SEO vs paid social - Which is best for your business?

This is a commercial partnership with SEO Partners.

There are a lot of options out there for businesses when it comes to marketing. Two of the most popular are SEO and Paid Social. So, which is the best option for your business?

Let's discuss the pros and cons of each method and help you decide which is the best choice for you.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the process of improving the ranking of a website on search engines. The higher the ranking, the more likely people are to find the site.

There are a number of factors that go into SEO, including things like keywords, content, and backlinks. Businesses can either do their own SEO or hire an agency like SEO Partners to do it for them.

SEO can be done on-page and off-page.

On-page SEO refers to optimising individual web pages in order to improve their ranking in SERPs.

There are a number of factors that can affect your on-page SEO, including...

By making sure that your website is optimised for search engines, you can increase your chances of appearing higher in SERPs and driving more traffic to your site.

Off-page SEO is the process of optimising a website for higher search engine rankings by building links and improving the site's authority.

Unlike on-page SEO, which focuses on optimising the website itself, off-page SEO looks at factors that are external to the website.

These include things like...

Off-page SEO is intertwined with other aspects of online marketing, such as social media promotion and personal branding, all of which contribute to the overall trust and authority your website receives from search engines.

SEO is a long-term strategy that can take months or even years to see results. However, it is one of the most effective ways to get organic, or free, traffic to your website.

Paid social, on the other hand, is a form of paid marketing strategy that uses social media platforms to reach and engage with potential customers. Paid social can be done through a variety of means, such as ads, influencer marketing, or sponsored posts.

In creating paid social media marketing, you only need two things - your objective and budget.

Your objective is what you want to achieve with your paid social media marketing campaign.

Some common objectives for businesses include...

Once you have your objective, you can create content and ads that are aligned with that objective and target your audience accordingly.

Your budget will determine how much you are willing to spend on your paid social media marketing campaign.

When setting your budget, you need to consider a few things, such as:

Paid social media marketing can be a great way to reach a large number of people in a short amount of time. It is also much more targeted than other forms of marketing, such as TV or print ads. However, it can be expensive and it requires ongoing effort to maintain results.

To better illustrate the differences between SEO and Paid Social Media visually, here's a brief comparison of the two:

SEO and Paid Social Media both have the power to drive customers toward your website. The main difference between them is that organic search engine optimisation (SEO) can be done for free, while paid social media may come at an expense over time but has more potential outcomes in terms of converting visitors into buyers.

So, which is better for your business? SEO or Paid Social Media?

The answer is - it depends.

Both strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the best way to decide which one is right for you is to consider your budget and objective.

If you're on a tight budget, SEO may be the better option, as it is more affordable than paid social media campaigns. However, if you want to see faster results or have more money to invest, paid social media may be the way to go.

No matter what route you choose, it's important to consult with an SEO specialist like SEO Partners who can help you develop a strategy that will work best for your business.