PPC vs SEO vs SMO
Introduction
Are you overwhelmed with the sheer multitude of internet marketing options available today in the market? As website creation and designing has become affordable, more and more entrepreneur are starting their own websites to boost their business online. To fulfill the ever-growing demands of entrepreneurs, online marketers are coming up with more options that allow them to maximize their revenue through internet marketing. However, as a website owner or a budding entrepreneur you must realize that the first step towards maximizing revenues through internet marketing is to adopt the proper vantage point.
Entrepreneurs and companies are leveraging the power of pay per click (PPC) advertising campaigns, social media optimization (SMO) and search engine optimization (SEO) to the maximum these days. At the end of the day, however, they need to understand what works for the business and what kind of internet marketing they should invest in to get maximum profit.
The Case for SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process in which a website is modified in terms of design and content allowing it to become easier to search and navigate and thus improving its chances to appear in top search engine results. PPC (Pay Per Click) is an effective type of marketing where advertisers pay a small amount of fee each time their ads are clicked on different websites. Social Media Optimization is a kind of marketing campaign where numerous social media outlets are used to generate interest and increase public awareness about the site, product or service.
While all three are internet marketing options, there is a major difference that sets them apart. The goal of an SEO campaign is to increase the site ranking of a website organically. On the other hand, the goal of a PPC campaign is to bring more online traffic to the website, however, the advertiser (website owner) has to pay a small fee every time the advertisement is clicked. The goal of an SMO campaign is to create more awareness about a particular website, product or service through various social media and thereby bring more online traffic to the website.
While all internet marketing options work to get your website more traffic, it is important to understand which one you should choose to make the most of it.
If you’re keen on a better return on investment plan, search engine optimization (SEO) is a great place to start. SEO focuses on improving your site rankings in the search engine results page organically. This means that you can maximize your business efforts by getting more online traffic at a constant pace. You will see a gradual increase in the number of visitors on your website which is indispensable to the growth of your business. SEO also develops brand credibility which is critical to your business success in the long term. While PPC marketing may get you more clicks in the short term, it is not recommended for long term internet marketing. With SEO, your website is placed higher in the search results and that convinces people that your site has valuable content, products or services. You can attract more online visitors to your site and gradually convert them into potential customers. You also get to create a unique brand identity that can help you in the long term as more and more visitors will be interested in doing business with you when they see your website high up in the search results page.
The Case for PPC
While Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns can help you generate online traffic quickly and provide you with a measurable outcome, the fact is that the hype is usually short-lived. PPC campaigns usually require advertisers to spend on the clicks their advertisements have received. This requires you to keep a close watch on how much you are spending and what keywords you should choose to display your ads on the search results page. If the campaign is not handled correctly, PPC campaigns will only cost you more without yielding any results. There are times when PPC campaigns can generate junk traffic which does not lead to conversions and reaching the right audience.
The Case for SMO
Social Media Optimization (SMO) is part of SEO campaigns that uses social media sites and online communities. The aim of the campaign is to drive traffic to the website without spending money on advertisements. Primarily, the focus is on driving traffic from sources other than search engines. However, social media optimization campaigns are more effective to attract niche clients and customers to the website, influencing readers to try products and services you offer and to create a buzz on the internet about your business.