Promoting the content on your website doesn’t have to be difficult. Two basic methods are used to boost website traffic: pay-per-click (PPC) advertising or search engine optimization (SEO). Before deciding which method is right for your website there are two factors to consider: costs and desired results. PPC relies on paid exposure while SEO relies on a free search-based ranking of websites appropriately.
Benefits of PPC
Websites should focus on increased sales and views. Getting consumers to sign up for an email newsletter or subscribe means actively seeking to understand different aspects of this conversion. Understanding these metrics will depend upon the site’s traffic number. Faster accumulation of these numbers leads to a more detailed understanding of how conversion is happening, benefitting future marketing campaigns.
You can also protect your site’s search results from SEO algorithm updates. SEO possesses algorithms that change periodically. However, paid traffic can draw consistent views. Eliminating the spontaneity of this unfortunate feature of SEO can help businesses boost exposure and profits.
The best way to start off with PPC is sticking with a dedicated, but small scale approach. Starting out, a $5 – $10 investment per day is adequate to get a good PPC campaign started. PPC platforms utilize a platform that is called cost per click, or CPC. These CPC rates are available for viewing according to industry.
CPC
You could use a tool called the Traffic Estimator within the free Google External Keyword Research Tool and access the cost for this CPC. Some CPCs are more expensive to use. Certain industries such as insurance may have to pay up to $20 for their keyword promotion. These prices are not cost effective for newer businesses. In these cases, SEO is a better choice.
SERPS
You also will want to understand how competitive search engine results pages, or SERPS, are for your target keywords. To do this, search desired keywords in Google External Keyword Research Tool, and this will give you an estimated competition rank, as well as the number of advertisers bidding on your keywords and average CPCs.
Depending upon your particular industry, you may see that some pages are dominated by authority websites. Focusing time and resources on their SEO displacement may put a business at a disadvantage. In such a case it is important for the business to evaluate what the most effective and economic course of action is for their business.
PPC and SEO can also be effectively used together. Determining creative ways to boost website traffic using a dual method is actually a very common method used by businesses who want to promote one specific aspect of their business, but not placing too much emphasis on others.
While looking to boost visitors can be difficult, starting with a thorough understanding of your core business needs and abilities is really where effective marketing starts. However, once you are able to make this assessment, the information gained from PPC and SEO traffic will allow better future growth and development of your business’s marketing strategy.
