Prioritizing Organic Search over PPC — Tom Wells // Searchmetrics

Tom Wells, VP of Strategy at Searchmetrics, discusses the power of SEO across all marketing channels. PPC ads have long been preferred by brands over organic search for a myriad of reasons. However, SEO platforms like Searchmetrics, are changing decision-makers’ perspectives of SEO and it’s long-term benefits. Today, Tom breaks down why organic search should be prioritized over PPC
About the speaker

Tom Wells

Searchmetrics

- Searchmetrics

Tom is the VP of Strategy at Searchmetrics

Show Notes

  • 02:56
    Why brands should be prioritizing organic search over PPC
    PPC generates results right away while SEO shows gain over time. PPC strategies informed by SEO, with a focus on organic search, demonstrate the highest growth.
  • 04:43
    Cultivating SEO as a marketing channel
    The way you appear across different channels directly impacts user perceptions of your brand. With the right team and budget, results and higher growth figures can be realized over time.
  • 06:43
    When to prioritize SEO over PPC
    When companies partner with large SEO firms, ROI on SEO and organic search is realized at the three year mark.
  • 09:23
    COVID and the prioritzation of SEO over PPC
    Before COVID, SEO platforms were already making it easier to track SEO efforts. Businesses are more willing to invest in SEO modeling and organic traffic when ROI is well demonstrated.
  • 10:21
    Using data and science for accurate SEO Modeling
    Combining past traffic data with future potential rankings to gauge your future ROI. Be sure to also consider all of the time and cost investments that go into that model.
  • 11:25
    Tools that demonstrate the benefits of SEO
    It really boils down to how SEOs present reports to decision makers. Do it in a way that helps them to make data-driven decisions.

Quotes

  • "For paid advertising, you run a bunch of ads and you get the results straight away. Largely, SEO is a medium to long term strategy and the gains become apparent over time." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "A healthy mix of combining an excellent PPC strategy, informed by SEO, and a focus on organic search, shows the biggest uplift in overall growth figures." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "If you Google a brand, then a product, more often than not, you end up on that site through the organic links rather than the ads that appear." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "The way that your site is structured, and the way that you appear across different channels directly impacts how users perceive your brand." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "There's a large amount of low hanging fruit, results, and improvements that can be realized over time, given the right budget, expertise, and SEO platform." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "People should spend on SEO because it will optimize their growth figures." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "Typically, in the three years that someone partners with a large SEO platform, we see the biggest uptick in growth in terms of organic search." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "PPC budgets often outnumber SEO spend by about 10 to one." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "With organic traffic, you have the compounding effect of growth over time. We typically see reasonably large uplifts, even for hugely competitive spaces and major brands only in organic search." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "People are more receptive than ever to the efforts of SEO due to SEO platforms. Serchmetrics and others are getting much better at demonstrating results and modeling out over a 3 year period." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "The better we as an industry can demonstrate ROI and the key business value, the more willing businesses will be to invest in organic traffic and SEO modeling." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "When you associate all of the time and cost investments that go into the model, you can actually gauge, relatively accurately, what the return on investment will be." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

  • "If your reports can demonstrate how SEO affects business revenue, business value, or a strategic investment, you're much more likely to have a receptive audience." -Tom Wells, VP of Strategy, Searchmetrics

About the speaker

Tom Wells

Searchmetrics

- Searchmetrics

Tom is the VP of Strategy at Searchmetrics

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