SEO vs. PPC: The Best Fit for Small Businesses

Research says that 93% of online experiences begin with search engines. So, keeping your business’s online presence strong is a must. However, for small businesses, online advertising options are often limited due to budget constraints.

If you’re wondering how to increase online sales for small businesses without spending much, SEO and PPC would be your best bet.

But which one is better?

While SEO focuses on organic search results, PPC leverages paid advertising to appear at the top of search engine results pages. Both strategies have their merits, and in this blog, we will figure out which one is best for you.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving a website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), like Google. When we search for something online, SEO helps the most relevant and valuable content to rank on top of the SERP.

But how does it work?

Well, there are a lot of techniques to make your content SEO friendly (like keyword optimization, backlink building, etc., which we will cover later) so that the search engine can find your content and rank it up top.

Benefits of SEO for small businesses

Here are some core benefits of search engine optimization for small businesses.

Increased organic traffic: SEO helps attract more visitors to your website naturally, without having to pay for advertising.
Improved local visibility: For businesses targeting a specific geographic area, for example, local SEO services for small businesses can help you appear higher in local search results.
Enhanced brand reputation: A strong SEO strategy can help establish your business as an authority in your industry, building trust and credibility.
Long-term ROI: While SEO may take time to show results, it offers a long-term return on investment as it continues to drive organic traffic to your website.

SEO best practices you should follow:

You need to stick to some best practices to see the benefits of SEO for small businesses and hold the rankings for longer periods. Such as-

Keyword research: You need to find the most relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for and then use them in your content.
On-page optimization: You should optimize your website's content, structure, and HTML elements to include your target keywords appropriately. This makes your content easily detectable by the crawler.
Off-page optimization: Off-page optimization can be done by building high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites to improve your website's authority. Building authority is important as it is one of the major factors search engines consider while picking top search results. The more authority your website has, the more chances you have of ranking on top.
Content marketing: SEO best practices also include doing content marketing right. You need to have the option of sharing on your website and focus on making content that your target audience would want to share and engage with.
Technical SEO: Under the technical checklist of SEO, apart from on-page and off-page SEO, you also need to take care of things like mobile optimization, good site speed, and proper XML sitemaps.

At Inbounderz, we stick to these basics and apply some of our advanced techniques as well. If you’re curious to know more, contact us today, and we will be happy to guide you!

What is PPC?

Differing from SEO, Pay-per-click (PPC) is more of an online advertisement technique. Here you pay a fee each time a user clicks on one of your ads. This type of advertising is often used to drive traffic to your website, generate leads, or increase sales.

PPC campaigns are typically run through online advertising platforms like Google Ads or Bing Ads. You create ads, set a budget, and target specific keywords or demographics. When a user searches for those keywords, your ad may appear at the top of the search results.

Benefits of PPC for small businesses

PPC advertising for small businesses can be a budget-friendly alternative to other online advertising options. Apart from that, there are some other benefits that PPC brings.

Immediate results: If done right, PPC campaigns can start driving traffic to your website almost immediately, making it a great option for businesses looking for quick results.
Targeted advertising: The best part about online advertisements is the precise targeting facility. You can precisely target your ads to reach specific demographics, interests, and locations, ensuring your message is seen by the right people.
Measurable ROI: PPC campaigns offer detailed tracking and analytics, allowing you to measure your return on investment and make data-driven decisions.
Flexibility: You can easily adjust your PPC campaigns based on performance, allowing you to optimize your spending and maximize your results.

PPC best practices:

To get the most out of your PPC campaigns, here are some best practices you can implement that are advised by experts.

Ad creation: Write compelling and relevant ad copy that encourages clicks and leads to conversions.
Keyword bidding: Strategically bid on keywords to ensure your ads appear in the most relevant search results.
Landing page optimization: Create landing pages that are optimized for conversions and align with your ad messaging.
Ad targeting: Use targeting options to reach your ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Campaign tracking: Monitor and analyze your campaign performance to identify areas for improvement and optimize your results.

PPC is one of Inbounderz's strongest suits so if you’re unable to find a reliable partner to launch your PPC campaigns, contact us now!

SEO vs. PPC: Which way to go?

Here’s a quick rundown of PPC vs SEO for local businesses. This easy side-by-side comparison will help you choose whether you should pick SEO or PPC for startups and SMEs.

Feature	SEO	PPC
Cost	Typically lower upfront costs, but requires ongoing effort.	Can be more expensive upfront, especially for competitive keywords.
Timeframe for Results	Can take several months to see significant results.	Can start generating results almost immediately.
Level of Control	More control over long-term organic visibility.	More control over immediate results and targeting.
Scalability	Can be scalable with consistent effort and investment.	Can be scaled quickly by increasing or decreasing the budget.
Long-term vs. Short-term Benefits	Offers long-term benefits by improving organic visibility.	Provides short-term results but may require ongoing investment.

Choosing the Right Strategy for Your Small Business

If you’re still unsure about which digital marketing services are best for you, here we have specified when SEO and PPC work the best.

When to use SEO

Building brand awareness: SEO can help establish your business as an authority in your industry as you will be visible on the search engine results page.
Establishing authority: Over time, consistent SEO efforts can position your website as a trusted resource. The more often your audience sees you, the more authority you build.
Long-term growth: SEO offers sustainable and long-term benefits for your business. You don’t burn a lot of money which helps you experiment with strategies and improve over time.

When to use PPC

Generating immediate leads: PPC can quickly drive traffic to your website and generate leads as it shows the ads directly to your target audience.
Promoting specific products or services: PPC allows you to focus your advertising efforts on specific offerings.
Testing new campaigns: PPC provides flexibility for testing different ad variations and measuring their effectiveness.

Why pick one? combine SEO and PPC for maximum impact

In 2024, digital marketing strategies for small businesses are more tailored than ever. You don’t always have to pick between two options and can easily merge two or more. So, if you feel SEO packages for small businesses alone aren't enough, you can always add PPC services with it.

But how to do that? Here’s how.

Keyword usage: Use the same keywords in both your SEO and PPC campaigns. This will help you to maintain consistency and relevance.
Landing page optimization: Create landing pages that are optimized for both SEO and PPC, with compelling content and clear calls to action. It is especially important if you are doing SEO for local businesses that offer services.
Tracking and analysis: Monitor and analyze the performance of both your SEO and PPC efforts to identify areas for improvement and optimize your campaigns.
Budget allocation: Determine how to allocate your marketing budget between SEO and PPC based on your goals and resources.

Wrapping Up

While SEO offers long-term benefits and organic visibility, PPC will give you immediate results and targeted advertising. You can choose between them based on what your business demands and budget allows.

However, the most efficient technique would be combining SEO and PPC to get the best of both worlds. Merging the two can help you enhance your website's visibility, improve user experience, and maximize your return on investment.

At Inbounderz, we specialize in crafting tailored SEO and PPC solutions that drive results for small businesses. So, contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your online marketing objectives!