Organic vs Paid Search: A Guide to Understanding the Differences
Paid vs. Organic are the two ways to get traffic to your website on search engine results pages (SERPs). Each method involves different strategies, costs, and considerations.
QUICK LINKS:
1. New Digital Marketing Services in 2024
4. What is Pay-Per-Click (PPC)?
Why understanding digital marketing is essential for doing business online.
Admittedly, when I’m introduced to a new “thing,” whatever it is, I usually dismiss it. It’s not that I’m not curious or don’t like new ways to execute; it’s more about avoiding SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome). Will this “thing” really do something measurable for my business, or will it be another time and money black hole?
But then I start observing, reading, evaluating, researching and finally comprehending. I’m also gauging what clients are doing and what they need. The “thing” I’m discussing in this blog post is digital marketing. I know, I know.
We’re a team of designers. When the word “marketing” gets mentioned, that subconsciously offended artist emerges: “We’re not marketers; we’re designers fgs!”
But marketing IS precisely what we do because we wouldn’t have a biz without it. We’ve spent the last five years refining our services and processes to provide branding, web content and design services using the Squarespace platform. We stay on top of on-page and technical SEO optimization and web accessibility best practices to the best of our abilities.
We do a lot of organic marketing for Design Powers by writing a monthly blog post and sending it to our email list. We create case studies and mockups for every client project and consistently post to our two social media channels, Instagram and LinkedIn. We actively seek validation by getting Google reviews from our clients.
We’re firm believers in the power of building on authority online through these organic methods and actively assist clients with some of the aforementioned through our membership. But organic methods take time, as in months, even years.
Sometimes, you need that “thing” to jump-start your marketing efforts.
New Digital Marketing Services in 2024
We want to help our clients get visitors to their websites and qualified leads for their businesses. What happens after that is up to them. We also know our services must align with our brand principles of design excellence and building trust.
That’s why, in 2024, we’re offering Paid Search by implementing Google ad campaigns and additional Organic Search through Review Management. Each can play a part in your marketing efforts, and we’d love to help you implement one or both services.
Why Reviews are Important, Especially for Higher-Priced Offerings
There’s a level of risk associated with purchasing something sight unseen. As the price increases, so too does the risk. So, it’s not surprising that 78% of people say that the more expensive the service, the more they read reviews. This number increases as their age decreases: Gen Z (83%) and Millennial (82%) clients.
This is the rub, though. 85% of people trust ratings and reviews as much as or more than recommendations from family members or friends. You read that correctly; we trust what strangers say as much or even more than our mom. Maybe because there is no ulterior motive–the reviewer doesn’t have an agenda and expresses their experience, whereas mom might be biased.
Ongoing Optimization is Essential
One thing is clear: reviews influence purchasing behavior. However, developing a review strategy shouldn’t be a one-time event. Instead, implementing a consistent review program can show a more measured impact.
Check out our review management services landing page for details!
Regarding Google ads, our first client is implementing a 6-month Google ad campaign with us. He has been our graphic and web design client for ten years and has been in business for 30+ years, so he knows his industry inside and out. And we know his business, too.
But website traffic is down, and he is not ranking for a vital keyword. He emails a monthly newsletter, but it’s not content generated from a blog on his website so it doesn’t get counted as organic search.
He wants to jump-start conversion by implementing Paid Google ads. We’re excited to help him reach his goals. We’ll keep you posted.
If you’d like to discuss our digital marketing services further, please schedule a call with me.
Keep reading to understand the difference between Paid and Organic Search methodologies.
“SEO is not something you do anymore, it’s what happens when you do everything else right.”
What is Paid Search?
Paid search is a digital marketing strategy where you pay a fee to search engines for your ads to be displayed prominently on the search engine results page. These ads are typically marked as "sponsored" and are at the top or bottom of the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Benefits
You Get Immediate Visibility: Paid search provides instant visibility. Once the campaign is set up and funded, ads can appear on the SERP quickly.
