The ole “One Two Punch”

Nobody can deny the importance of a successfully implemented Search Engine Optimization campaign. If one has an optimal set of keywords in place, and a savvy SEO technician implementing the tactics necessary the results can be rewarding.

As everyone knows, these results can take some effort to achieve and there can be a significant amount wait time for the search engines to pick up on the implementation. Paid advertising can fill that void by driving relevant clicks your way.

“I need it now”

Clientele that want high traffic results immediately while the organic implementation is in the works have an effective option – PPC or Pay per Click Advertising. The flexibility that PPC offers customers is unparalleled in terms of grabbing that “ideal” customer. The ability to craft customized ad copy and manage a typically  much larger set of keywords targets than a SEO campaign can drive that converting traffic within hours of set up.

A common tactic is to have the paid advertising gradually tailor back in terms of scale and budget as the organic results come in. Even with this said, it is best to keep in mind that continuously exploring paid advertising venues running in conjunction with SEO can fill in the missing pieces that SEO cannot always deliver.

“Sharing the goods”

Although the behavioral and geographical data paid advertising generates can significantly differ from the information collected during a search engine optimization campaign the ability to test and acknowledge traffic trends can prove to be invaluable – the more you know about the visitor the more you will benefit across both venues. In certain situations PPC can serve as a test bed for alternative methods of generating traffic in the future.

“Tis the season”

Where SEO tactics can fall short is the targeting products that are seasonal or a product line “one off “campaign. Clientele that offer these types of services can enhance their SEO initiatives by users querying seasonal Keyphrases or even phrases that are only available for a limited time. Once again, PPC can fill the void.

“I don’t even sell my goods there”

Although organic optimization has improved over the years with its ability to target specific geographical markets, paid advertising still is the winner in this category hands down. If one was selling carpet cleaning locally a well optimized paid advertising campaign can be “turned off” form the rest of the internet world other than your local area of interest.

Even on a national scale the ability to selectively choose your geographical market has huge value. For example, companies that sell services that are not licensed to sell within some states or provinces can once again be removed from the targeted audience. The potential loss in investment is drastically reduced when you have this type of geographical control over your traffic.

“It’s really working with my organic rankings why do I need that PPC anyway?”

Simply put a page one organic ranking and a first position on the paid side of the search engine results packs the most punch. The on page dominance with this tactic has historically produced the best results for our clientele. One might ask “well if I am ranking #1 organically why would I want a first position PPC ad running at the same time”? The answer is clear once one takes a close look at the data over time. The brand onslaught during a query often leads to a proportionally much larger return with the PPC ad in place than when it is not running side by side with the SERP result. The added bonus is that more often than not the organic result is clicked over the paid result which can save your paid advertising budget for other terms not picking up organic results.

Working in Harmony

A well crafted Paid Advertising campaign and a skillfully managed SEO strategy running hand and hand delivers the best results and the highest return on your ROI.