What’s More Effective: Paid vs. Organic Search

One of the most controversial debates in the ever-changing world of digital marketing is whether you should invest your time and money in paid search or organic search, i.e., paid vs. organic search, to achieve impressive results. 

For both approaches, we can list numerous benefits and some disadvantages. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of both strategies and reveal the most effective solution for the natural and steady growth of a company’s digital presence.

First, we will define each tactic individually:

What is Paid Search (PPC)?

Paid search is a form of digital marketing in which businesses pay various search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing to have their ads appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).

The most common form of paid search is PPC, short for pay-per-click, in which advertisers pay a set amount of money for each click on their links.

Google Ads is considered the most well-known form of paid search, which is universally used and brings great benefits to investors. These links usually appear above all other results when searching on Google. They are distinguished from other links by a small ad sign next to them.

What is Organic Search?

An organic search is an unpaid form of digital marketing in which companies use practical methods such as SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to make their websites’ links appear higher up than their competitors, gaining more attention and clicks from product or service seekers.

Now that you are familiar with these two terms, it’s time to point out the pros and cons of each strategy and finally find out which method is the winner in the paid vs. organic search competition.

There is no clear answer to this question. We can say that it depends on a number of parameters, which we will discuss below.

Money

In this area, paid search is at a disadvantage because, as the name suggests, you have to spend money to get the results you want. For organic search, on the other hand, you don’t have to spend a dime, it’s completely free.

We shouldn’t ignore the fact that money can always facilitate the process even in organic search. You need to learn the basics of SEO yourself or hire an expert or even a team of professionals to do the job and get your website high up on the search engine results pages.

Time

Time is precious to business people, and sometimes even more important than money. Here, in the competition of paid vs. organic search, paid search wins. Why? Because it doesn’t take much time to get results; once you’ve paid the money, your website will appear high on search engine results pages. Organic search, on the other hand, takes at least three months to be successful.

To improve your search engine ranking organically, you need to improve the quality of your website in general, create useful and informative content with some trendy keywords that people search for, make a name for yourself on the Internet, and be patient until Google recognizes your efforts and shows your website high on the search results pages.

Audience

Another aspect to consider when discussing paid vs. organic search is the type of audience you want to be directed to the links you provide.

The paid search usually only brings one-time customers. These are people who want to buy specific products or use certain services and, after searching Google, click on the top links and buy what they need. Although they are potential buyers and the probability of them transferring money to your account is very high, they won’t become your most loyal customers.

In contrast, organic search attracts relevant users who are actually interested in the field of your industry. These people usually become your loyal fans who occasionally buy your products or use the services you offer.

Brand’s Credibility

People trust websites that have achieved a high position on search engine results naturally and without spending money. This proves that behind them there is a reliable and trustworthy team that has worked tirelessly to achieve a high ranking on Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Everyone knows that Google sets very high standards when it comes to displaying websites in the top positions in search results. So if a brand is good enough to be recognized by Google, there is a good chance that it can be trusted.

But any wealthy person can easily pay money and buy a high position on search engine results. This is the point where people become skeptical and hesitate to trust them.

Maintenance

Both tactics require regular maintenance, so we can’t determine a winner for paid vs. organic search in this area.

Improving your SEO isn’t a one-time thing. You should constantly provide top-notch original content to your website or other channels to maintain your influential presence on search engine websites.

The same goes for paid search. You need to budget for paid searches on a regular basis. Remember that your links will remain on the first page as long as you transfer money to their accounts.

It’s almost impossible to determine the winner of the paid vs. organic search contest, as one wins in some areas and the other in others. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s always better to be seen twice than once, and this will increase your chances of bringing visitors to your website.

Paid search isn’t just for startups, but can also be a great help for experienced businesses that have already used SEO effectively to appear high on search engine results pages. We recommend using a combination of paid and organic search and keeping a balance between the two. Depending on your goals and timing, you should be able to judge which method to use.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and switch from one tactic to another to get the best results. Interested? At Momentum Digital you can count on a team of experts specialized in paid and organic search to give you the best advice and support you in this process. Get in touch with us today.

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