Are PPC Ads Useful for SEO?

To begin answering the question of whether pay per click advertising is an effective method of SEO, it's important to understand that, while both exercises can put your website on the first page of search engine results, PPC ads are not technically an SEO tactic, but rather an alternative to Search Engine Optimisation in the pursuit of online marketing success.

PPC ads are the brief text boxes that can be found at the top, or in the right hand margin, of a search engine results page. The ads are generally preceded by a heading that reads 'advertisement' or 'sponsored links' because they are appearing in a location on the page that has been purchased from Google or any other search engine that offers PPC placement. The 'pay per click' moniker refers to the face that the owner of the website being advertised is only required to pay for their advertisement when a user clicks on the ad, rather than each time the ad is displayed. The one similarity between PPC ads and SEO is that they facilitate the display of links to a website when the relevant key search terms are entered into a search engine search box. The main difference, of course, is that SEO methods are generally cost-free, while PPC ads tend to be priced according to the popularity of the key words that they target.

Fans of PPC ads generally claim that their main advantage over SEO is that they offer an instant advertising solution along with instant results. PPC ads can be created and put online in less than two hours. In addition, unlike many Search Engine Optimisation methods, they do not require and changes to the actual layout or content of the advertised website. However, PPC ads are not quite the simple and amazing promotion they seem to be because you are billed for every time someone clicks on your link, whether idly, intentionally or by accident, so your outlay may not be reflected in a genuine rise in interest in your product or company.

For this reason, PPC ads are generally considered to be less of a value for money approach than organic search engine optimisation strategies. Despite SEO being a considerably more long-term approach to online marketing, it is often more economically viable in the long run and generally does not require any initial or ongoing payments. However, you should take time to consider all of your online marketing options before deciding to go one way or the other. Seeking the expert advice of a professional IT consultant is always a good place to start.