SEO vs PPC - Which Is Better For Lead Generation Websites?

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed, read a little bit about Marketing Results, check out my recommended resources, or read some of my best posts. Thanks for visiting!

Here’s a question I’m often asked:

“Which is better: optimising my site for “free” search engine rankings, or paying for clicks on Google Adwords?

My answer is always the same - if you can profitably generate website traffic with both, it’s best to do both to generate maximum returns.

But you should also keep in mind that free search engines and paid search engines are very different animals.

Let’s look a little deeper so you understand the pros and cons of Search Engine Optimisation for the “free” search engines (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click optimisation on paid search engines (PPC).

SEO vs PPC

PPC (paying for clicks) is good because…

1. It’s a very fast way to generate targeted traffic - you can literally generate visitors to your website within 10 minutes. SEO takes much longer to see results.
2. You can easily decide where to send each visitor (e.g. if a visitor searches on “blue widgets”, you can direct them to your “blue widgets” product page.) With SEO, the search engines decide for you.
3. You can easily test multiple headlines / copy / offers by testing ads in Google Adwords.
4. You can easily drive traffic for a broad range of keywords. With SEO, you’re wise to focus on fewer keywords.
5. Your website doesn’t have to be “search engine friendly” for PPC to work. (Websites built with “Flash” are notoriously UN-friendly to search engines, but they don’t necessarily affect PPC traffic.)
6. You’re optimising for conversion results, not the ranking formula for a particular search engine.
7. You can easily change positions on the page in order to find the best Return On Investment.
8. Changes in “the rules” of Pay-Per-Click search engines tend to be smaller and less frequent than changes to the “free” SEO rules.

SEO (free traffic) is good because…

1. It’s free!
2. You can generate hoards of traffic for search terms that it would be un-economical to bid on with Pay Per Click.
3. The long-term Return On Investment is often better than Pay Per Click. It’s slower at first, and the risk is higher if you don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s cheaper in the long term.
4. Once you get good rankings, it’s relatively easy to maintain them with little incremental effort.
5. You can build incredible momentum and dominate your market while your competitors bleed themselves dry trying to compete with you on PPC search engines as they pay for every click.

Conclusion: SEO and PPC both have their place in any online lead generation strategy for your business website.

But the Search Engine Optimisation field is riddled with mis-information and half-truths that can waste your time, blow your budget and frustrate the heck out of you, all at the same time.

That’s why I’ve decided to totally rework my audio program, “Search Engine Strategies for lead generation websites”. It will contain what I believe to be the most concise, most effective way to generate free Search Engine traffic to your “real” business website. And…it will be available for less than $50.

This new program will be launched on Tuesday 10th March at 12 noon AEST, but if you want to get access before everyone else, and gain access to extra Early Bird bonuses, you can join the pre-launch notification list here.

26 Comments »

Google Adwords Optimisation 1-Page MindMap

Google Adwords is one of the most effective ways to generate high quality traffic to product and service business websites, but it’s sometimes hard to keep track of all the features and functionality.  That’s why I’ve put together a MindMap of Google Adwords success strategies that fits neatly onto one page:

Download The Google Adwords Optimisation 1-Page MindMap

This Google Adwords MindMap summarises the fundamental, must-have strategies behind the most successful Google Adwords accounts.  Yes, there are a few advanced strategies that wouldn’t fit onto one page, but in my experience of working with hundreds of Google Adwords accounts, 95% percent of advertisers have NOT covered the fundamentals.

• they have a few dozen keywords, not thousands
• they have 1 or 2 Adgroups per campaign, not 50+
• they don’t track properly
• their ad copy is flabby and ineffectual
• they waste a tonne of cash on overly-broad keywords that don’t produce RESULTS

(As a Google Adwords Qualified Company, Marketing Results manages high-performance campaigns for clients in competitive industries where advanced campaign management yields highly-profitable results. Here’s more about our Google Adwords Management services.)

30 Comments »

Lead Generation Survey Of 324 Australian Small Business Owners Released

Earlier this year I conducted a survey focused on Australian Online Lead Generation practices, in collaboration with Dr Marc Dussault of Platinum Programs. The results were telling but not particularly surprising - most Australian SMEs don’t know what they’re doing when it comes to generating leads over the Internet.

And that’s understandable.  I don’t know how to perform brain surgery, build a house or prepare a company tax return because that’s not my core business.  But if I want to do any of those things, I find someone who can do it and outsource it to them.

The Survey:

324 Australian Small to Medium sized businesses from a diverse range of industries were dissected, scrutinised and thoroughly examined via an online survey of 28 questions. 81% of the study participants came from organisations with less than $1 million in annual revenue.

Key Findings:

The findings expose the fundamental reasons why a deadly ‘heart attack’ is almost assured for the majority of Australian small business websites and what needs to be done to stop the bloodshed.

• SMEs understand the importance of online marketing – 77% assess their website as being moderately to critically important for generating enquiries and influencing sales at the present time. A WHOPPING 98% predict that their online channel will be moderately to critically important for generating enquiries and influencing sales within two years’ time.
• 82% suffer from marketing blindness because they don’t track any KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for their website. 65% aren’t tracking ANY conversion rates such as newsletter opt-in rates or shopping cart checkout rates.
• 83% suffer from acute traffic depression and are either moderately dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the traffic volume their website receives.
• 86% admit they have no clue about their Search Engine Optimisation results and can only estimate their Return On Investment in ballpark figures
• A staggering 83% suffer from major cellular damage, running with online promotions that are actually eating their profits. They never realise the consequences of their actions because they don’t TEST to optimise results when they introduce new website features or content.
• 58% suffer form an embarrassing memory loss that’s costing them tens of thousands of dollars in lost profits, as they hardly ever or never send email broadcasts to their suspects, prospects or clients, thus missing out on a major revenue opportunity that could boost their constitution in a matter of days.
• 96% of respondents assess their website as being only minimally to moderately effective at achieving their revenue generation goals.

Dissection of the answers obtained from this extensive survey lead to the conclusion that one of the main problems lies in the lack of systems, strategies and processes that can create and sustain a profitable online lead or sales generation pipeline.

Most Australian SMEs are not doing the basics right (testing and tracking, keep-in-touch marketing, optin-and-followup), let alone the advanced strategies required to get outstanding results.

From a therapeutic standpoint, we recommend that Australian businesses begin taking a much keener interest in the health of their Internet marketing. Prevention is better than cure and as the saying goes, “An ounce of perspiration is worth a gallon of blood”.

A diet high in well-targeted online advertising with attention-grabbing headlines and clear calls to action that leverage proven Internet marketing strategies such as opt-in email marketing, information and education, testimonials, “proof” elements and sales process automation will ensure a long, healthy and prosperous life for any small business.

The full internet marketing survey diagnoses the source of the ailments and proposes several potential cures, providing that the unsuspecting victims are warned in time and take proactive action to protect themselves.

Download the Full Lead Generation Survey Report Here (PDF)

3 Comments »

Why Can’t I See My Own Google Adwords Ads?

I got a call last week from a client who spends big $$$ on Google Adwords every month:

“I’ve checked my main keywords half a dozen times today and I can’t see my ads anywhere!”

That may be the problem… One of Google’s anti-click fraud measures is to lower the ad position of ads when you search from the same IP address.  If you click a few times on your own ad to “check that it’s working”, you may find that you can’t see your ads when you check and check again.

A better way to check on the status of your OWN ads is to use the Google Adwords Ad Preview Tool.

Not only will you not mess with your impression/click data, but you can “test” ads without incuring cost.

7 Comments »