What comes to mind when you think about the perfect pair in marketing? Is it the tag team of copywriting and design? Is it the combo of a social media and content strategy? Or is it the union of outbound and inbound marketing strategies for lead generation? While all of these couples are perfect for one another, there is a brand new pairing in town: PPC and SEO. With SEO and PPC working together, businesses can maximize their online visibility, reach their target audience effectively, and drive more conversions.

‍

Whether you’re a marketing professional or a business owner looking to increase revenue, SEO and PPC working together is the perfect pair for your marketing efforts. Let’s take a look at why SEO and PPC are so important, and how they can integrate seamlessly into your marketing strategy.

What is SEO?

Before we hop into SEO and PPC working together, let’s take a look at them separately.

‍

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of optimizing a website to increase its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO improves the quality and quantity of traffic to a website from organic search results.

‍

Many factors can affect a website's SEO, including on-page elements such as content, meta tags, and keywords, as well as off-page elements such as backlinks, social media signals, and user behavior.

‍

SEO is important because it helps businesses increase their online presence, reach new audiences, and drive more traffic to their website. When done correctly, SEO can increase conversions and revenue for businesses. However, it's important to note that SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and optimization to maintain and improve search engine rankings over time.

What is PPC?

PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click, a digital advertising model in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their ads. PPC ads can appear on SERPs, social media platforms, websites, and other online platforms.

‍

PPC advertising typically involves bidding on specific keywords or phrases related to the advertiser's business or industry. When a user searches for a keyword or phrase that matches the advertiser's bid, their ad may appear at the top of the search results or on other online platforms. The advertiser is only charged when a user clicks on their ad, hence the term "pay-per-click."

‍

PPC can be a highly effective form of advertising because it allows businesses to target specific audiences with relevant and timely messages. It also provides a measurable and trackable way to monitor ad performance and adjust campaigns to improve ROI.

‍

Why are SEO and PPC Working Together Helpful?

‍

Increasing Visibility

The benefits of pairing SEO and PPC are numerous, but the main one is taking control of the search engine algorithm. Here is Marketwake SEO Manager Josh Cummings with his thoughts on SEO and PPC working together:

‍

“With SEO and PPC, we are trying to get as much real estate on search results pages as possible. We want to be covering it in as many ways as we can. We want to be in the top organic spots of search engines, but we also want to be in the top paid spots as well. You’re missing out on a good half of website traffic when you focus on only one or the other.”

‍

What Josh says is very true. The main benefit of SEO and PPC working together is the ability to take up as much space as possible on SERPs. In fact, the combination of organic and paid search makes up 80% of all trackable website visits, according to HigherVisibility. With this much web traffic coming from these two sources, businesses must invest time and energy into their combined PPC and SEO efforts.

‍

Sharing Keyword Data

Additionally, with SEO and PPC working together, they can share keyword data, a process that is integral to optimizing both strategies.

Oftentimes, PPC gets quicker feedback about which keywords are performing well. With this information, paid teams can send these keyword insights to the SEO team to help optimize target pages and improve website rankings. Without this consistent back and forth between teams, businesses could miss out on keywords that would immensely help them optimize their SEO and PPC strategy.

‍

Differentiating From Competitors

A final important aspect of SEO and PPC working together is their alliance against competitors. Competitors, especially ones with more website authority, make bidding on certain keywords and appearing in organic search rankings difficult. When SEO and PPC teams share their competitor data they can find new keywords that their competitors may not be bidding on, or explore niche keywords in their content marketing strategy that break out from under their competitors’ SEO shadow. With this, businesses can help improve their website authority and slowly grow to take advantage of the top SERP spots.

‍

Tips for Optimizing SEO and PPC Campaigns

‍

Retarget

Retargeting is a primary benefit of SEO and PPC working together. With a strong SEO strategy, businesses can entice organic users to their website by being higher up on the Google Search Results Rankings. However, if those users leave the website without making a conversion, it is up to PPC to serve them with targeted ads that bring them back to the website. In fact, retargeting website visitors leads to a 43% increase in conversion rates, according to Criteo. Thus, whenever your SEO strategy is not leading to conversions, try picking up a PPC strategy that targets those who have visited your content or landing pages.

‍

Set Consistent KPIs

Essentially, setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) makes sending beneficial data between departments easier. Suppose the PPC team examines the click-through rates of specific keywords and achieves a certain performance threshold. In that case, they can forward the information to the SEO department to enhance website optimization and content strategy. Setting these KPIs early allows for an understanding between departments of what metrics will be good to know as you continue to have SEO and PPC working together.

