What Is SEO?
SEO stands for search
engine optimization. The term is ubiquitous in the digital marketing
world for good reason—being found via search engines is critical for
nearly all businesses these days.
When you build a
website, Google will usually find it and index it even if you do
absolutely nothing to optimize your web presence for search. But just because your
website is indexed, that doesn’t mean it will show up for the searches
you want it to.
Let’s say you’re a
landscaper, but in the winter, you also do snow removal work. If your
website only mentions landscaping, it won’t show up when people search
for snow removal in your town. If your site only makes a mention of
snow removal in passing, it’s unlikely to show up at the top of the
search engine results, although it may show up somewhere after the
first few pages. If, on the other hand, you build out a dedicated
service page outlining your different snow removal packages and such,
you have a better chance of landing at the top of the search engine
results pages. This is known as on-page optimization.
Now, what if another
landscaper also offers snow removal and has a similar service page on
their website? Maybe they have backlinks from your town’s chamber of
commerce website or your local newspaper, but your site has no
backlinks. When all things are equal, Google will prioritize websites
that have backlinks from trustworthy sources, as well as active
business profiles on Google. This is known as off-page optimization.
Google also wants to
ensure that websites it ranks highly are safe, easy to use, quick to
load, and free of errors. These technical factors are another factor in
SEO.
SEO aims to optimize
all aspects of your web presence—both on and off your site—in order to
give you the best chances of ranking well with Google. There are no
guarantees with SEO because you can’t control Google’s algorithms and
rankings. That said, we know the main factors that Google looks for in
a website, and by following SEO best practices, you can increase the
likelihood of ranking well.
What Are Google
Ads?
If you’ve been dabbling
in digital marketing for your business for a while now, you may
remember the days when Google Ads was still called AdWords. Google Ads
are a way to bypass SEO, rankings, and algorithms and land your business
at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs). There’s a catch,
though—you have to pay for that spot.
Google search ads give
you the ability to target very specific searchers (and search queries)
to drive qualified, relevant traffic to your website. These paid
placements are just above and below organic search results. Google Ads
are not the same as display ads on a website—they are text only,
formatted in a similar manner to organic search results, with the
primary difference being that they are labeled as ads.
If this sounds like a
fantastic alternative to SEO, well, we have to tell you: there are a
few more catches. You have to bid on keywords, which means there are no
guarantees that you will always appear on the first page of SERPs, as a
competitor could outbid you. Google also assigns Ad Quality Scores for
each ad, which along with your bid, determine where your ad will end up
on the page.
The Differences
Between SEO and Google Ads
As you can see, there
are some significant differences between SEO and Google Ads. This is
what makes them nice to use together—because Google Ads can generate
faster results, while SEO builds long-term success, the two channels
act as complementary strategies. But as we mentioned up-front, this is
not a fluff piece to sell you on both if that’s not in your budget!
Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of the pros and cons of Google Ads and
SEO.
The Pros of SEO
Here are reasons why
you might want to choose SEO:
Lower Cost
Although it can depend
on the level of competition in your industry and location, generally
speaking, SEO costs less than Google Ads. In addition, if you’re on a
tight budget, you can invest in a one-time SEO project and still get
some lasting results from that. However, as soon as you stop paying for
Google Ads, your ads go away and you stop generating traffic, which
brings us to our next point…
Continuous Traffic
Generation
Although Google’s
algorithms change frequently, at the core, they’re always the same:
Google rewards quality content from trustworthy sources. If you invest
in SEO (including quality content development), you’re likely to get a
continuous source of traffic from that investment. Tweaks and changes
may be needed to adapt to changing standards from Google, but the
content you build will always have value.
Larger Potential
Audience
Because more people
click on organic results than on ads, SEO can allow you to target a
broader audience—one that you may not have the budget to reach with
Google Ads. This can be beneficial for companies that aren’t
necessarily targeting local customers, like online stores.
