Paid Search vs. Paid Social: Which Platform Is Right for You?

You already know the importance of running Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns to help drive traffic to your website. Not only is this a great way to spearhead efforts to bring in new customers who are interested in your products or services, but it can also be an excellent method for getting your name out in the marketplace and building a positive reputation.

However, many brands that are new to PPC wonder whether to choose paid search or paid social media. The truth? The right choice depends on what you hope to accomplish and who you’re targeting.

When Is Paid Search the Ideal Choice?

In some instances, paid search is an ideal choice for driving traffic to your website and business. This is generally a lower-funnel conversion play, as your audience is directly looking on a search engine for what you’re offering.

Paid search can be especially useful if you want to engage with customers who are already using a smartphone or computer to find products or services that are related to your business. A great example of this would be a landscaping company. Most people looking for someone to mow their lawn or trim their shrubs use Google to find a contractor in their area. In this instance, paid search will probably get you farther than paid social.

When Is Paid Social a Better Idea?

While paid search is often instrumental to a successful digital marketing campaign, there are times when paid social media is more effective. This is considered a higher funnel awareness play, as the goal is to get your brand in front of customers who weren’t looking for you in the first place.

The benefit here is that you can reach a high number of targeted customers at a low cost. This is a great approach if you’re offering something new to the market, or your business is entirely online. For example, if you’re opening a new yoga studio, paid social would be an easy way to get the word out to a large audience that is both qualified and interested.

Questions to Ask When Deciding Between Paid Search and Paid Social

Deciding between paid search and paid social doesn’t have to be that difficult. Really, it comes down to asking yourself two key questions:

• What Are Your Goals and Objectives? Knowing your goals and objectives is important when deciding what type of campaign to run. If you want to reach people who are ready to purchase now, use paid search. If you’d like to get your name out there and be on their minds the next time they need what you’re offering, consider paid social.
• Who Is Your Target Audience? Knowing what platform to choose when running paid social is also key. For example, if you’re targeting stay-at-home parents, you wouldn’t want to run a large campaign on LinkedIn. Instead, you would likely look at paid ads on Facebook or Pinterest as an alternative.

Of course, there’s a lot more that goes into this decision, such as your budget and the necessary timeframe for results. Additionally, there may be times when running both paid search and paid social makes the most sense. At the end of the day, it’s best to work with an experienced Pay-Per-Click team to develop strategic, effective campaigns.

If you’re ready to take the leap into PPC advertising, Zero Gravity Marketing can help. Contact us today to learn more about our services!