Marketing, like many other things, has been radically transformed by the internet. Search engines now take centre stage in the attention economy as businesses spend big in a bid to reach Google’s top-ranking positions. 

Budgets for search engine marketing are generally split between SEO and PPC, two strategies that seek to increase the number of visitors to a website. 

In many digital marketing agencies, these channels are siloed separately. But, given that they work towards the same goal, should this really be the case?  

We’ve learnt from experience that an integrated approach that combines SEO and PPC provides the best results, helping businesses to improve their operational efficiency and get the most out of their search engine marketing efforts.

What is the difference between SEO and PPC?

SEO and PPC share the same goal: to increase website traffic. However, they go about this in different ways. SEO (search engine optimisation) is the process of improving your website’s search engine rankings through changes to design and content, while PPC (pay-per-click) works by paying for traffic to your website. 

SEO is a broad discipline; it involves everything from website copy and keyword research to backlink building and technical website improvements. It’s about making your website as functional and valuable as possible, and it takes time to execute. 

PPC is arguably easier to implement and provides immediate results. Search ads, the most common form of PPC, sit at the very top of search engine results pages and consist of keywords, headlines and descriptions. Advertisers only pay when a user chooses to click on an ad. 

Together, SEO and PPC form the two main channels for inbound search engine marketing. They both depend on good keyword research and also target many of the same KPIs, which is why it pays to integrate the two together.

Five benefits of integrating SEO and PPC

Many businesses that outsource their digital marketing function end up employing an SEO agency and a separate PPC agency. This generally comes from a lack of understanding about just how closely SEO and PPC work together. 

SEO improvements can have a knock-on effect on PPC performance, and vice versa. When both digital marketing services are working together, the impact on website traffic can be huge. Below, you’ll find five compelling reasons to consider integrating SEO and PPC.

Shared data

Data leads to good decision-making, and good decision-making leads to results. Given that SEO and PPC share many of the same KPIs, it makes sense for teams to share their insights. 

For example, if a search ad is found to have a high clickthrough rate but few conversions, it may be necessary to amend the content on the landing page. PPC can also reveal new search terms to target and test as part of your SEO strategy.

Improved content

Data derived from SEO and PPC can be used to improve the content found on your website as well the copy used in your ads. KPIs like clickthrough rate, bounce rate and conversions should be monitored regularly to ensure content closely aligns with the user’s search intent. 

You can also save time with copywriting by repurposing the headlines and descriptions from your best-performing ads for use across your website. This works particularly well with meta data, which shares many similarities to the copy used for search ads.

Reactive planning

Search engines like Google are continually updating their algorithms, and this can have either a positive or a negative effect on SEO performance. Where one week your business ranks in the top positions for a particular keyword, this ranking (and the traffic that comes with it) could be lost the next. 

With SEO and PPC working together, paid ads can be set up to retain visibility when seasonal or system changes see organic rankings drop. This tactic ensures website traffic remains stable while SEO improvements are made in line with the latest updates.

Cost savings

With SEO and PPC teams on the same page, budget allocation becomes far simpler. At a very basic level, you can save money on PPC by choosing not to bid on keywords that are already covered through strong SEO performance. 

It’s important to note that keywords are valued differently in terms of cost. With enough time, it’s possible to pivot your SEO strategy to focus on high-cost keywords, leaving only low-cost keywords for your PPC campaigns.

Retargeting

Retargeting is the process of re-engaging users that have previously visited your website. By integrating SEO and PPC together with your website analytics, you can develop highly personalised ads that target users with a previous interest in your business.  

Retargeted display ads can be a great way to recover potential conversions that would otherwise be lost. It’s a tactic that’s shown to be highly effective for digital marketing agencies, but it’s only possible in this instance with an integrated approach.

How to combine SEO and PPC in your digital marketing strategy

If your SEO and PPC teams have previously been working separately, it may take some time to get them singing from the same hymn sheet. We’ve broken down the necessary steps for integrating your SEO and PPC functions below.

Set up cross-channel reporting

Begin by combining your various reports for SEO and PPC. This way, your teams will be able to view all relevant data in a single, centralised place, making it easier to connect the dots and pick up on any issues or opportunities that should be actioned.

Optimise PPC ads

Once the data sets have been merged, you can begin to make changes to your SEO content and PPC campaigns. We suggest starting with PPC, since these changes will be quicker to implement.  

Some of the changes worth looking into include: 

• Reallocating budget based on the organic performance of different keywords
• Bidding for relevant keywords that you’re not currently ranking for organically
• Removing bids for keywords that you’re currently ranking for in the top position
• Experimenting with different landing pages based on bounce rates
• Setting up retargeting campaigns for organic visitors to your website
  

Optimise SEO content

SEO changes will take longer to implement, since they cover the whole breadth of your website rather than a single ad campaign. At the same time, these changes will likely have a greater impact on the success of your digital marketing strategy. 

Some of the changes worth looking into include: 

• Implementing technical fixes, like repairing broken links, to pages with an associated PPC campaign
• Making copy improvements, such as including new keywords, to pages with an associated PPC campaign
• Targeting new search terms identified through PPC with keyword-focused SEO content
• Targeting overpriced search terms with keyword-focused SEO content
• Updating meta data using headline and descriptions from best-performing ads

Keep your eyes on the data

SEO and PPC are ever-changing, which gives teams that remain attentive to sudden shifts in search marketing a competitive edge. As such, it’s important to keep the lines of communication between your SEO and PPC teams open, with regular meetings to discuss joint strategy.

Win big with an integrated digital marketing strategy

From data insights to content improvements, the benefits of integrating SEO and PPC are almost boundless. An integrated approach to digital marketing will help boost your online visibility and, ultimately, make for a better bottom line. 

If you’re looking for a digital marketing agency in Birmingham, don’t hesitate to get in touch today to discover how our fully integrated digital marketing services can help your business.