Well, it’s official. Matt Cutts, the head of Google’s Web spam team, says that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is not spam. This is not a big surprise to many of use that have been in the industry a lot time, but it helps justify what we do to clients who are not really sure if SEO is the right thing to do.

Keep in mind that he is talking about White-hat techniques, quality links and quality content. This is the strategy NetViper Interactive Inc uses to help rank your website at the top of the search engines.

PPC:
- Ads are online almost immediately
- Start getting ROI sooner
- Great for time sensitive promotions
- Great for testing different words, phrases and products
- Quickly build up traffic to your website
- Gather feedback almost immediately
- Flexible Spending. Increase or Decrease spending in real time.
A recent study by Engine Ready found:
Conversion rates: PPC just barely beat SEO
Average Order Value: PPC won
Average time on site: PPC won
SEO:
- A must for a long-term strategy
- 90% of people click on “organic” listings
- People trust the first page results and may see those companies as experts in their field
- Ranking for multiple keywords and key phrase will bring you significant traffic to your website
- If you do both PPC and SEO, a strong SEO campaign can allow you to cut down on your PPC spend.
Overall, both are excellent strategies for maximizing your online presence. They even complement each other well. A recent study from a couple of NYU Stern professors found that organic search engine results can play a direct role in whether or not a paid listing is clicked.
So which should you do?
At the end of the day, both are critical to your websites long-term success. If you need traffic now, go with PPC, if you plan on being around a long time, start your SEO now. SEO typically takes 3-4 months before you start to see results. Keep that in mind as you make your investment in online marketing.
Give us a call or email us if you have questions. We will be glad to help.
Dave Fogel
NetViper Interactive
dave@netviperinteractive.com