Consumer Trust
There’s a portion of
consumers who will click on the first result on Google, no matter what
it is. Then, there’s another portion that will scroll past the ads and
go straight to the organic search results. Ranking highly through
organic efforts can win you more trust from potential clients and
customers.
It’s an Asset
Your SEO is an asset
that can grow over time. As you continue to invest in SEO, you will see
higher rankings that drive more traffic and conversions. While it’s
best to make a consistent investment in SEO, think of it as building a
house. You start with a good foundation, then you build your house.
Maybe someday you add another room or a swimming pool in the back. The
house only gains value with each new addition you make.
The Cons of SEO
Here are some of the
downsides of pursuing an SEO-only strategy:
Getting Results
SEO can take time to
generate results, and sometimes you just don’t have the time to wait.
If you want to advertise an upcoming sale or promotion, it makes more
sense to use Google Ads than SEO.
Tracking Is a Bit More
Complicated
Some aspects of
tracking are more complicated with SEO than Google Ads and require an
extra investment of technology. For example, if you are investing in
local SEO and want to track phone calls from your website’s SEO
traffic, we recommend investing in Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI)
tracking so that your phone call tracking doesn’t sabotage your local
SEO.
Local SEO Has Limits
With local SEO map
results, you’re limited by proximity—even if you serve a wide area. The
good news is that you can still gain organic website listings, though.
Your Control Is Limited
SEO means you’re at the
mercy of Google and its ever-changing algorithms. Going back to our
house metaphor, it’s like building a home on someone else’s land—and
you only get along with that person some of the time. The situation is
always going to be a little precarious!
The Pros of
Google Ads
Here’s why some small
businesses choose Google Ads over SEO:
Faster Results
As long as you’re
willing to make large enough bids, you’ll see more results with Google
Ads—and if you target the right keywords and audience, you’ll not just
see traffic, but a return on your investment. If you can’t wait for the
slow-build of SEO, Google Ads is a better fit for you.
Robust Tracking
Because Google Ads is a
money-maker for Google, it has a vested interest in keeping its
customers happy with robust tracking and metrics. Google Ads comes with
several options for tracking conversions to help you measure your ad
results, including:
- Website
forms
- E-Commerce
orders
- Calls
directly from ads
- Calls
from your website
- Imports
from sales that occur off your website (offline sales)
Targeted Advertising
Google Ads is known for
its ability to target audiences with precision, but even more powerful
is its ability to allow you to target specific search queries that
match what you have to offer. Google allows you to advertise your
products or services to consumers precisely when they are looking for
them.
The Cons of
Google Ads
Here are some of the
downsides of advertising with Google Ads:
Higher Costs in
Competitive Markets
If you work in a
competitive niche in a competitive market, you can expect to pay a lot
per click—for example, some attorneys will have to pay over $50 per
click to their site. This is why precision targeting is important to
filter out anyone who may not be interested in making a purchase or
using your services.
It’s Not an Asset
We liken Google Ads to
renting a house vs. owning one. When you stop renting, you don’t have
an asset. After you stop paying for Google Ads, the traffic you’ve been
getting comes to a complete halt.
If You Only Had
to Pick One…
When Should You Choose
SEO?
It will take a longer
time to see results from SEO, but once your efforts start to be
rewarded, you’ll generate continuous traffic over a longer period of
time. Good SEO increases brand awareness, and it builds value for your
website. We recommend SEO if your budget is smaller, if you already
have an established business, and if you aren’t in need of immediate
results.
When Should You Choose
Google Ads?
Google Ads is an
excellent choice for newer businesses that want to focus on sales and
leads. They’re also a better option for anyone who wants faster
results.
Can SEO and
Google Ads Be Used Together?
Of course! As mentioned
above, the two strategies complement each other. If you’ve reached a
point where you can devote an adequate budget to both SEO and Google
ads, we recommend using ads to test which keywords convert best, then
focusing your SEO efforts on these keywords.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment