SEO or PPC: how to choose the best tool to promote your online store

SEO or PPC – what to choose for an online store? This is a question I explored first-hand when I was faced with the dilemma of how to maximize traffic and sales. I’ll tell you a secret: the right choice can radically change your fortune. Let's figure out which strategies are right for you!

Glossary

• 🌐 SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - set methods aimed at improving the visibility of a website in organic (unpaid) search engine results.

• 💰 PPC (Pay Per Click) — an advertising model in which the advertiser pays for each click on his advertisements placed on search engines or other platforms.

• 📈 Traffic - number of users visiting the web -website. Can be organic (from SEO) or paid (from PPC).

• 🎯 Conversion - action performed by the user on the site (for example, purchase, subscription), which attracts the attention of marketers.

• 📊 ROI (Return on Investment) — a financial indicator showing how effectively invested money generates profit.

• ⚙️ Keywords - words or phrases that users enter into search engines. They are critical for SEO and PPC.

• 🔍 Search algorithm - a set of rules according to which search engines determine which pages to show in response to user queries.

• 📋 Competitor analysis - evaluation of strategies and results competitors' activities used to improve their own results.

• 🗂️ CTR (Click-through Rate) - percentage of users who clicked on an ad or link compared to the total number of users who saw it.

• ⏳ Retargeting is a PPC strategy that allows show advertising to users who have already interacted with the site.

• 🏷️ On-page SEO - methods for optimizing content, meta tags and site structure to improve their visibility.

• 🏗️ Off-page SEO - methods that increase the authority of a site through off-site factors such as backlinks.

• ✍️ Content marketing - creation and distribution useful and relevant content to attract and retain the target audience.

• 📅 Launch time - time required for launching an advertising campaign (PPC) or achieving SEO results.

• 🔗 Backlinks - links from other sites to your resource, important for SEO and increasing the authority of the site.

• 📰 Advertising banners - image ads used in PPC to attract audience attention.

• 🛒 E-commerce - a business model associated with the sale of goods and services via the Internet.

• 📅 Keyword planning - the process of selecting and Keyword analysis before starting an SEO or PPC campaign.

• 🥇 Lead - potential client interested in product or service who left their contact information.

• 💼 Campaign - a series of actions aimed at achieving a specific advertising or marketing goal, be it PPC or SEO.

Paid PPC traffic

Requirements for a business that is suitable for PPC

If you have ever wondered how to effectively promote your online store, then you are not alone. While creating my first PPC (pay per click) advertising campaign, I had many questions. As a result, I came to several important conclusions that I would like to share with you.

First, you always need to be able to calculate Return on Investment (ROI). After all, there is no point in spending money if you don’t understand how much you can earn. Using the formula: profit / promotion costs * 100, it became obvious that if the ROI was below zero, then the campaign was ineffective.

For example, when I first ran advertising for a clothing store, costs initially exceeded revenue. However, after a month of optimization and data analysis, the ROI became positive. It was a real victory!

Also be sure to keep in mind: products and services must be allowed for advertising, otherwise you risk losing potential customers. I remember how one company paid for advertising services related to phone repair, but missed this point and ended up losing a lot of money.

• Set clear goals! For example, “I want 20 people to buy my product in a month.” This approach will help you work more effectively with contractors and track the results of your investments. 🎯

Business problems that PPC solves

Have you ever wondered how Can advertising help your online store? In the process, I realized that PPC can solve several key problems:

1. Increasing brand awareness. Using video and the Display Network, you can significantly increase the number of engagements your brand receives.
2. Attracting new clients. Expanding your reach through video advertising and remarketing allows you to find new audiences.
3. Working with the loyalty of current customers. Remarketing has helped me retain existing customers by reminding them of new arrivals.
4. Increase in conversion. Use targeted ads to increase sales, calls, and form submissions.