Ad Customization: You control your ads' content, appearance, and targeting. You choose specific keywords, demographics, locations, and other parameters to target your ideal clients.
Costs: You pay for each click on your ad, making it a measurable and cost-effective method. However, costs can vary based on competition for keywords.
Flexibility: Campaigns can be adjusted in real-time, allowing you to optimize your strategies based on performance data.
Budget: The visibility in Paid Search directly correlates to the budget allocated for advertising. Ads only appear once the budget funds are added.
Examples of Paid Ads
Paid ads come in various formats and platforms, as you can use different channels to reach your target audience. Here are some common examples of paid ads:
Search Engine Advertising:
Google Ads: Text ads that appear at the top or bottom of Google search results.
Bing Ads: Similar to Google Ads but on the Bing search engine.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Advertisements that appear in the Facebook News Feed or sidebar, targeted based on user demographics, interests, and behavior.
Instagram Ads: Visual ads shown in users' Instagram feeds or stories.
LinkedIn Ads: Advertisements on LinkedIn are often targeted at specific professional demographics.
Display Advertising:
Banner Ads: Graphic ads displayed on websites within designated ad spaces.
Interstitial Ads: Full-screen ads that appear after one has clicked on another website but before the anticipated content appears.
Native Ads: Ads that blend into the visual design of the platform, providing a more seamless user experience.
Video Advertising:
YouTube Ads: Video ads that play before, during, or after YouTube videos.
In-Stream Video Ads: Videos that play within other streaming services or platforms.
Shopping Ads:
Google Shopping Ads: Product listings at the top of Google search results, showcasing images and prices.
Social Media Shopping Ads: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow users to shop directly from ads.
App Advertising:
Mobile App Ads: Ads within mobile applications, often promoting other apps or products.
In-App Ads: Ads that appear while using a specific mobile app.
Affiliate Marketing:
Affiliate Ads: You pay affiliates to drive traffic or sales to your website through the affiliate's marketing efforts.
Email Marketing:
Sponsored Emails: Advertisements within email newsletters or dedicated promotional emails.
Sponsored Content:
Sponsored Articles: Native ads that resemble regular content on a website but are paid for by advertisers.
Sponsored Posts: Influencers or content creators on social media platforms may create content sponsored by a brand.
These examples of paid ads each offer advantages for reaching specific audiences and achieving marketing goals. You can combine efforts to create a comprehensive marketing campaign.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
The most common form of paid search is called Pay-Per-Click (PPC). That means you pay a fee each time your ad gets clicked, leading them to your website or landing page.
Key Features:
Keyword Bidding: You bid on keywords relevant to your services. When users search for these keywords, the ads may appear in the search engine results.
Ad Placement: PPC ads are displayed alongside or on top of organic search results on SERPs or other online platforms, such as social media.
Budget Control: You set a daily or monthly budget for your PPC campaigns. The ads may only appear once the budget is exhausted or when additional funds are allocated.
Targeting Options: PPC platforms often provide targeting options based on geographic location, demographics, device type, etc. This allows you to reach specific audiences.
Ad Copy and Design: You (or us) create compelling ad copy and design to entice users to click on your ads. The relevance of your ad to the user's query is crucial for a successful PPC campaign.
Ad Rank: Ad position on the SERP is determined by a combination of the bid amount, ad quality, and other factors. Higher-quality ads and relevant landing pages achieve a higher ad rank.
Popular PPC platforms include Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords), Bing Ads, and social media platforms like Facebook Ads and LinkedIn Ads. PPC advertising is known for its immediacy, and can be launched quickly and provide almost instant visibility. It is a measurable and flexible advertising model, allowing you to track the performance of your campaigns and adjust strategies accordingly.
“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what consumers tell each other it is.”
What is Organic Search?
Organic Search refers to the natural, non-paid page listings based on their relevance to the user's query. Achieving a high ranking in organic search results involves Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques, which aim to improve a website's visibility through content quality, relevance, and various technical factors.
