What is better Organic SEO or PPC SEM?

[incrediblehelp]

Scott Buresh of Medium Blue Marketing recently wrote Organic SEO or Pay-Per-Click Advertising - Which Should You Choose?

He does a great job of looking at the pros and cons of the two under the following topics:

Organic Search Engine Optimization
Propensity to Click
Trust
Value of Visitors
Visitors becoming More Aware of Pay-Per-Click as Advertising
Pay-Per-Click Costs Rising
Long Term Results
Relevance

Pay-Per-Click
Results
Budget
Easier to Handle In-House
No Contracts

I suggest everyone read it.

Personally I think all websites should be participating in both. I guess I should re-word that. I think everyone should test PPC and then go further if they are converting and not losing money. Organic is a little safer because the average website owner can learn and implement simple SEO concepts on their before hiring an expert (if at all).

Now WPW what are your feelings about the two?

I have heard some violent discussion here on PPC in the past, so I guess what most will think, but we should through out PPC by any means. These dino-executives at large online retailers love it. most of them don't put value in organic because the metrics in PPC are so easy.

[sarpras]

PPC is best for advertisement,

[incrediblehelp]

PPC is best for advertisement,

What is your definition of "advertisement"? Also why do you feel PPC is best form of advertising? Easier to track?

[wsmeyer]

We spend quite a bit on PPC advertising. I have actually tweaked the bids over the last few years so that the ROI is 1.00 or as close as possible.

I have done this because the product that we sell people tend to come back and buy more of, give as gifts, or "show off" to their friends.

We completely view PPC advertising as "buying" future customers / sales.

William.

[incrediblehelp]

We completely view PPC advertising as "buying" future customers / sales.

Right I agree, but isnt organic the same thing to you?

[scanmonkey]

PPC is good for quick results when the site is launched and to cover additional keywords.

I like organic because it is free. I think you get higher conversions and there is more trust for organic results vs. ads.

[wsmeyer]

Right I agree, but isnt organic the same thing to you?

I don't view it the same, you can only get into organic results for keywords that are relevant to your site. If you want to expand your customer base you need to get your product in front of people who didn't realise they wanted your product.

William.

[A. Smith]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good definition of "organic SEO"? I think I need that before reading that article.

[incrediblehelp]

I don't view it the same

No I am just commenting on the statement that "PPC is best for Advertisement". They are both forms of advertising/marketing. Now why one is better than the other is the discussion.

[bathgems]

SEO is not free. It is just that you don't pay at the same time as the traffic comes in.

I think that SEO and PPC bring in two different types of customers. SEO brings in gatherers who troll the fields (internet pages and links) evaluating the berries (products) before putting them in their basket (shopping cart).

PPC brings in the hunters who scent a trap (SE search), pounce on the prey (click the PPC), and kill it (shopping cart).

PPC is a little more direct because that type of shopper makes the decision quicker. SEO casts a wider net for customers.

Steve