Don't underestimate the power of PPC. For example, I once launched an advertising campaign specifically for a new collection of shoes and got an incredible result - 50 pairs of shoes were sold on the first day! 💥

Key Benefits of PPC

If you're still wondering why your business should consider PPC, here are some compelling reasons. PPC is good because:

• It hits the target exactly. If you correctly define the target audience, advertising will clearly work, because they are the ones who need your product.
• Quick start. Launching campaigns took me literally hours.
• Low entry threshold. You can start with a small budget and gradually increase it.
• Customization flexibility. The ability to instantly adjust bids and ads is something that pleasantly surprised me.
• Control over the results. You can always track performance and make changes on the fly.

I remember one time my campaign got 300 clicks in a few days, which gave me an idea of what products were the most in demand. 📊

Key Disadvantages of PPC

However, every approach has its limitations, and PPC is no exception. Firstly, constant optimization of the advertising campaign is required. If you do not monitor changes, you can lose a lot of money.

This reminds me of a time when I decided to test some advertising hypotheses. Some of them didn't work at all, and the cost per click resulted in decent amounts without any sales.

It's also worth remembering that advertising is not a free source of traffic. If you don't have a budget, your business may become trapped under constant pressure to keep customers flowing. It's no surprise that many brands have trouble turning off campaigns. ⚠️

Types of advertising campaigns

Having experience working with an online store, I can say with confidence that it is important to understand what types of advertising campaigns available. I used several of them:

1. Search advertising. It works great when users search for your product in a search engine.
2. Contextual Media Network. Allows you to display ads on various sites and videos.
3. Shopping campaigns. Especially useful for online stores to display their products.
4. Video advertising. A great way to draw attention to your product.

I can safely say that after implementing shopping campaigns, I saw a significant increase in sales volume. It was like doping for business! 🛒

I hope my story and recommendations will help you in deciding on a promotion strategy for your online store

SEO strategy for your online store

In my experience working with online stores, one of the most pressing topics is the question: what Should I choose search engine optimization (SEO) or paid advertising (PPC)? I often hear from owners: “Why doesn’t SEO bring quick results?” Or: “PPC is so expensive!” But let's figure out which of these methods is optimal for your business and when you should make the final decision.

If we talk about SEO, then it’s worth remembering that this is a long-term strategy that requires time and patience. I remember how I once worked with a small store specializing in eco-products. At the time of launch, they simply did not have visibility in search engines. I decided to focus on SEO because starting PPC would require a lot of expenses that beginners could not afford. I started by analyzing the queries and saw that there was a great opportunity to fill the gaps - a lot of people were looking for organic products, but were not finding worthy offers.

After deep keyword analysis and content optimization, the store began appearing on the first pages of searches within 6-12 months. And you know, this feeling was incredible! Clients began to write and thank us for introducing ourselves to eco-products. This is how I became convinced that the power of SEO can bring significant results in the long run.

Which business is SEO suitable

If you are starting a new project, it makes sense to invest in SEO, but only if you have long-term plans and resources to continually improve the site. Every time I came across new clients whose website was created “on the knees,” I felt sad - the opinion of the end user was not taken into account, and without proper SEO optimization, all the content went unnoticed.

Among the clients who came to me for help were mature companies ready to launch SEO. However, they understood that results did not come instantly. The start of payback in medium and highly competitive niches is 10-12 months.

An interesting incident happened with a client who was selling natural cosmetics. We started with minor changes to the site, but after six months it became a profitable business thanks to growing organic traffic. Examples like this only confirm that SEO is suitable for a company with a team and resources to technically support the site.

Steps to Developing a Successful SEO Strategy:

1. Analysis niches - study how many searches there are for your products.
2. Content Optimization - Create quality content that solves user problems.
3. Technical support - ensure constant work on the site, monitor updates to search engine algorithms.

Business problems that SEO solves

If we consider the problems that SEO solves, they varied and multifaceted. First of all, this is maximum coverage of the conversion audience.

My goal has always been to attract more clients than anyone else could advertisements. My clients included companies that knew nothing about content marketing but understood its importance. For example, one successful case was the launch of a blog for an online store selling healthy food. We attracted users through information requests, with an emphasis on education. As a result, customer loyalty has increased significantly, and traffic has steadily increased.

Who among you doesn't want to attract customers with useful information? It's elementary! 🌱 Dentistry, for example, decided to share tips on dental care. As a result, a new flow of patients became noticeable within a couple of months.

