4 Ways PPC and SEO Can Work Together (And When They Can’t)

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the relationship between search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and how they can work together to improve marketing efforts.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Creating SEO Content

1. How do you find relevant keywords for SEO content?

• Use a keyword research tool like Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer to find keywords that your target audience is searching for.
• Go through the list of keywords and select the ones that are relevant to your website or business.
• Analyze the top-ranking pages for your chosen keyword to understand the search intent and align your content accordingly.

2. Why is it important to promote your SEO content?

• Creating content is not enough, you also need to ensure that people see and consume your content.
• Running PPC ads can help drive traffic to your SEO content and ensure that your content efforts don't go to waste.

[02] Using PPC to Build Links

1. How can PPC ads help with link building?

• Links are an important Google ranking factor, and acquiring links can be challenging.
• Running PPC ads can be a cost-effective way to build links to your content. The article cites an experiment where Ahrefs spent $1,245 on Google search ads and acquired 16 backlinks.
• This is much cheaper than buying backlinks or acquiring them through outreach, which can be more expensive.

[03] Retargeting with PPC

1. How can retargeting with PPC ads be effective?

• Retargeting allows you to target visitors who have already been to your website.
• Depending on where the visitor is in the buyer's journey, you can use retargeting ads to encourage them to take the next step, such as visiting a product page or signing up for an email list.

[04] Dominating the SERPs

1. How can using both SEO and PPC help you dominate the search engine results pages (SERPs)?

• If you have important keywords for your business, you can target those keywords with both SEO and PPC to increase your visibility in the SERPs.
• This can be especially useful for new or smaller websites that may struggle to compete with larger competitors in organic search.
• By using PPC first while investing in your SEO strategy, you can gradually build up your website's authority and ability to rank organically for those important keywords.

[05] When to Choose SEO or PPC

1. What are some scenarios where it may make more sense to choose SEO over PPC?

• When you have a limited budget and can't afford to run PPC ads consistently.
• When you're targeting keywords with high commercial intent, as SEO can be more cost-effective in the long run.
• When you have a well-established website with strong domain authority, making it easier to rank organically.

2. What are some scenarios where it may make more sense to choose PPC over SEO?

• When you need to drive immediate traffic and sales.
• When you're targeting highly competitive keywords that are difficult to rank for organically.
• When you're launching a new product or service and need to quickly generate awareness and leads.

[06] Final Thoughts

1. What is the overall recommendation for using SEO and PPC together?

• The best companies don't discriminate between SEO and PPC, and use both channels if they produce positive ROI.
• SEO and PPC are complementary and can work together to improve marketing efforts, as demonstrated throughout the article.