SEO vs. PPC: which option is better for you?

Imagine you are looking for something important on Google. Maybe a dream holiday, a new phone or information about historical events. You click through to the first page of results and suddenly… one company appears there twice! First its ad with a precisely targeted offer catches your eye, and right below it you find it again in the organic results. How is that possible? The answer lies in two strategic pillars of online marketing: SEO and PPC. Thanks to them the company dominates search and raises the chance that you in particular will notice it. 

In this article we will look at how SEO and PPC work, what their advantages and drawbacks are and how you can use them to improve your online campaigns.

SEO - organic search in Google

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a set of strategies and techniques aimed at improving your website's position in organic (unpaid) search results. Simply put, the aim is to "please" Google and persuade it that the site is relevant and trustworthy for users. The higher it appears in search results, the more people visit it and the greater the chance they will become your customers.

An SEO audit

Before you set about optimising, it matters to carry out an SEO audit. It will help you identify your website's weak points and uncover areas needing attention.

On-page optimisation

On-page optimisation covers every adjustment made directly on the website. 

It includes, for instance:

• optimising content using relevant keywords
• creating compelling meta descriptions
• using headings (H1, H2 and so on) correctly
• optimising images

Off-page optimisation

Off-page optimisation focuses on building your site's reputation and authority outside it. 

This includes activities such as:

• gaining quality backlinks from relevant websites (link building)
• building a social media profile
• PR activity

Technical SEO

Technical SEO focuses on optimising the technical aspects of a website that directly affect its visibility in search engines. 

It includes, for instance:

• page loading speed
• mobile optimisation
• URL structure
• indexing

The advantages and drawbacks of SEO

SEO optimisation is a comprehensive process with a long-term impact on a website's visibility. It brings a range of advantages but also certain drawbacks that need weighing up. In the following part we will look in more detail at SEO's individual advantages and drawbacks.

The advantages of SEO

• Improved visibility in search engines: higher positions in search results = more visitors.
• Increased organic traffic: organic traffic is valuable because visitors come to your site naturally - they are looking for information or solutions you offer.
• An improved conversion rate: quality SEO optimisation attracts relevant visitors who have a greater chance of becoming your customers.
• Increased competitiveness: good SEO helps you overtake the competition and gain a larger market share.
• Increased overall effectiveness of marketing campaigns: SEO improves your marketing activity's overall effectiveness.

The drawbacks of SEO

• It takes time: SEO optimisation takes time and patience. Results often come only after several months.
• Complexity: SEO is a complex process covering many different activities.
• Competitiveness: in some areas the competition is very high, which makes reaching TOP positions harder.

SEO is an investment that will certainly pay off for you in the long run. Its aim is not only to improve your site's visibility in search engines but also to contribute to the completeness of your marketing communication and your business's overall growth.

Do you want to learn more about SEO? Read our detailed article: What SEO is and how it helps you grow

PPC - a performance campaign in Google

PPC advertising, or pay-per-click, is a form of online marketing where you pay for every click on your ad. Thanks to PPC advertising your site appears in leading positions in search results or on other websites.

PPC campaigns let you reach the right people at the right time with a precisely targeted offer. You can learn more about PPC advertising and how it works in our article: What PPC advertising is and what it offers

Types of PPC advertising

PPC advertising offers a wide range of formats and targeting options, thanks to which it can adapt to various marketing goals and budgets. Let us look more closely at the most commonly used types of PPC advertising and their specifics.

Search Ads

This type of ad appears in Google search results when someone looks for products or services you offer.

Shopping Ads

Shopping Ads show products directly in search results with an image, price and shop name. They are ideal for e-shops wanting to promote their products.

Social Media Ads

Social Media Ads appear on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and X and let you reach a target group on the basis of their interests, demographic data and behaviour.

Remarketing

Remarketing lets you reach people who have already visited your site again. It shows them relevant ads and reminds them of your offer.

The advantages and drawbacks of PPC

You can adapt PPC advertising to a particular budget and target a specific audience. Despite its many advantages it has drawbacks too. If you want your PPC advertising to achieve the results you want, you have to set it up properly and choose a suitable strategy.

