SEO vs. PPC vs. Social Media: Which is Better?
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 10:22 am
If you're a business owner, then you know how important marketing is. You've probably heard of SEO and PPC, and are likely already using a social media account to try to bolster your business.
But all too often, we hear from entrepreneurs who are not getting the results they want from their marketing strategy. They're posting on Facebook, but no one seems to see it. They're writing blogs, but their content isn't standing out.
Simply having an online presence is hardly enough to make an impact, gain customers and—at the end of the day—boost your bottom line. There are an infinite number of business owners, just like you, trying to make a splash in an ocean of search results. Everyone is vying to land on Google's first page—but it too often feels like only a select few gets there.
So, what sets apart the successful brands from the rest?
Having a strategy. This involves knowing your marketing tools inside and out india phone number list working hard consistently to get results, and choosing the right digital marketing team to implement these strategies for you.
But where do you start? By getting a firm grasp on best practices and understanding the tools at your disposal. That's why our marketing experts at Digital Shift have broken down SEO, PPC and SMM. No jargon, no confusing marketing mumbo-jumbo that leaves you feeling in the dark. Instead, we've laid it out so you can walk away feeling like an expert. Continue reading to have your SEO vs. PPC vs. SMM questions answered.
Jargon Defined: What's the Difference?
Let's start with the basics. Like any industry, marketing professionals love acronyms. They sound impressive and flashy, but what's more important is what they signify.
Definition of SEO vs. PPC
Standing for search engine optimization, SEO is the process of formatting your website and web pages, so they are deemed authoritative and trustworthy by search engines—namely Google. Websites that Google thinks are reliable and helpful for searchers rank higher.
Although no-one knows exactly how the Google algorithm works, essentially Google uses “crawlers” to find keywords related to what a searcher inputted into the search engine. Quality content that's trustworthy and has these keywords will be chosen by Google and ranked as first-page results. SEO improves traffic organically, as opposed to paid methods.
On-Page vs Off-Page
SEO can be broken down into two arenas: on-page and off-page. Essentially, on-page SEO is anything directly under your control, including optimizing your title tags, streamlining your site's navigation, optimizing your landing page and writing blogs.
Off-page SEO is anything not directly on your website that boosts your website's authority, such as backlinking.
Definition of PPC
The short-hand for pay-per-click, PPC does not improve traffic organically. Rather, it involves paying for an advertisement to land at the very top of Google's first page. These ads are not ranked, and are often referred to as Google Ads. You pay Google each time someone clicks on the link to your website.
Definition of SMM
Social media marketing (SMM) uses platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn to promote your product/services while building a loyal brand following. It can be organic and also use paid advertisements.
Definition of SEM
Essentially, SEM—or search engine marketing—is the process of using paid ads (pay-per-click) to drive traffic to a website.
Definition of SERPs
This stands for search engine results page. And yes, you guessed it! It's the acronym for the pages companies like Google pull up in response to search queries.
SEO vs. PPC Campaign Pros
Now that we've got the jargon out of the way, let's move on to discussing the advantages and disadvantages of SEO, PPC and SMM. We'll start with the benefits of search engine optimization.
Ideal for Long-Term Success
Did you know that SEO leads have a higher conversion rate than outbound leads, like direct mail or print advertising? This is because instead of trying to present your product or service to a consumer, they are already actively looking for you.
Think about it. If someone inputs “plumber near me” and your website pops up, you're fulfilling a pre-existing need. It's much easier to convince them to hire your services because they're already halfway there.
Alternatively, putting a flyer in someone's mailbox outlining your plumbing business is less effective because the consumer isn't looking for your services. It's likely your flyer will end up in the recycling bin.
Cost of Traffic is FREE
Yes, you read that right. The cost of traffic gained with an SEO campaign is free. Since you're ranking organically, you don't have to pay for the top spot. Depending on the keyword you're ranking for, you could be saving thousands of dollars each month.
But all too often, we hear from entrepreneurs who are not getting the results they want from their marketing strategy. They're posting on Facebook, but no one seems to see it. They're writing blogs, but their content isn't standing out.
Simply having an online presence is hardly enough to make an impact, gain customers and—at the end of the day—boost your bottom line. There are an infinite number of business owners, just like you, trying to make a splash in an ocean of search results. Everyone is vying to land on Google's first page—but it too often feels like only a select few gets there.
So, what sets apart the successful brands from the rest?
Having a strategy. This involves knowing your marketing tools inside and out india phone number list working hard consistently to get results, and choosing the right digital marketing team to implement these strategies for you.
But where do you start? By getting a firm grasp on best practices and understanding the tools at your disposal. That's why our marketing experts at Digital Shift have broken down SEO, PPC and SMM. No jargon, no confusing marketing mumbo-jumbo that leaves you feeling in the dark. Instead, we've laid it out so you can walk away feeling like an expert. Continue reading to have your SEO vs. PPC vs. SMM questions answered.
Jargon Defined: What's the Difference?
Let's start with the basics. Like any industry, marketing professionals love acronyms. They sound impressive and flashy, but what's more important is what they signify.
Definition of SEO vs. PPC
Standing for search engine optimization, SEO is the process of formatting your website and web pages, so they are deemed authoritative and trustworthy by search engines—namely Google. Websites that Google thinks are reliable and helpful for searchers rank higher.
Although no-one knows exactly how the Google algorithm works, essentially Google uses “crawlers” to find keywords related to what a searcher inputted into the search engine. Quality content that's trustworthy and has these keywords will be chosen by Google and ranked as first-page results. SEO improves traffic organically, as opposed to paid methods.
On-Page vs Off-Page
SEO can be broken down into two arenas: on-page and off-page. Essentially, on-page SEO is anything directly under your control, including optimizing your title tags, streamlining your site's navigation, optimizing your landing page and writing blogs.
Off-page SEO is anything not directly on your website that boosts your website's authority, such as backlinking.
Definition of PPC
The short-hand for pay-per-click, PPC does not improve traffic organically. Rather, it involves paying for an advertisement to land at the very top of Google's first page. These ads are not ranked, and are often referred to as Google Ads. You pay Google each time someone clicks on the link to your website.
Definition of SMM
Social media marketing (SMM) uses platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn to promote your product/services while building a loyal brand following. It can be organic and also use paid advertisements.
Definition of SEM
Essentially, SEM—or search engine marketing—is the process of using paid ads (pay-per-click) to drive traffic to a website.
Definition of SERPs
This stands for search engine results page. And yes, you guessed it! It's the acronym for the pages companies like Google pull up in response to search queries.
SEO vs. PPC Campaign Pros
Now that we've got the jargon out of the way, let's move on to discussing the advantages and disadvantages of SEO, PPC and SMM. We'll start with the benefits of search engine optimization.
Ideal for Long-Term Success
Did you know that SEO leads have a higher conversion rate than outbound leads, like direct mail or print advertising? This is because instead of trying to present your product or service to a consumer, they are already actively looking for you.
Think about it. If someone inputs “plumber near me” and your website pops up, you're fulfilling a pre-existing need. It's much easier to convince them to hire your services because they're already halfway there.
Alternatively, putting a flyer in someone's mailbox outlining your plumbing business is less effective because the consumer isn't looking for your services. It's likely your flyer will end up in the recycling bin.
Cost of Traffic is FREE
Yes, you read that right. The cost of traffic gained with an SEO campaign is free. Since you're ranking organically, you don't have to pay for the top spot. Depending on the keyword you're ranking for, you could be saving thousands of dollars each month.