Benefits
Long-Term Strategy: Organic Search is a strategy that involves adding quality website content to improve its visibility over time. Results take time but can last a long time.
Free Traffic: Unlike Paid Search, organic listings do not incur direct costs for clicks. Once a website achieves a high organic ranking, it can attract ongoing traffic without payment.
Credibility and Trust: Based on the search engine's algorithmic relevance evaluation, users often perceive organic results as more trustworthy and credible.
Algorithm Dependency: Organic rankings are subject to search engine algorithms, and algorithm changes can impact a website's position on the SERP.
Content Quality: High-quality content, relevance, and user experience are crucial in organic search rankings. Regularly updating and optimizing content is essential for maintaining and improving rankings.
Google Search Results: The primary listing of websites appears in response to a user's query on Google's search engine results page.
Bing Search Results: Like Google, Bing displays organic search results based on relevance to the user's search terms.
YouTube Video Search: Videos that appear in YouTube search results are aligned with YouTube's algorithms and based on their relevance to the user's query and
Social Media Posts: Organic content is shared by individuals or businesses on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Blog Posts: Optimized articles and blog posts for search engines appear in organic search results.
Local Business Listings: A map and reviews often accompany business information in local search results.
Product Reviews and Recommendations: User-generated content, such as product reviews and recommendations, may appear in search results.
Online Forums and Communities: Relevant discussions and threads on forums like Reddit or other online communities that surface in search results.
Wikipedia Entries: Wikipedia articles that are highly relevant to a user's query and appear in search results.
News Articles: News stories and articles are organically ranked based on their relevance to current events and user queries.
These examples illustrate how organic content can naturally appear in search results without payment. Optimizing content for search engines through techniques like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can enhance its chances of ranking higher organically. Businesses and content creators need to focus on producing high-quality, relevant content to improve their organic visibility and attract users who are genuinely interested in their offerings.
“You have to understand as a marketer that consumers are functioning in the age of efficiency.”
Conclusion
Paid Search involves paying for immediate visibility through ads on the SERP while Organic Search focuses on optimizing a website to naturally appear in the non-paid listings based on its relevance and quality.
The choice between the two depends on specific business goals, budget considerations, and the desired balance between short-term visibility and long-term sustainability. Many digital marketing strategies incorporate Paid and Organic Search to maximize online presence and effectiveness.
We’re starting by offering Google Ads and Review Management. We’re also investigating Facebook ads, which could be in the second half of 2024. We like to strategize and execute a “thing” before we market it…that’s the skeptic in me.
If you’re intrigued and want to know more, please schedule a call with me. I’d love to help you reach your 2024 MARKETING goals! There, I said it. “MARKETING!” 😬
FAQS
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There are fundamental differences between paid search and organic search. Paid search involves paying a fee to search engines for ads to be prominently displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs), providing instant visibility. Conversely, organic search relies on non-paid listings based on a website's relevance and quality, achieved through search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.
Understanding these differences helps businesses determine their marketing strategies, considering factors like budget, immediacy of results, and long-term sustainability.
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Paid search offers immediate visibility on SERPs once campaigns are set up and funded. Businesses have control over ad customization, targeting specific demographics, locations, and keywords. Costs are measured based on clicks, providing a measurable and cost-effective method.
Additionally, campaigns can be adjusted in real-time based on performance data. However, the visibility in paid search directly correlates with the allocated budget, and costs can vary depending on competition for keywords.
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Organic search involves improving a website's visibility over time through quality content and SEO techniques.
Unlike paid search, organic listings do not incur direct costs for clicks, attracting ongoing traffic without payment once a high ranking is achieved. Users often perceive organic results as more trustworthy and credible.
However, organic rankings are subject to search engine algorithms, requiring businesses to maintain high-quality content and regularly update and optimize their websites to improve rankings.
