Maximize Click-Throughs when SEO and PPC Work Togetherby Matt Madden

A friend and former colleague once asked me why an organization would use pay-per-click advertising (PPC) to rank high on a search engine when they could get the result for free. As an expert in SEO (search engine optimization), he couldn’t understand why someone would pay for traffic that was of lesser quality than what organic rankings (SEO) provide free of charge. So I had to ask myself, where is the benefit of PPC vs. SEO?

PPC and SEO Working Together

The reality is that my friend was right when he said SEO traffic is both more targeted and of higher quality. However, they are a bit like yin and yang - and when used together they can help each other out. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Lessons Learned From Traditional Advertising

The average consumer is exposed to an advertising campaign between 3 and 7 times before taking action. Traditional advertisers use increased frequency to maximize the exposure of their brand and raise brand awareness. You know the ones: the kids cereal ad that plays in every commercial break during cartoons, print ads on back to back pages in a magazine, and billboard ads that follow you around every street corner. Using PPC and SEO together allows us to apply these tactics to search marketing, by increasing the frequency and therefore exposure of our links on a search page.

2. Your time is valuable

SEO is free, but it does cost time and resources. A lot of planning, research and monitoring goes into good results. Use PPC to create balance; bid on those terms that are more highly competitive and require more effort to rank organically for.

3. PPC Legitimizes

Many people - maybe your customers - perceive that PPC advertisers are more legitimate businesses. Perhaps because they have ponied up and paid to be there. Conversely, when people don't understand how something works - such as the 'mumbo-jumbo-hocus-pocus' that goes into organic rankings - they are skeptical; SEO has less street cred.

4. Stages of the Buying Process

While 75 - 80% of all clicks are on the organic listings, the conversion rate on your site from PPC click-throughs is much higher. This relates to where in the purchase process the searcher is. Information gatherers tend toward organic results and those ready to buy are more likely to opt for paid listings. And since you can't know what state of mind your visitors are in, best to cover your bases!

5. Faster Keyword Research

PPC can also be used as an investigation tool for SEO efforts. SEO tactics can take awhile before they affect search rankings so it’s important to make informed decisions while implementing these longer-term strategies. Use PPC click-through rates to identify the best keywords for optimization and you'll save time and effort while implementing SEO strategies.

Optimize Search Potential

Search marketing is a pull strategy, meaning users are the ones who drive the interaction. Searchers are looking to fulfill a want or need; effective search marketing makes it that much easier for them to complete that task. Capitalize on every search query by giving as many opportunities for searchers to find exactly what they are looking for.

Start maximizing your search potential. Contact us to have one of our SEM experts help you get started today.