SEO, for those who do not know much about it, stands for search engine optimization. It is usually regarded as a way to direct as much traffic as possible to a particular website in the hope of getting more conversions. This is accomplished by tailoring existing website content to be as enticing as possible, and also through other means.
However, both natural search and paid search are potentially helpful for websites trying to get noticed by more customers or clients. This brings up the natural question of which is more useful. The natural search vs. paid search argument has been raging for years. If you’re a business owner with a website, this is worth discussing in more detail, so let’s do that now.
Pros and Cons of SEO
Some business owners know almost nothing about setting up a website, creating content for it, and driving customers to that site so they will convert. That’s okay. As a business owner, you don’t necessarily have to know about any of those things.
However, if you don’t, you at least need someone who can handle them for you. This individual or agency should know all about SEO and its potential positive impact on your business strategy.
They will likely tell you that SEO is beneficial because you can get measurable results when you implement it correctly. That includes seeing more independent visitors coming to your website to spend time there.
This should lead to increased revenue as more of them buy your products or use your services. You can also improve customer trust and boost event registrations through SEO.
However, there are possible drawbacks as well. The most notable is that SEO is time-consuming. It takes time and effort to set up and execute an effective SEO strategy. If you do not know how to do it, you must pay someone else to handle it for you.
Pros and Cons of Paid Ads
As for paid ads, they’re another option if you’re less interested in the SEO-based approach. If you set up some paid ads, you’ll lower your marketing expenses. You will potentially increase your brand visibility, and you’ll also get immediate results. You’ll have arguably a higher chance of reaching your target market as well.
On the negative side, paid ads can be every bit as expensive as an SEO strategy. The paid ad space is also very competitive, as you have other individuals and businesses bidding on the same online real estate that you are trying to take up. In some instances, your audience might even see your ads as annoying or intrusive.
Which One Should You Use as a Business Owner?
As a business owner, you will probably do best using not one of these two strategies but both. However, this also depends on the niche in which your company operates.
In some industries, you might notice a better response to either paid ads or SEO. You may have to experiment for a while to determine which one works best.
