Finding effective ways to expand your online reach often comes with experimentation as methods are constantly changing. But the two leading methods for driving traffic have remained the same for quite some time: organic and paid search. 

Both can be incredibly helpful, but are often preferred for different reasons. In today’s blog, let’s discuss organic and paid search and which type may work best for your business. 

Organic and Paid Search Explained 

Organic search is defined by Forbes as, “the process of optimizing a website and its content to rank high on search engine results for relevant keywords.” With organic search, you want to make sure that your business website is properly optimized, which includes a healthy dose of keywords, strong user experience, mobile-friendly designs and backlinks to name a few. 

Paid search, most commonly referred to as pay-per-click, is a type of online marketing where a business/advertiser pays each time someone clicks on one of their ads. The most common form of pay-per-click is through search engines – with Google Ads being the most in demand. Paid search results include a bolded “Ad” text before the listing and appear at the top of your search engine results page. 

Additional Differences Between Organic and Paid Search 

The obvious difference between organic and paid search is cost and positioning on search engine sites, but there is something else to consider: Speed. 

According to the Digital Marketing Institute, paid search is faster. Where it can take weeks or months to organically rank high on search engine sites, “paid search can go live within 15 minutes to half an hour.” This can help you find almost immediate results in terms of getting your website in front of a large audience. 

Is Organic Search or Paid Search Better For Your Business? 

When making the decision on which is best for your business, it’s important to consider your budget and overall business goals. As previously mentioned, paid search provides immediate results in terms of positioning and driving website traffic. If your business has a larger budget, paid search is the way to go.

If you have a limited budget, the best answer is to work on building your organic search by strongly optimizing your website. It’s important to know that organic search requires patience, as your desired rankings won’t happen immediately. 

An important rule of thumb is that no matter what, all businesses should be using organic search, even in tandem with paid search. There is no downside, as a strongly optimized website is the ultimate goal. And if there ever comes a time when you decide to move away from paid search, you can rest well knowing that your optimized website can also produce strong organic search results.

Consider Blufish For Your Design and Marketing Needs

If your business is interested in either organic or paid search and is unsure of how to begin, Blufish would love to help! Contact us today to learn more about our services.