It is believed that the nuances surrounding search engine optimization (SEO) and Pay-per-click (PPC) can be likened to oil and water, never to be mixed. However, it is high time we changed our perspective and rediscovered PPC and SEO working together.
Both concepts aim to earn a top spot on Google ranking. However, the major difference between these two concepts is that SEO optimizes content to rank better on Google for users to click, while PPC pays Google money to achieve the same goal.
Logically, when these two concepts are combined, brands should achieve better results. In this article, Google Ads agency UAWC will share five ways to make SEO and PPC integration possible.
Tip 1: Collaborate on first-party data readiness
Every digital marketing campaign needs to account for first-party data. Your SEO and PPC teams must contribute to determining whether your brand is fully conversant.
Suppose you extensively rely on Google Ads remarketing campaigns (either because your business belongs to an expensive industry or because the customer journey naturally involves several steps). In that case, you might begin to rely more and more on organic audiences.
Despite the potential strength of some of these audiences, most of them perform poorly compared to audiences based on brand-tracked activity. Audience segmentation is a useful strategy for avoiding varying quality. The new global site tag and consent are still needed for these audience subgroups.
Also, when creating consent for cookies, ensure that the module follows CLS rules (cumulative layout rules). It’s also important that the first-party data is protected or deleted once it’s uploaded into the ad accounts. Privacy is important.
For better conversions, it is good to use native Google conversion tracking. You can have it enabled and tweaked for you with the help of analytics set up services. Enhanced conversion tracking will improve your understanding of how paid ads are doing. However, the results will never match what your SEO team reports.
As long as the overall metrics indicate a positive return on ad spend, it’ll make sense to accept the “impact” on PPC-reported numbers in the interest of confidence and data continuity. In summary, by choosing improved conversions, all parties must be willing to accept that reports will differ.
Acknowledge and adapt based on domain structure choices
Generally, there are three ways of creating brand URLs. You can have one domain for everything, subdomains for various reasons, and country domains. Regardless of whichever one you choose, pay per click pages must be noindex/nofollow and accessible to the adbot in order for them to affect quality score.
It’s uncommon for non-eCommerce firms to benefit more from having everything in one domain. This happens because a well-optimized site has strategic components that can compete with PPC:
- Testing templates helps PPC, while SEO dislikes duplicate material.
- PPC performs better with few options for user action, and SEO benefits from a broad navigation bar.
- If SEO is required to redirect a page, the ad may not be accepted, and three strikes in a 90-day period may cause the ad account to get suspended.
Subdomains that can still help the main domain can easily avoid these issues without requiring the SEO and PPC teams to make any creative or technical compromises. The same analytical property and branding consistency can also be maintained using a subdomain.
If you must use the same landing page for both PPC and organic traffic, ensure that any redirects are announced at least three to five days in advance. This will give the PPC team enough time to work and avoid squandering money by sending people to a broken page until Google disapproves of the ad.
It is also very important to keep an accurate inventory for both PPC and SEO. If your ad directs people to your site and your product is constantly out of stock, you can be penalized by the search engines.
Tip 3: Bring transactional intent & CRO to all pages
PPC is frequently held solely responsible for transactions, whereas SEO is frequently erroneously viewed as the “research” channel. While there are certainly good reasons for doing so, there are also trust-building and transaction facilitation lessons that each party may learn from the other.
For instance, although PPC pages tend to have less information, there must still be ways to learn about the product or service. This information (whether written or in video format) should be displayed below the fold to make the path to conversion obvious. Similarly, SEO demands quality content in order to rank effectively. Yet, if the conversion path is distorted (or absent altogether), the traffic will be useless.
Tip 4: Use search query reports to inform campaigns
Data exchange on search queries is one of the best methods to connect PPC and SEO. Content teams can make investment decisions by sharing that data together, along with what is or is not converting.
However, sharing the search terms from the in-site search and search console is something that is frequently ignored. Prioritizing keyword variants and understanding what existing customers desire and how they think will also help. Both channels should also share search term information so businesses can learn more about content and auction pricing feasibility.
To do this effectively, set up automatic report sharing at least once every quarter to ensure that all digital channels communicate with one another.
Tip 5: Build in time to talk to each other
This may seem like a ridiculous strategy, but there are tremendous benefits to meeting your counterpart in person. Taking the time to connect on the improvements and difficulties in each domain on a weekly or monthly collaboration session will ensure that the other can be ready to be improved on.
If you represent one agency and your counterpart represents another agency, you can request either separate or joint sessions with the client. Maintaining your clients and demonstrating a collaborative attitude will go a long way toward preventing unintentional interference with your excellent work.
PPC and SEO don’t need to be at odds
These two giant concepts of digital marketing don’t need to be at par with each other. Although they’re not devoid of challenges, each possesses various benefits. A combination of both concepts equals a comprehensive approach to marketing.
In conclusion, we would like to once again state that it is absolutely paramount for your SEO and PPC teams to be on the same page. Organizing your business’s work processes in a way that will keep them in constant communication with each other will make sure that their goals and efforts align and, ultimately, bring profits and growth to your business.
Interesting Related Article: “20 Ways SEO Experts Are Winning In SERP With Automated API’s“