Given the choice between organic search engine optimization and paid search, most companies will initially opt for organic SEO. Why? Because it’s cheaper, of course. Why pay Google to advertise your blog about freelance humor writing jobs when you can do it yourself for free? After a while, though, any company that relies solely on organic SEO will fully understand why paid search is such an important concept. When compared with worrying about algorithm changes and keyword density, cutting a check to Google doesn’t seem so bad.
However, paid search isn’t just about making your life easier. It’s about making you a better marketer, and it’s about getting the right eyeballs on your company’s website. Here are some of the things paid search can do for you that make it a necessary companion to any organic SEO strategy.
Limited Liability
The term “paid search” sends shivers down the spines of marketing managers who are afraid they’re going to spend thousands of dollars for a minimal amount of hits. However, paid search works only on your budget. You can spend as much or as little as you want, and you can even cap how much you spend each day on pay-per-click ads.
Attract the Right Kind of Customer
Paid search is a lot smarter than you might think. Instead of blasting out your ad to an endless stream of disinterested customers, you get to control who sees your ads. If you’re a restaurant and you want to target only mobile customers who may be in your geographic area, you can do just that. You can also have your ads displayed at certain times of the day or on certain days of the week. While you can use these measures to save money, the main goal is to make sure your ads are seen by those people most likely to become paying customers.
Immediate Feedback
Organic SEO is wonderful in many ways, but its lead time can be very frustrating. It may take you weeks, or even months, to determine if your strategy is working. And if it isn’t, you’re stuck with the impossible choice of staying the course or starting all over again. With paid search, you can tell right away if your ads are having the desired effect. If they are, you’re happy to pay the cost per click. If the ads aren’t working, you can try a new strategy without waiting an eternity for results.
From a marketing perspective, paid search is a necessary component of SEO. It’s a great way to supplement your organic search tactics, and it enables you to be seen by the right customers at the right time. It can also help you show what keywords really resonate with Web searchers. You can then incorporate those keywords into your organic search strategy to create a one-two punch that generates a great deal of relevant traffic.
Bio: Bryan B is a freelance writer based in Long Island, NY. He has a master’s degree in Quality Management and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He also holds the Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certification.
