Ian O’Rourke, founder and CEO of Adthena, reveals the most effective ways to bring the two key halves of SEM together
Specialisation has long been a part of the business world, and nowhere is that more true than in digital marketing. As people develop their careers in digital marketing, there is a huge trend of people becoming increasingly focused on their own particular niche. And, with huge topic areas to master, it’s no surprise that one can become an expert in PPC, while neglecting the other side of the same SEM coin completely.
However, the benefits of aligning your PPC and SEO objectives are endless, and there is a lot of evidence that shows the companies putting the most effort into unifying their goals see the best SEM results in the long run, whether that be achieving higher traffic, greater activation, or better ROI. Here are three key things to keep in mind as you seek to bridge the gap between the two.
1. Combine and conquer
There might be a mentality that PPC teams are from Mars and SEO teams are from Venus, with the two teams often finding themselves working separately, led by different people and sometimes in different parts of the same building. In really large companies, or businesses where SEM is outsourced altogether, the two processes could be managed by two entirely different agencies, based in different cities or even different countries. This can make for some pretty big gaps to overcome.
The first step is to open communication and begin to build a set of coordinated goals. While the individual outcomes each side may be chasing can be specific, there are overall targets that should be considered together – are you trying to build awareness of your business, or bring customers to your site to fulfil a particular action like making a purchase? Are there specific events or times of year when a concerted effort is likely to make a bigger impact? What promotions or activities will drive your activities? Have these discussions, and start your planning, making sure all your goals are recorded, with regular check-ins to make sure everyone is moving in the right direction.
2. Utilise the brand
Research into the shared impact of PPC and SEO shows many brands have a lopsided approach to their SEM, with one side becoming dominant, while the other languishes behind. Looking at businesses across a range of different industries has shown companies tend to prefer one or the other. Looking at keywords common to the PPC and SEO efforts, we see that while one will show a strong share of voice on impressions, the other will be disappointingly low. It’s a symptom of a lack of communication, but there is typically one area where the keywords possess a strong share of voice in both PPC and SEO – a business’s own brand terms.
While it may seem obvious that you perform well on your own brand terms, this isn’t necessarily a given, and in the cut-throat and competitive world of SEM, there’s no place for complacency. In PPC, look to cover your brand terms comprehensively, and check your CPCs – a higher rate could indicate that you’re battling against someone else in the blind auction process. You can also invest in competitive intelligence to monitor brand infringements, and make sure you are kept aware of anyone bidding on your terms. In SEO, make sure all of the metadata around your content is in place – descriptions, images, tags; each has a place in ensuring your site is visible and ranked appropriately. Your brand may be intangible, but it’s also one of your most valuable assets.
3. Think short term… and long term
When the lines of communication are opened between PPC and SEO, and the two have common objectives in mind, it’s time to start sharing wisdom. In PPC, the market is an ever-shifting landscape. The constantly-moving list of competitors, the scope of the ad copy they are using and the blind auction system as a whole, with its inscrutable CPCs and quality scores, means that in order to stay ahead, marketers have to act fast and move quickly. Being able to react to changes and seize the initiative when the opportunity comes is key to achieving any success.
However, SEO teams, often working with legacy sites, have traditionally been playing the long game – carefully curating their content, monitoring links, tailoring their quality and adapting to the incremental updates of the major search engines. Both sides can learn a lot from the other, taking on another point of view that can inform and benefit their own side – PPC can learn the value of sustained campaigns and continuity, while SEO can pick up the art of adaptability. The two sides may be very different, but when they find their common ground, there are huge advantages to be found.
