In our books, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) must be the bedrock of a Search Marketing strategy. A Google Ads Pay Per Click (PPC) component could be added as a complementing tactical strategy. We have covered, in great detail, the efficacy of SEO, so we will not belabour the point here. In this section we would like to explain to you the mechanics of a Adwords PPC campaign, the do’s and don’ts so to speak.
Let’s start with the advantages of a Pay Per Click campaign
It’s undeniable that Google “encourages” users of its search engine to search with longer tail/more descriptive keywords such as “outdoor aluminum sports equipment” etc Google will return matching and specific search results. Very targeted way to go. However, if a search word were as general as “sports equipment”, then the searcher would be furnished with search results depicting all sorts of sports equipment related websites. Against this crowded and competitive backdrop, then a PPC approach would be the way to go.
You can spend as little as a few dollars per day to as much as your budget would allow. Additionally, you can determine the volume and type of keywords to put into play.
1. You can bid for your desired position on the possible Paid Ad positions
If you are prepared to bid higher than your competitors, then you would probably land on a better position. If the keyword in question is much sought after in your industry, then you had better be prepared to get into a bidding war. And especially during your industry’s high seasons.
2. You don’t have to work hard on improving your website contents etc
Some think it’s a relief to be spared the effort to improve their website contents. Pay Google and get ranked. We happen to take a different view because a better presented website with quality contents enjoys a higher rate of conversion.
Let’s now address the disadvantages of a PPC approach
1. Google Ads PPC is far costlier over SEO
If your budget is small, the beneficial impact from a Google Adwords PPC campaign would be correspondingly small. It’s common to see clients who are only prepared to go with a minuscule budget and yet want every keyword imaginable. That’s a poor strategy because the already small budget gets diluted pretty quick. Every click through means you pay for the dollar value of that keyword and factor in the wasted clicks, you end up with a failed campaign. On the other hand, we have known of companies who have expensed an disproportionate amount of budget on this exercise. Is it worth considering alternatives such as SEO to compare against your ROI?
2. Google Ads PPC can be a costly addiction
Most PPC only vendors recommend a “small budget” to induce you to try it. And they would also recommend a big volume of keywords to make it an even more attractive proposition. It does not take much or long to realize that your Google Adwords PPC campaign is shorted out very quickly. You now face a dilemma. If you do not replenish your budget, you sit on the sidelines and watch your bigger budget competitors play. Not easy to watch. Or you can take the plunge and throw in more money. You are now in a “no win” situation.
3. Management Fees
We are often bewildered when many clients seemed to believe that they were not charged a fee for the management of their Google Adwords PPC campaign. Of course a management fee is levied. Unfortunately it is often “bundled” into your budget. It’s not uncommon for fees ranging from 20-40% are bundled in. Thus, your click budget is greatly reduced.
4. No improvements would be made to your website
Have you come across a Google Adwords PPC company addressing the state of your website? That’s not their job. And they won’t know how anyway. We all know that a well presented website with good and constantly updated contents would likely endear a visitor to browse longer. The longer they browse the chances of them buying go way up. It’s not just rankings. Think conversion too.
5. Only 23% of searchers click on Paid Ads
Organic ads derived an average of 67% click throughs. These are hotly debated statistics. We draw information and inference from as many survey research numbers as possible and arrived at these averages. The best rule of thumb is, ask yourself, your colleagues, friends and family on their propensity to click on Paid Ads or organic ads. You would get very interesting feedback.
6. Google Ads PPC campaigns generate a lower ROI on an average.
The general consensus is that a Google Adwords PPC (a well planned one) generates an average 22% ROI. A SEO strategy, on the other hand, garners an average 40% ROI.
We strongly believe that a dual adoption of SEO and PPC can co-exist. Here’s why:
- With SEO, your website has to perpetually improved and updated to score better rankings.
- SEO helps you target your specific audiences via well thought out keyword phrases.
- PPC, while expensive, is literally instantaneous. But it should be on a seasonal or tactical basis to target keywords that are shorter tail and very competitive.
- If your current strategy is pure PPC play only, then we advise a reduction in its budget to free up some for SEO.
- We reckon a 70% SEO and 30% PPC combination is just about right for most companies.
For a detailed discussion and understanding of this subject, get in touch with us at enquiry@simple-seocompany.com
