When it comes to the eager entrepreneurs looking to make use of all sorts of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to help boost their business, there is one question that is often asked more than any other. When it comes to making it to the top of the rankings, which is better: the organic search, or the paid search? It is a question that is consistently asked to some of the best SEO agencies out there, and it can be somewhat confusing to figure out which of the two strategies is the best way to move forward.
Fortunately, business owners interested in utilizing both but cannot seem to come to a consensus aren’t alone on the matter. The best SEO agencies make use of both strategies, and both have their share of pros and cons. While it might seem a little confusing as to which strategy to use, a deeper understanding of both can provide valuable insight that might just be what business owners need to come to a decision.
What is the main difference between organic and paid?
The most simple answer when it comes to the question of the difference between organic and paid is that the latter is, well, paid. Compared to organic that does not cost a thing but makes use of different other processes to try to get a head, the paid strategy involves a business being given the opportunity to pay for their spot in the search results.
It can seem like the organic method loses out in the matter, but keep in mind that businesses do not necessarily have to pay to gain their spot. The reason why the organic method is so effective is the fact that business owners do not have to pay a single cent just to be put on the rankings.
How do the two hold up when it comes to the return on investment (ROI)?
Surprisingly, the two methods are practically toe-to-toe when it comes to the ROI. While both use different methods to achieve the same result, it does take some time for the organic search to pick up on a business that makes use of SEO techniques to appear at the top of the organic search results. On the other hand, the paid strategy already has their business right at the top, which can generate results sooner, but the fact that organic does not cost a thing, the two have a tendency of balancing out.
The reason why the best SEO agencies are fully capable of taking advantage of practically any business landscape is the fact that search engine optimization in general yields positive results. Just about any marketer will say that SEO is one of the ideal means of gaining visibility and brand exposure — especially in a world where people are too afraid to go to physical establishments due to the pandemic. Considering how many people make use of online stores, with the holiday season turning out to be unprecedented in nature, the ROI for both paid and organic searches will likely continue to match each other.
On the topic of credibility with the best SEO agencies
One of the issues that the paid marketing strategy has is that it does not have nearly as much credibility as the companies that took the time to use SEO methods to boost their rankings online. For example, people will find that most online shoppers would much prefer to choose the companies in the organic search results due to the general understanding that it was not a paid marketing strategy. For example, a business that pops up in multiple organic search results has the added effect of showing potential supporters that the business might be worth checking out. A similar thing applies to paid, but it can seem less credible due to its appearance as an ad with little else pointing toward the products.
That said, considering how close the two are when it comes to the ROI, the paid system still works, and is a fantastic means of delivering instant results at a price.
Paid users can receive plenty of relevant data regarding their actions
While SEO can help organic users get a tally of data and metrics that can help them figure out what they need to do to improve their standing, paid users not only already have a spot at the top of the rankings, but also have the added benefit of keywords and other valuable pieces of data. For those who go with the paid strategy, they are often given extra pieces of information including the location of the people that click on their content, the age, specific keywords they use, and much more.
There is also the potential caveat for organic users that it is not always a guarantee that they can make it through to the top of the rankings. It can still take plenty of effort to make it to the top of organic search results, and for business owners that do not want to have to go through the effort, they can instead go for the paid search and see similar results.
The bottom line
When it boils down to it, both users that make use of organic and paid search have their own set of pros and cons. It all depends on where the user wants to put the most of their effort. If the business owner does not mind starting from the ground up and building credibility, the organic search is often the way to go. If the user is more interested in getting instant results so that they can get to work on the overall direction, the paid strategy is valid.
The best SEO agencies wholeheartedly recommend both types of marketing strategies for businesses that want to improve their reputation online. Both will end up pushing a company forward, reaching the same destination through different means. The only difference is that one gets there sooner, but costs more!