Organic vs PPC: Which One is Right for You?
As you begin to look into the best course of action for your website to get seen, you’ll probably be weighing up your options.
Two of the main contenders are organic search and pay per click advertising (PPC). While each has their positives and negatives, it’s important to weigh these up to see which one will work for you.
Long term results
When it comes to picking the most important aspect of your digital marketing strategy, long term results should be at the top of the list.
Those investing in PPC will do so only while the advertisements are in place. Once these come down there is a noticeable drop as people stop clicking through to the website and your website becomes less visible.
However, for those choosing to invest in organic search, the hours put into your website will last long after the work has stopped.
This is because rather than working by placing ads and getting immediately seen, organic search focuses on building your website’s reputation – something that won’t get instantly wiped away once the work stops.
The rise and rise of ad-blockers
According to research released in September last year, more than half of Britons admit to using an ad-blocker whilst browsing the internet.
In fact, more than three fifths of those who do use ad-blockers said they do so because they find advertisements ‘annoying’ with another two fifths saying they’re ‘intrusive’ and ‘disruptive’.
It’s worth noting that this increased use of ad-blockers means that with PPC, there are some people you simply won’t reach.
On the other hand, organic results are 8.5 times more likely to be clicked on than paid search results and are not affected by ad-blockers.
Brand awareness
Another aspect of digital marketing that you will need to consider is how your chosen method will affect your brand awareness.
Brand awareness is affected by how others perceive your brand and by gradually building up your reputation.
PPC can help your brand appear on certain websites and can be tailored to specific users who have been searching for services similar to yours.
Organic digital marketing agencies improve brand awareness through the use of well-written content, clever social media and SEO. This impacts across multiple channels and can include writing guest blogs for other websites within the industry, increasing your website’s authority.
Value for money
For many small businesses, this will be the deciding factor on organic or PPC.
In terms of price, PPC is less favourable. You can spend thousands each month on PPC, yet there is no guarantee that the return on investment will be any higher than it would be with organic search.
On the other hand, organic search is much cheaper in comparison, and in terms of value for money gets you much more than PPC does.
For example, you will receive the expertise of a whole digital marketing team focusing on different aspects of your website. They will dedicate time to building your profile and organically getting you seen in search.
Summary
In an ideal world, you’d have the resources to run both PPC and organic search alongside each other, so you can gain the benefits of each.
Unfortunately, most small businesses don’t have the funds to for that kind of expenditure, which means you need to make a choice on which one is right for you.
If you need short term results in a hurry, with cash to burn, PPC is the choice for you.
However, for those with a low budget, looking to steadily grow their website, organic is undoubtedly the best option. For a comparatively low monthly fee you’ll receive experience, guidance and most importantly, long term results that last.
