SEO and PPC Strategy

SEO vs PPC: What’s the Difference and Which is Better for Your Business?

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SEO vs PPC – How to Choose the Best Strategy for Your Business

SEO and PPC are often seen as opposites, free traffic vs. paid traffic. But the reality is more nuanced. Today’s search landscape is crowded: Google indexes over 200 million active websites, and its algorithms weigh 200+ ranking factors. Getting visibility is no longer easy or “free.”

SEO builds long-term visibility and credibility but requires time and consistent effort. Studies show businesses investing in SEO generate 53% of all website traffic.
PPC, on the other hand, delivers immediate visibility and can be more cost-efficient: the average ROI is $2 for every $1 spent, with highly optimized campaigns reaching 8:1 ROI.

What is SEO?

In 2020, SEO refers to the collective efforts aimed at propelling a website’s ranking in the search results. This is achieved by studying the ranking factors of a particular search engine and then incorporating changes in the content and technical aspects of a website.

As the majority of all searches come from Google, SEO is now synonymous with ranking on Google, but there are several other search engines like Bing that can drive a decent amount of traffic. These are best explored by smaller businesses that do not have the resources to rank on Google.

Back in the day when Google was competing with Yahoo to be the No.1 Search engine, SEO meant keyword stuffing, which is now frowned upon. Keyword stuffing refers to the practice of adding a particular keyword numerous times in the webpage regardless of whether it makes sense.

Google now has a more mature algorithm and so keyword stuffing can actually get your website blacklisted. So, you need high-quality content that is optimized with keywords that flow naturally and do not exceed 2% of the content.

We make use of several other on-page SEO techniques such as including keywords in places where Google actually looks for it. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl to your website.

Also, we work on the technical flaws that could be preventing your website from ranking. A few to mention are bulky images, 404 errors, and duplicate content that you might have unknowingly published.

At Asset Digital Communications, we make use of SEO tactics that work so that you get the most out of your digital marketing budget.

As you may have figured out, these SEO tactics can be expensive because content creation and guest posting can cost quite a bit of money. In addition to that, technical SEO requires quite a bit of time and effort. However, this is what it takes to rank your website on Google.

What is PPC?

Pay Per Click (PPC) is an advertising model that charges a fee based for each clicks coming to your website from an internet ad you have placed. The ads can be placed on a range of platforms such as a search engine such as Google or Bing, social media platform such as Facebook, or a content broadcasting platform like YouTube or TikTok.

PPC involves keyword-specific bidding and the bid price varies depending on the demand for a particular PPC keyword. Based on the keywords you choose, the platform shows your ads to a user and when the user clicks on it, the advertiser is charged for every click.

When PPC was a new concept, the bids were low but now they can be as high as $50 and more for competitive search terms. Particularly, the ones connected to real estate, remote software solutions, and cannabis.

PPC and SEO — Which One is Better?

Now that we have discussed what SEO and PPC are, you might be wondering which way to go. We’d like to make that easier for you and so, here’s a quick overview of the strengths and weakness of these two lead generation techniques.

  • PPC can bring immediate results while SEO takes time but drives traffic until someone outranks you.
  • When it comes to ranking for competitive search terms, SEO is more cost-effective than PPC.
  • PPC is a short-term lead generation strategy, while SEO is a long-term investment.
  • PPC connects you to a highly targeted traffic based on demographics, which SEO does not.

Now that you know what is SEO and PPC, and have absolute clarity about the positives and negatives of each of these two lead generation techniques, it’s time to make a decision. So, note down your business goals and pick a technique that aligns with your business goals.

SEO vs. PPC: Key Differences

FactorSEOPPC
CostHigh upfront, but compounding ROIPay for every click, costs stay consistent
Timeline6–12 months to see resultsInstant visibility
Traffic QualityHigher trust, long-term engagementImmediate but not always high-quality
CTROrganic results capture 65%+ of clicksAds only capture ~2.6% CTR
LongevitySustainableStops when budget ends
TargetingBroader (keywords, intent)Laser-focused (location, job title, device, time)

Which Should You Choose for your company ?

  • Choose SEO if: You want long-term growth, brand authority, and lower cost per lead over time.

  • Choose PPC if: You need quick visibility, product launches, seasonal campaigns, or want to break into a competitive market fast.

  • Best strategy: Combine both—PPC for immediate leads, SEO for sustainable growth.

Let us help you set up a profitable SEO or PPC campaign right away, get in touch with Asset Digital Communications.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]