So, you own a business. You have ‘regulars’ and you get some great word of mouth business. Maybe you manage your own Facebook posts, and send out a circular in the local mailing. It’s time to take your company’s marketing strategies to the next level, so where to start? The first step is learning the difference between organic and paid digital media. Both can be beneficial, so let’s break it down.
Organic Media & SEO
When researching any digital media online the term SEO, or Search Engine Optimization is everywhere. SEO covers the aspects of digital marketing as it relates to organic digital media. Organic digital media includes digital marketing relating to website design and layout, social media posts, and content strategy for your website to reach the top-ranked position on Google. The key to organic is all of these efforts are “free,” sans the time investment.
Paid Search & Social PPC
When your website is finally ready with content, and your social profiles are active this is where paid pay per click, PPC advertising enters the picture. While it is no secret that search engines and social platforms use their paid advertising platforms to make billions in revenue, the trick is to understand how these platforms work and to cater their offerings for your business. It is too easy to make common PPC mistakes that can become very expensive if you do not know what you are doing.
Why Pay Per Click?
While digital platforms can quickly change algorithms and updates, paid placement is key to ensuring that your social content and website are being seen online. Picture this, your website is ranking first organically on Google until one day your competition bids on searches related to your product or service. Now, the competitor’s sponsored listing shows first before your website. If your customers are browsing on mobile, are they going to scroll down the page to find you? Both Google and Bing will give priority to paid advertisers where it is applicable to do so.
Additionally, think about paid social ads and your favorite brand. How often do you check their profile page without clicking on a prior link? Chances are, your friend’s laughing baby video came first. Brands are reaching their consumers via sponsored updates in news feed, or following website visitors with social remarketing ads. Regardless of social platform (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc) to keep any share of voice, paid ads on social are critical to success.
The good news is, your business can still benefit from the opportunities that pay per click provides. Contact us for a free audit, and discover your business’ true PPC potential.