The advantages of PPC

• Immediate results: PPC advertising brings immediate results. Your ad appears as soon as the campaign starts.
• Control over the budget: you determine exactly how much you want to spend on advertising.
• Measurable results: PPC campaigns can be measured and analysed in detail, thanks to which you have an overview of their effectiveness.
• Precise targeting: PPC advertising lets you target your target group precisely on the basis of various criteria.
• Flexibility: you can adjust and optimise campaigns at any time according to current needs.
• Brand building: PPC advertising helps build awareness of your brand and raise its visibility.
• Complementing SEO: PPC advertising is an excellent complement to SEO and helps reach even more prospective customers.

The drawbacks of PPC

• Cost: PPC advertising can be costly, above all in highly competitive areas.
• Short-term results: once a campaign ends, traffic from PPC advertising stops.
• Potential ineffectiveness: if a PPC campaign is not set up properly it can be ineffective and lead to needless costs. That is why it matters to devote enough attention to analysis and optimisation.

PPC advertising is a powerful online marketing tool that helps you achieve fast, measurable results. What matters, though, is setting campaigns up properly and optimising them continuously.

The differences between SEO and PPC

Although SEO and PPC both serve to raise site traffic, they differ in many respects. For greater clarity we have prepared a table comparing the two strategies:

How can Google Ads help SEO?

It may surprise you that PPC campaigns in Google Ads can be an excellent complement to SEO and help you achieve better results. How?

• Getting keyword data faster: thanks to PPC campaigns you can quickly find out which keywords are most effective for you and bring the most conversions. You can then use this information when optimising content for SEO.
• Improving CTR (click-through rate): analysing PPC ads will show you which ad headlines and descriptions have the highest click-through rate. You can apply these insights when optimising meta descriptions for organic search.
• Building the brand and credibility: appearing in search results, whether through advertising or organic results, raises awareness of your brand and builds its credibility.
• Testing content and landing pages: PPC campaigns let you test various versions of content and landing pages and find out which work best in terms of conversions. You can then use these insights when optimising your website for SEO.
• Gaining backlinks: PPC advertising can attract visitors who place a backlink to your site, which is an important factor for off-page SEO.
• Supporting local SEO: local PPC campaigns help you reach customers nearby and improve your position in local search.

Tools for managing SEO and PPC

There are plenty of useful tools for managing SEO and PPC campaigns that will make your work easier and help you achieve better results:

• Google Analytics: a free tool from Google for analysing website traffic.
• Marketing Miner: a tool for keyword research, SEO audits, position monitoring and other SEO activity.
• Ahrefs: a popular tool for backlink analysis, keyword research and competitor analysis.
• Google Ads: the platform for managing PPC campaigns in Google.
• Google Tag Manager (GTM): a tool for managing and implementing tracking codes on websites.
• Search Console: a free tool from Google for monitoring and solving indexing problems with your website.

When to use SEO and when PPC?

Both strategies have their advantages and drawbacks, so it matters to choose the right one for your needs and goals:

• If you have a limited budget: in this case investing in SEO is recommended; it takes more time but in the long run brings stable, "free" traffic. Do not forget, though, that SEO takes certain investment too (in quality content, for instance). Every site should have basic SEO so that advertising systems consider it relevant at all.
• If you have a specific product: for promoting a specific product, PPC advertising is ideal. It lets you target the relevant target group precisely and reach them with a precisely targeted offer.
• If you are preparing a launch campaign: PPC advertising is an excellent way of promoting a new product or service quickly and effectively. Do not forget quality SEO, though, so that in the long run you profit from organic traffic too.
• If you have a local business: for local operations SEO is the foundation. It matters to have an optimised site and a well filled-in Google Business Profile. PPC advertising will help you reach customers nearby and raise awareness of your business.
• If you have a highly competitive product: in this case combining SEO and PPC is ideal. SEO helps you build long-term authority and PPC ensures you reach prospective customers quickly and in a targeted way.

Ultimately it is best to combine both strategies and use their synergy. SEO and PPC complement each other and help you achieve maximum visibility in search and reach as many prospective customers as possible. Both strategies matter, but they take time and money. At Invelity we will look after your online visibility so that you can focus on developing your business. Entrust SEO and PPC to us and dominate the search results!