SEM, a.k.a. Pay-per-click marketing, does it work?

I get a lot of people who contact me via my website and almost invariably they ask this question: “Would pay-per-click be cheaper than SEO?” The answer is usually no and here are some reasons why.

1. Pay-per-click, to be effective, has to have a large monthly budget. The way Google decides which sites are to come up first, just above the organic links, is done via bidding. So, for example, if you were to go after the term, “San Diego Mortgage”, you would have to out bid each of your SEM competitors in order to gain the most visitors to your website. So, this is not always the cheaper option.
2. Google admits that only 20% of those who use its search engine actually click on these sponsored links. So, in using pay-per-click, you are only targeting 20% of your clients. The remaining 80% skip the pay ads and go straight to the organic links.
3. What is to stop your competitor from clicking on your link all day? Each time someone clicks on your link, it charges your account with Google. In doing so, Google adjusts your ad from the top of the page to the bottom to keep you from going over your budget. However, a competitor can seek out your link, cork a bottle of wine, and have a field day at your expense! This is now known as click fraud and it is very real.
4. Consumers trust organic links more simply because the sites listed organically are not commercials being thrust in front of them. Instead, the consumer feels empowered in the search process. This will lead to a much higher click through ratio or return on investment (ROI).

Most companies charge 195.00 per month to set up this service. It’s free for you to set up yourself, but we recommend having an SEO Expert help. The keyword research is the sole reason. Until you know what people are searching for, how would you know which keywords to target or how to write an effective ad?

In closing, while we think Pay-per-click works, it’s not the best option. Organic rankings are still by far the best.

SEO San Diego CA is located at 8002 Avenida Navidad, San Diego, CA 92122. T: 619-723-6060