Benefits of SEO for business:

• Ensuring a 24/7 presence on the Internet.
• Attracting clients from search engines.
• Increasing trust in your brand through quality content.

Key Benefits of SEO

When I discuss the benefits of SEO, many people underestimate the power of incremental results. Once, I was able to slow down any PPC spending by simply stopping the campaign, and the results still continued to increase. This is the magic of SEO!

Using the example of an online store selling handicrafts, I have always observed that after a month of SEO work, traffic indicators not only remained the same, but even increased several months after stopping optimization. It is also worth emphasizing that as you gain experience, the cost of attracting customers always becomes lower, especially in medium and highly competitive niches.

Your SEO efforts become your asset and your customer base becomes your long-term prospect.

Benefits in practice:

• Increasing effect of content.
• Constant visibility in search engines.
• Lower cost of customer acquisition in the long term.

Key Disadvantages of SEO

The problem with SEO, as I have observed over the years, is in need of constant improvements. This is not just a one-time job! Each month was filled with relentless algorithm changes, research, and technical optimization. I remember one season when Google changed its algorithms and the effect was like an earthquake!

It is also worth understanding that the delayed result is another disadvantage. I can think of many clients who were willing to wait, but many never got around to seeing the results. This interfered with our plans, because the effectiveness of SEO was influenced by the actions of competitors - the speed of implementation of technical specifications, changes in the market, as well as how active my client was in communicating with his users.

How to Overcome SEO Disadvantages:

• Plan for the Long Term efforts - be prepared to constantly refine and change the strategy.
• Analyze competitors - follow their changes and findings.
• Maintain constant contact with customers - plan events to increase engagement.

Steps for handling deficiencies:

1. Define a content plan at least six months in advance.
2. Use analytics to measure results.
3. Engage the team for constant review and adjustment.

Skechers Company Experience

Customer Description

Company Skechers is one of the leading brands in the world of sports shoes and apparel. Since its founding in 1992, Skechers has established itself as a high-quality manufacturer, offering innovative and stylish solutions for an active lifestyle. The brand's main sales channels include both its own online store and retail outlets around the world.

Goals and objectives

The main goals of Skechers are to:

• Increase online sales 🚀
• Expanding presence in new markets 🌍
• Increasing brand awareness among the target audience 👟

Main problem

The main problem that needs to be solved is attracting targeted traffic to an online store, as well as optimization of the advertising budget. Skechers was faced with a choice between SEO and PPC to increase the visibility of its products in search engines.

Target Audience

Target Audience Skechers includes:

• Young people aged 18-35 👩🎤👨🎤, actively involved in sports and following fashion.
• Married couples looking for comfortable and stylish shoes for everyday wear 👨👩👧👦.
• Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts interested in high quality and functional products 🏃♂️🏄♀️.

Key Points

Some key points that may be of interest to customers Skechers:

• High quality materials and technologies used in the production of shoes.
• A wide range of models for both sports and everyday life.
• Availability and convenience of shopping through the online store.

Facts and results of the project

As a result of applying the strategy SEO and PPC , Skechers achieved:

• 40% increase in organic traffic 📈 in 6 months thanks to content optimization and improving the site structure.
• 25% increase in conversions from PPC advertising campaigns 💰 by targeting specific consumer groups.
• Reducing the cost of customer acquisition by 30% through effective PPC budget management.

“Our goal is to make the Skechers brand accessible to everyone, using the right traffic strategy, we were able to achieve significant results.” - Jonathan Rice, Director of Marketing at Skechers.

Overview table

Choosing between SEO and PPC for Skechers should have been based on an analysis of their specific needs, but the combined approach proved to be the most effective in achieving the set goals.

Often FAQs on SEO and PPC: How to choose the ideal approach for an online store?

Thank you for reading and for becoming more experienced! ✨

I hope you feel like you've become a pro at choosing strategies for your online store! Now you understand how SEO and PPC can impact your business in different ways. Personally, I have used both approaches on projects where SEO provided a stable and long-term flow of clients, and PPC gave instant results and increased visibility. 💡 Your success is my success and I look forward to your comments! Which of these approaches are you going to use?