SEO vs PPC: Which is right for you?

Summary/Overview

Both SEO and PPC are key digital marketing strategies used to drive traffic to your site and grow your business online.

SEO focuses on improving your website’s visibility in organic search results, building long-term rankings over time. PPC, on the other hand, drives immediate traffic through paid ads, delivering faster results. When SEO and PPC work together, they can increase reach, conversions, and ROI (return on investment).

In this guide, we’ll compare SEO vs. PPC, explore their pros and cons, and help you decide which channel works best for your business.

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What is SEO?

SEO stands for ‘search engine optimisation’, and is the practice of improving a website so it ranks higher in search engine results (like Google).

This includes optimising content with headings, keywords, alt tags, and links, as well as improving technical aspects like site speed and mobile usability. Higher visibility in search results means more people are likely to find your website.

Having a nice-looking website can be important, but if people aren’t visiting, it isn’t serving its purpose. Effective SEO can be the difference between your brand being discovered or remaining invisible—sometimes just a few small tweaks can make a huge impact.

Read our full SEO guide

What is PPC?

PPC stands for ‘pay per click’, a digital advertising strategy where advertisers pay each time their ads are clicked. If no one clicks your ad, you don’t need to pay—making it a cost-effective way to drive traffic to your site.

An example of PPC is search engine sponsored ads: companies pay to appear in prominent positions, usually at the top of the search results. PPC is efficient because you only pay for actual engagement. Effective PPC can lead to higher click-through rates, and is ideal for campaigns that need fast results.

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SEO vs PPC: The key differences.

SEO vs PPC, which channel will work better for you? Let’s look at a comparison of pros and cons to help you decide how each model can support your marketing strategy.

SERP.

SEO and PPC target different parts of the search engine results pages (SERP). SERP features consist of a few main elements: organic listings, paid results, featured snippets, and other results like knowledge panels and infographics. SEO can influence most organic elements, while PPC targets only paid results. Understanding how to target these features is key to an effective SEO and PPC strategy.

Investment.

SEO primarily requires time investment. It involves ongoing research, strategy and implementation on your site. This can include creating high-quality content, targeting relevant keywords, and optimising existing headings and meta data. SEO takes time to yield result and requires performance tracking to measure impact over time.

PPC, on the other hand, mostly requires financial investment. While PPC can benefit from careful planning and strategy like SEO, PPC campaigns can be launched quickly for immediate results.

Measurement.

Measurement is key to understanding the effectiveness of any marketing channel. Performance metrics differ for SEO vs PPC, they are as follows:

SEO:

• Rankings for target keywords (visibility): How high your website appears in search results for specific keywords.
• Organic traffic volume (sessions or clicks): The number of visitors reaching your site through unpaid search results.
• Click-through rate (CTR) from search results: The percentage of users who click your site after seeing it in search results.
• Organic conversion rate: The percentage of organic visitors who complete a desired action, like signing up or purchasing.
• Total organic conversions: The total number of completed actions driven by organic search traffic.

PPC:

• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on your paid ad after seeing it.
• Cost per click (CPC): The amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
• Conversions: The number of users who complete a desired action after clicking your ad.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of ad clicks that result in a conversion.
• Cost per acquisition (CPA): The average cost to acquire a customer or lead through your PPC campaign.
• Return on ad spend (ROAS): The revenue generated for every dollar spent on your ads.
• Impression share (IS): The percentage of total possible impressions your ad receives compared to competitors.

Results speed.

PPC delivers fast results, while SEO takes a long-term approach. If you need immediate traffic, PPC campaigns can be launched in a single day with the right setup. SEO, on the other hand, takes time to implement and begin driving results.

Targets

SEO mainly focuses keywords, alongside technical optimisation and content quality. Keyword research can take time and may benefit from expert guidance.

PPC offers highly specific targeting, including geographical regions, device types, interests and niche audiences. These targets make audience segmentation more precise and flexible to your marketing goals.

SEO vs PPC: Which is better?

It is not a case of choosing SEO vs PPC —it’s about using them together. The right choice depends on what your objectives are. If you’re after something quick – PPC is ideal, if you’re focused on long-term growth, you might consider SEO.

Don’t let SEO’s longer timeline put you off – it can build lasting visibility that is considered more ‘organic’, adding a level of authenticity and credibility to your brand. With initial effort and patience, SEO can generate consistent traffic that increases over time.

PPC, on the other hand provides immediate results: your ad appears at the top of search results as soon as it is live. However, it can be expensive, and high placement is no guarantee that people will click through.

A smart strategy often combines both SEO and PPC. Let’s explore the benefits of SEO and PPC working together.

How can PPC and SEO work together?

An integrated strategy that combines SEO and PPC ensures you can target all aspects of search marketing. Proper SEO can even help improve PPC ad targeting, making campaigns more efficient. Using both channels allows you to allocate your budget effectively, improving your overall ROI. PPC keeps you at the top of search results, while optimising those pages with strong SEO can enhance organic visibility and performance even further.

Also, using both SEO and PPC provides valuable data from multiple sources, giving you deeper insights into your audience to inform your other business strategies. PPC shows what content are driving clicks, while SEO reveals how users engage with your website’s content over time. Together, they give you a complete view of the user journey and help refine both marketing approaches.

Editable SEO and PPC assets to enhance your strategy.

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Useful things to know.

How is ranking different when comparing PPC vs SEO?

PPC ads offer instant top placement in paid search results, while SEO builds organic visibility through long-term effort. SEO involves an initial investment and ongoing maintenance, but generally lower ongoing costs, whereas PPC requires continuous payment to maintain a top SERP placement.

What are the SEO landing page vs. PPC landing page differences?

SEO landing pages focus on high-quality, well-written content optimised with the right keywords. PPC landing pages are designed for quick impact, featuring succinct messaging and obvious calls to action to grab people’s attention and drive clicks.

Is PPC harder than SEO?

PPC demands continuous budget management, precise bidding and constant ad refinement. SEO requires ongoing technical investment, with a consistent supply of new content, as well as linking-building strategies. PPC is both time and cost intensive, while SEO is a test of patience and strategic consistency over the long-term.

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