What’s the Difference Between Organic and Paid Search?

There’s a lot of talk about organic and paid search, and it can be tough to figure out which is right for your business. But how exactly do these two differ? 

Paid search is when you use Google AdWords or other advertising platforms to place ads at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs). Organic search is when your website appears in the unpaid, natural listings on those same pages. 

Both strategies aim to get more people to visit your site, but they approach this goal differently. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

We’ll also talk about paid search analytics and how it can help you keep track of your business’ performance on search engines.

What is Search Engine Marketing?

Before we discuss the difference between paid search and organic search, it’s important to have more context.

In today’s digital age, businesses must have a strong online presence. One way to achieve this is through search engine marketing (SEM). SEM is a form of online marketing involving paid advertising to improve a website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can effectively reach potential customers actively searching for products or services like those offered by your business. 

While there are many different SEM strategies, one of the most popular platforms for SEM is Google. Google is the largest and most popular search engine and allows businesses to reach many potential customers who are already interested in what they have to offer.

Paid Search: Paying to be Seen and Clicked

Paid search is an online advertising model in which businesses can purchase ad space on search engine results pages (SERPs). These ads are typically displayed above or below the organic search results and can be labelled as sponsored links or paid ads. 

When a user enters a keyword related to the business into a search engine, the business’s ad will appear on the SERP. The company only pays for the ad when the user clicks on it. This space is generally purchased through an auction, with bids set based on several factors, including the searcher’s location, the user’s recent search history, and the entity’s overall marketing budget.  

Paid search is a great way to drive relevant, targeted traffic to your website and can be an effective part of your overall marketing strategy.

Paid search is a great way to drive relevant, targeted traffic to your website and can be an effective part of your overall marketing strategy.

How It Works

When a user types a query into a search engine, it displays a list of sponsored results at the top of the page, above the organic results. Businesses can bid on keywords relevant to their products and services, and their ads will appear in the sponsored results whenever a user searches for those keywords.

Paid search ads are typically priced on a pay-per-click basis, meaning businesses only pay when their ad is clicked. The cost per click depends on how much they are willing to bid for each keyword. The higher the bid, the more likely their ad will be displayed in the sponsored results. 

Paid search is an auction-based system, so businesses must carefully consider how much they are willing to pay per click to be profitable.

Benefits of Paid Search

The purpose of paid search is to drive traffic to a website and, ultimately, generate leads or sales. To achieve those goals, paid search provides businesses with unique advantages:

Instant results

When you advertise through paid channels, you can see results as soon as your ads get posted. In most cases, advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads approve campaigns within 24-72 hours.

Targeted ads

Paid search ads are usually displayed at the top or bottom of the SERP. They appear to users who are searching for specific keywords related to the business’s products or services. This means that you can target particular keywords and phrases, and you can be sure that people who click on your ad are interested in what you have to say. 

Paid search can also be customised to target specific demographics, interests, and even locations. For companies with a limited marketing budget, paid search can be an affordable way to reach a large audience.

Tracking and modifications

Paid search is very flexible, allowing businesses to adjust their campaigns in response to changing customer needs and preferences. Inbound marketers and business owners have the tools to track conversions and adjust bids on real-time data.

High click-through and conversion rates

One of the biggest benefits of paid search is that it allows businesses to target their ads to specific keywords or phrases. This means that businesses can ensure that their ads are only shown to people who are likely to be interested in what they offer. 

As a result, paid search usually has a high CTR, as users are likelier to click on an ad relevant to their search query.

Paid search also has a high conversion rate, as users who click on an ad are often closer to the point of purchase than those who see an ad on a social media platform or website.

Organic Search: Unpaid and Natural

Moving on to paid search’s counterpart in search engine marketing: organic search. Organic search involves finding information on the internet using a search engine where the results are not influenced by paid advertising. 

The ranking of websites in the search results is determined by algorithms that consider various factors, including the website’s content, the number of other websites linking to it, and the user’s search history. 

To appear in organic search results, websites must be optimised for search engines using keyword research, link building and content marketing techniques. While there is no guaranteed way to achieve top organic rankings, an optimised website with high-quality content stands the best chance of success.

Organic Search vs Paid Search

Organic traffic is the opposite of paid traffic, which advertisers generate through pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. Although organic traffic typically has a lower click-through rate (CTR) than paid traffic, it is generally more valuable to website owners as it is free and targeted. 

For this reason, many businesses invest heavily in SEO (search engine optimisation) to improve their organic search visibility and attract more website visitors.

However, paid search gives advertisers and business owners an edge in search engine marketing that organic search cannot.

Paid search provides more control over where your ads appear, how often they appear, and who sees them. You can also target specific demographics and interests with paid search, which is impossible with organic search. 

Additionally, paid search results are typically more visible than organic search results, giving you a better chance of being seen by potential customers. It also allows you to track your results and ROI more effectively than organic search. 

Overall, paid search gives more control, flexibility, and visibility than organic search, making it the better choice for many businesses.

Paid Search Analytics and How It Can Help Your Business

Paid search analytics is the process of analysing your paid search campaigns to improve their effectiveness. By understanding which keywords perform well and which ads are clicked on, you can optimise your campaigns for better ROI.

Paid search analytics can be used to improve both your overall paid search strategy and your individual campaigns. By understanding which factors are most important to your success, you can focus your efforts on those areas and make sure that your campaigns are as effective as possible.

If you’re not already using paid search analytics to improve your campaigns, now is the time to start. Understanding your data and using it to guide your campaigns ensures that you’re getting the most value out of your marketing dollars.

Post and Manage Your Paid Search Ads

As an SME, you have so many things on your plate. Digital marketing should not be one of them. The world of digital marketing is constantly changing, but you don’t have to worry about that with us on your team. We stay on top of all the latest trends and changes, so you don’t have to.

Pay Per Click Co. provides paid search management expertise so you can focus on what matters most—running your business. We offer SMEs various paid search services to help them reach their target audience, drive traffic, and generate leads. 

Learn more about how paid search analytics works and how it can help you stay on top of your digital marketing efforts. Get in touch with our team of paid search specialists to discuss your options and to start launching your ads on search engines.