Sarasota, FL: What’s the Key Difference Between SEO and PPC?

About one in every five businesses say their top website issue is low traffic. Meanwhile, about 70% of traffic is directed through Google. If you’re struggling to generate website traffic, consider search engine marketing (SEM).

With search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, you can generate traffic and leads. What is the difference between SEO and PPC marketing, exactly? Read on to find out!

After reading this guide, you can find a Sarasota SEO company or PPC agency to help you reach new customers. Learn more about SEO vs PPC today.

What is SEO?

First, let’s look at each form of SEM separately. Search engine optimization is an organic SEM strategy. With SEO, your website pages and posts can rank higher on Google search engine result pages (SERPs).

Higher rankings will help you generate:

• Brand awareness and recognition
• Credibility
• Brand trust and loyalty
• Website traffic
• Leads
• Sales
• A higher ROI

Over 50% of traffic comes from organic searches. One of the advantages of SEO is your ability to rank for relevant searches. You can appear in front of consumers who already want your offerings. 

Since these consumers already want your products and services, you’ll have an easier time converting those website visitors into sales.

There are four types of SEO: on-page, off-page, technical, and local. With help from a Sarasota SEO company, you can apply all four types of SEO across your site. Then, you can maximize your ability to reach potential customers. 

What is PPC?

Pay-per-click advertising can also ensure your website appears on Google SERPs. With PPC, you can create both text or display ads. Your ads can appear based on the keyword a consumer uses during a search.

You can also set targeting parameters to ensure your ads appear in front of consumers based on age, location, or other demographics.

The advantages of PPC services include brand awareness, web traffic, leads, and sales. 

When the consumer clicks on your ad, they’ll reach a landing page on your website. Then, you can use personalized messaging to convert the visitor into a lead.

The Difference

What’s the difference between SEO and PPC?

SEO is an organic strategy while PPC is paid. With PPC advertising, you’ll pay each time someone clicks on one of your ads. You can also pay per thousand views (for display ads).

It can take time before your SEO rankings improve, though. PPC, on the other hand, is instantaneous. With PPC services, you can go live with a campaign within a few hours.

You can use PPC to improve your organic SEO rankings. As you generate traffic through PPC, Google will take notice, then improve your organic rankings.

SEO provides more longevity than PPC, though. Once your rankings improve, it can take a while before a competitor knocks you down. 

The Difference Between SEO and PPC: Start Reaching Customers Today

To recap, what is the main difference between SEO and PPC? SEO is organic while PPC is a paid strategy. You can use both forms of search engine marketing to reach new customers online.

You don’t have to develop your strategy alone, though. Instead, consider hiring a Sarasota SEO company this year.