The topic of organic SEO vs paid search results is extremely controversial. Every digital and marketing expert has their own opinion on the matter and their own preference on how to get on top of Google results. If you love a great dispute and you are interested in improving website traffic and boosting your online presence, then you have to read this!
In this article, we will try to settle one of the biggest debates in the digital field: organic SEO vs paid search, which is better? We are going to cover everything from their similarities and differences, advantages and drawbacks, to how they help online businesses grow and thrive.
Organic SEO vs Paid Search
Difference and Similarity
When it comes to the organic SEO vs paid search dilemma, the first thing we need to consider is what sets them apart.
What makes these two ranking factors similar? And what makes them so different?
As a start, let’s go over the similarities. Both factors are essential for search engine ranking and the way a business gets displayed on the results page (SERP). When done right, they boost brands’ exposure, improve online presence and bring leads and traffic to authoritative websites, blogs, resources, and social media.
The main difference between these elements is that one is free (organic SEO). While, as the name suggests, the other (paid search results) is a type of paid advertising that improves ranking by pushing the promoted pages ahead of the ones that rank high organically.
The other striking difference is the effort to attract organic website traffic and paid traffic. While building and executing a successful SEO strategy requires the time and dedication of technical SEO specialists and sometimes takes months to see results, this is not the case with paid ads and SEM (search engine marketing).
With the right advertising techniques, keyword strategy, and adequate budget you can get a website to rank high almost instantly. But of course, paid search is way more pricey.
Pros and Cons
Speaking of the organic SEO vs paid search dispute, we have got to mention the pros and cons of organic ranking and SEM ranking. This is the most authentic and viable way to assess them, without any personal preferences and biases getting in the way.
Organic SEO Pros & Cons
+ Cost-effective due to no advertising costs
+ Long-term benefits as organic results have a longer life cycle than paid results
+ Credibility, because users generally trust organic results more than paid results
- Time-consuming, as improving organic search ranking takes time, effort, patience, and expertise
- The competitive market makes it challenging to rank for popular keywords
- Organic results take time to show up in search results
Paid Search Pros & Cons
+ Generates quick and immediate results
+ Precise targeting of demographics
+ Highly measurable, providing data on conversions and return on investment (ROI)
- Expensive, especially for highly competitive keywords
- Despite precise targeting, paid search can still miss its intended audience
- Perceived as less credible and trustworthy than organic results
Paid Search Ads
What Is a Paid Search Ad?
A paid search ad is an advertisement that appears in search engine results and is purchased through a search engine advertising platform. These ads are typically displayed at the top or bottom of search results and are labeled as "sponsored" or "ad" to distinguish them from organic search results.
Advertisers bid on keywords related to their products or services, and their ads are displayed in search results when a user enters a relevant search query. When a user clicks on a paid search ad, the advertiser is charged a fee, also known as pay-per-click (PPC).
How SEM Advertising Helps a Business Thrive?
Paid search advertising allows businesses to reach potential customers at the moment they are searching for related products or services. Making it a highly targeted and effective advertising method. By reaching the right audience at the right time, SEM advertising can help businesses increase conversions, resulting in increased sales and revenue.
Search Engine Optimization
The Powerful Aspects of SEO
Effective SEO can help a website rank higher in search engine results, increasing its visibility to potential customers. Unlike paid advertising, SEO is a cost-effective way to drive organic traffic.
High search engine rankings can establish a website and its content as credible and authoritative in the eyes of search engines and users. What’s more, the benefits of SEO can last for a long time, as opposed to paid advertising which ends when the advertising budget is exhausted.
Types of SEO
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of elements that under the control of the website owner, such as the content, structure, and HTML code. On-page SEO strategies include keyword research and optimization, header tag optimization, meta description optimization, and structure optimization.
Off-page SEO involves the optimization of elements outside of a website that affects its search engine ranking, such as backlinks, social media presence, and online brand reputation. Off-page SEO approaches include link building, social media marketing, and brand management.
Technical SEO is the optimization of the technical elements of a website to increase its search engine page ranking (SERP). Specifically - site speed, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability. Technical SEO practices are all about optimization for speed, ensuring that the site is mobile-friendly, as well as fixing any crawl errors and broken links.
Overall, SEO encompasses both on-page and off-page strategies, as well as technical considerations, in order to improve a website's ranking and visibility in search engine results.
How SEO Pushes Business Towards Success?
By optimizing for search engines, businesses can increase their visibility in search engine results and attract more organic traffic to their site. By targeting relevant keywords, brands reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services related to their niche.
A high search engine ranking can establish a business and its website as credible and authoritative in the eyes of both search engines and users. And the best thing is, organic SEO is a cost-effective way to increase conversions that ultimately drive sales and revenue.
Final Verdict: Organic SEO or Paid Search?
At the end of the day, the rivalry between organic SEO vs paid search needs to end.
Both these ranking strategies have their strengths and choosing just one is not going to be beneficial to your business. The best way to get the most out of the two is to invest in both for full-paid traffic and organic traffic domination.