search engine optimization into your marketing campaign, if you have enough of a budget to do so.  Seeking help from a professional marketing services company would most likely reduce the time to go live in the online market, cut overall cost and maximize your return on investment for getting your website found by your target audience.