‍

Cover Your Ground

When a business’s ground is covered between SEO and PPC strategies, they end up higher on search results pages for both paid and organic listings. As a business receives more visibility and clicks on search engine links, their brand will become known as knowledge leaders in their industry, differentiating them from competitors and increasing their website authority. It also helps to cover your ground and hide where your business might lack in either SEO or PPC. For example, a business with low website authority might have a weak SEO strategy. However, by investing in a strong PPC strategy in a niche market, they can make up for the lack of website authority.

‍

Examples of SEO and PPC Working Together

‍

With SEO and PPC working together, businesses can garner impressive results. For example, LeaseCrunch wanted to become the leader in the automated lease accounting software market. First, however, they would need to become a thought leader and trusted source in the world of lease accounting. To do this, LeaseCrunch asked for help from the experts at Marketwake. With Marketwake’s data-driven PPC and SEO strategy, they saw a 326% return on paid search investment, an 865% increase in organic web clicks, and a 3,552% increase in organic traffic in 2022! From just those numbers alone, it's easy to see why a well-oiled SEO and PPC strategy works so well together.

‍

How Marketwake Can Help With SEO and PPC Integration

‍

Want to find the best way to get SEO and PPC working together?

‍

With Marketwake’s creative marketing solutions, we can help you drive leads, boost conversions, and grow revenue for your business. Marketwake’s paid media strategists are experts at knowing when and where to bid and have seen 29x returns on ad spend for their clients. And with Marketwake’s SEO and content strategy, we can help you dominate the search engine results page with an optimized website and powerful content strategy.

‍

Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about how SEO and PPC working together can help your business grow exponentially, and exceed any goals you’ve set for your business.

‍

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Use SEO and PPC Together?

There are several ways to create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy with SEO and PPC working together. Here are some examples:

• Keyword research: SEO and PPC both rely on research to identify relevant keywords and phrases for their target audience that inform both SEO and PPC campaigns.
• Landing pages: Pairing SEO-optimized landing pages with targeted PPC ads can help businesses maximize their chances of converting website visitors into leads or customers.
• Data sharing: By sharing data between SEO and PPC campaigns, businesses can gain valuable insights into keyword performance, user behavior, and campaign effectiveness.
• Geographic targeting: Both SEO and PPC can be used to target specific geographic areas, allowing businesses to reach their target audience in a particular region or city.
• Remarketing: PPC remarketing can be used to target users who have visited a website in the past but did not convert, increasing their chances of converting them to customers in the future.

‍

Should SEO and PPC Ever Be Used at the Same Time?

Yes, SEO and PPC can and often should be used at the same time to complement each other and improve the overall effectiveness of a digital marketing campaign.

‍

Here are a few reasons why SEO and PPC working together is beneficial:

• Improved visibility: By combining SEO and PPC, businesses can increase their visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs), as both tactics can be used to target specific keywords and phrases.
• Expanded keyword coverage: SEO and PPC can be used together to cover a wider range of relevant keywords and phrases than either tactic could on its own, helping reach a target audience and more high-intent traffic.
• Enhanced testing and insights: PPC can be used as a testing ground for SEO strategies, allowing businesses to test different keyword strategies and messaging before committing to a long-term SEO strategy.
• Increased conversion opportunities: By pairing PPC with SEO-optimized landing pages, businesses can maximize their chances of converting website visitors into leads or customers.

‍

How Do SEO and PPC Work Together to Form a Winning Digital Marketing Strategy?

SEO and PPC working together can help form a winning digital marketing strategy. Here are a few examples of how:

• Keyword Research: Keyword research is a fundamental aspect of both SEO and PPC that can inform both campaigns to target the correct keywords.
• Improved Targeting: By combining SEO and PPC, businesses can improve their targeting and reach more of their target audience.
• Data Sharing: By sharing data between SEO and PPC campaigns, businesses can gain valuable insights into keyword performance, user behavior, and campaign effectiveness.
• Increased Conversions: By pairing SEO-optimized landing pages with targeted PPC ads, businesses can maximize their chances of converting website visitors into leads or customers.

‍

Why Would a Business Consider Using PPC and SEO in Conjunction With Each Other?

A business would consider using PPC and SEO in conjunction with each other for several reasons. Here are some of the most important:

• Maximize visibility: By using both PPC and SEO together, businesses can increase their visibility on SERPs, and maximize their chances of attracting qualified traffic to their website.
• Improved targeting: By combining PPC and SEO, businesses can target specific keywords and phrases with precision, increasing brand awareness and attracting more qualified traffic to a website.
• Greater control: PPC provides businesses with greater control over their advertising campaigns, allowing them to target specific audiences and adjust their campaigns in real time.
• Valuable insights: By using both PPC and SEO together, businesses can gain valuable insights into keyword performance, user behavior, and campaign effectiveness.
• Cost-effective: While SEO and PPC are both effective digital marketing tactics, they have different cost structures. By using both tactics together, businesses can balance the costs and benefits of each, and achieve a cost-effective digital marketing strategy.

‍