Over 90% of internet searches are done using Google. So, in order to increase website engagement, it is important to optimize your website’s content for the Google search engine. To do this, you need to understand the two different traffic sources that Google represents: paid traffic and organic traffic.

Paid Website Traffic:

Paid website traffic comes from an ad or sponsored listing. The most common form of paid traffic is pay-per-click (PPC). PPC involves paying a publisher (like Google or Facebook) every time someone clicks on the ad for your business. Some of the benefits of PPC include:

• Quick Results:  PPC allows you to appear on the first page of Google instantly.
• A/B Testing: with PPC you can run two different ads at the same time to see which one has a higher conversion rate.

While the immediacy of paid traffic is appealing, the biggest downside is the expense. PPC is very costly because you have to pay for every link that your audience clicks on. And the more competitive the industry the more expensive it is.

Organic Website Traffic:

Organic traffic comes from people finding your business links naturally among search engine results. You can distinguish organic search results from paid results because organic results appear below the results marked “ad.” These results are ranked based on:

• Quality: Is your website safe and reliable?
• Content: How well does your page content answer the user’s search query?

Organic traffic is valuable for a number of reasons:

• The Google algorithm is particular. Ranking on the first page of results for a keyword or phrase helps establish you as an authority in the industry.
• Moving up the rankings takes time. You must consistently post quality content for your website. But, once you’re there you reap the rewards for a long time.

The biggest downside to relying on organic traffic is that it takes time to see results.

Which Is Right For You?

Targeting paid traffic with PPC advertising is a good choice for companies that:

• Want fast results
• Are promoting a time-sensitive offer (like a Black Friday sale).

Targeting organic traffic using search engine optimization (SEO) best practices is a great choice for companies that want to:

• Save money
• Get long-term results
• Build brand authority

For help understanding the best choice for you, contact GovUnity Websites today. Our capabilities include: website design, website development, SEO consulting, social media management, graphic design, and more.