There’s always much debate about whether SEO is better than paid advertising (and vice versa), but is there a clear winner? If so, which is best? Should you be working on both? If you are unsure, give this article a read and we’ll tell you everything you need to know on the matter…
SEO Vs. Paid Advertising: Which is best?
First, let’s define SEO and paid advertising:
- SEO: SEO is the process of optimising your website in order to have the best possible chance at ranking high in a Google SERP (search engine results page) for a specific set of highly targeted keywords. It is designed to attract as much ‘organic’ traffic through to your website as possible – and then convert those ‘clicks into customers’ using compelling sales copy. SEO services like those offered by Safari Digital, specialize in boosting organic traffic and optimizing conversion rates.
- Paid advertising: Paid advertising is different from SEO in that it is designed to achieve ‘temporary visibility’. Using Google’s PPC as an example (Pay Per Click), a business can outline a set budget to have their business appear at the very top of a Google SERP, and is then charged a set amount every single time a user clicks on the advert and heads over to their website / chosen landing page.
So, which of the two digital marketing methods is best? Well, they are both incredibly valuable. For example, SEO allows you to build your brand awareness and online presence as a whole, attracting ‘organic’ customers as consistently as possible, however, it takes time! Even with the best SEO agency in Dubai you could be looking at 4 to 6-months (and sometimes up to a year or longer depending on your industry).
Paid advertising on the hand can yield instant results –albeit temporarily.
Should I do both SEO and Paid Ads?
An SEO consultant will tell you SEO is the best, while an Ads expert will argue the opposite; a true digital marketing expert however, will tell you that you should be open to working on both of them.
In truth, SEO is far more important for the overall long-term success of your brand and business. But paid advertising can be incredibly valuable if you are trying to get instant visibility and push a new product / seasonal promotion.
Additionally, paid advertising can refer to social media ads, such as Facebook advertising and running ads on Instagram. These can be especially handy for creating highly targeted ads that reach a very specific demographic.
If you had to choose between the two, you should prioritise SEO (especially when starting up a new business) – simply because it takes a while to get things off the ground. However, as soon as you are making an ROI in your SEO, you can ‘up’ your marketing budget and start branching out into PPC, social media ads, video marketing, email marketing, and so much more.
Don’t get too caught up in the debate over “which is best” and understand that all forms of digital marketing can bring immense value to your business and as such, you should be open to all of them.
We hope you’ve found this article insightful and wish you the very best of luck with your business’s long-term success.
