Which is Best: Paid Search or Organic Search?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
On this page we unpack the key differences between Paid Search and Organic Search. We will explain the pros and cons of both approaches to assist your decision making based on the stage of business your firm is currently at and aiming for.
What Is Paid Search (PPC) ?
Paid Search is also known as PPC (pay per click), paid ads or paid digital advertising. In Australia, it is often more generally referred to as Google Ads. However, Paid Search is not exclusive to Google.
Paid search is the exercise of paying for business listing placements on the first page of search results, in search engines. Paid ad placements are available across all search engines as well as social media and publisher platforms.
These are usually found either at the very top or the bottom of the page, or in the maps (e.g. Google Maps, Bing Maps etc) listings. Sometimes they’ll be to the side as well (depending on the search engine and whether you’re viewing on a desktop, mobile or tablet device).
For most firms, the goal of paid search is for your business name to appear in the top area of the search results. However, sometimes it’s just to appear on the first page of search results, even if at the bottom of the first page.
Unlike organic search results, paid search results will usually have some type of indicator such as the word “sponsored” or “ad” alongside the listing so it’s clear that it is an advertisement.
When looking at search engine advertising (paid search ads) Google is by far the most used of all the search engines. Almost 94% of online searches in Australia are made using Google Search over other search engines like Bing or Yahoo.
Search Engine Market Share Australia
Source: gs.statcounter.com
The position or placements are achieved by creating campaigns that target specific groups of words or phrases, known as keywords, that relate to the services you offer. For example, TPD solicitor, divorce lawyer etc, and in many cases are specific to a geographic area.
There are a number of search terms that people use to find support for their problems that you solve or assist them with.
When specifically seeking a lawyer they might type into search phrases like, ‘Wills Lawyer Brisbane,’ ‘Estate lawyer Brisbane,’ or ‘Estate Planning lawyer Brisbane.’
Outside of lawyer specific queries, there is a whole range of queries and questions that people type into Google when they’re looking for answers or solutions.
Organic Search
Organic search is how lawyers and law firms can be found online without paying for search result placements. When a firm is towards the top of the list in Google Maps or the organic list below that, and they have not paid to be there, this is just one example of what an organic search strategy can achieve.
Importantly, there are a number of phrases people may type in when they need the help of a lawyer. It’s not always as direct as, for example, ‘wills lawyer’ or ‘estate planning law firm’. There are many different phrases that people search for that can drive leads to your practice.
To illustrate the power of an organic SEO strategy, for our clients who have stayed with us for one or more years, they appear in the top search results for tens and hundreds of queries/keywords.
In the legal industry, an organic SEO strategy is still an incredibly underutilised area. It is also an area that most don’t fully comprehend as it is not as simple as targeting keywords within a website’s pages.
In order to achieve higher organic rankings, it takes investigation, analysis and a clear strategic plan for how to get found by your ideal clients. While not all SEOs are equal, when done well, it is no doubt a cost-effective and comprehensive activity. Because, unlike paid ads, it can work for you for years to come. Not just at one point in time.
Pros and Cons of Paid Search & Organic Search
Organic Search (SEO)
- Methodology
- Techniques: Involves optimising website content, structure, and backend elements to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) naturally.
- Content: Requires high-quality, relevant content that matches user queries.
- Link Building: Utilises inbound links from other reputable sites to increase authority.
- Cost
- Monetary: Generally free in terms of direct costs, but may require investment in tools, resources, and professional SEO services.
- Time: Takes time to see results, often several months.
- Placement
- SERPs: Appears below paid ads in the search engine results.
- Trust: Often perceived as more trustworthy by search engine users because it’s earned rather than paid for.
- Long-Term Benefits
- Sustainability: Long-lasting results that continue to drive traffic as long as the site remains optimised and relevant.
- Credibility: Builds credibility and authority over time.
Paid Search (PPC)
- Methodology
- Techniques: Involves bidding on keywords to have ads displayed when users search for those terms.
- Ad Creation: Requires creating compelling ad copy and selecting the right keywords and targeting options.
- Budget Management: Necessitates managing a budget to control ad spend and ROI.
- Cost
- Monetary: Direct costs involved, usually on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis.
- Immediate: Can be expensive depending on competition for keywords.
- Placement
- SERPs: Appears at the top and bottom of search engine results, above organic results.
- Visibility: Guarantees visibility as long as the budget allows.
- Long-Term Benefits:
- Immediate Results: Provides quick visibility and traffic.
- Control: Allows precise control over when and where ads are shown.
- Measurable: Offers clear metrics for tracking performance and ROI.
SEO Disadvantages
- Slow and time-consuming with unpredictable results due to algorithm changes and competition.
- Requires continuous effort and significant expertise.
- Limited control over visibility due to search engine dependence.
PPC Disadvantages
- Expensive and requires ongoing payments.
- Vulnerable to click fraud and provides temporary results.
- Complex to manage effectively and can suffer from ad blindness.
How To Decide Between Paid Search Or Organic Law Firm SEO
The answer to this depends on three things:
- Your budget;
- Where you are in your business life cycle; and
- Your short- and long-term business objectives.
If you are in your first few years of business, you won’t likely have the budget for a full SEO strategy and rollout but you can get a start. Begin by getting yourself familiar with it and how it works. You can also start applying some of the more simplistic elements to get some runs on the board. Then, when you are in a position to do it more comprehensively, and are confident about the investment, you can engage a team like ours to do the heavy lifting, while ensuring it all works in with your brand voice. If you are an already established firm that has the resources to invest in an organic search strategy, speak to a few different SEOs and be discerning about who you partner with to do it as there are varying degrees of specialisation.
Importantly, an organic search strategy is an ongoing process that takes time. It’s not going to meet your expectations if you needed clients yesterday.
Of the firms we work with, while they work with us for a minimum of 12 months, typically it’s ongoing in some capacity. Why? Because search engines also like to know that your ‘old’ content is being revisited and updated to be relevant to new audiences and is up to date in terms of legal insights being updated to reflect legislative amendments.
Paid ads can be a great strategy when you are looking to have an injection of traffic to your site. However, a carefully constructed strategy is required to ensure you get quality traffic, not just volumes of traffic (that you pay for) that have a lower chance of converting into being a paid client.
If you are unable to, or do not have the time to execute an organic SEO plan, and you cannot do without the leads coming in, paid ads can be a good way to get in front of the market. However, know that you will pay for the traffic regardless of whether your leads become a client or not.
It is proven time and time again that a combination of both paid search and organic SEO can be very powerful. After all, search engines like Google are not only in the business of serving up the best and most relevant content, but they are also in the market of revenue generation, as any good business should be.
Organic Search and Paid Ads is a speciality area and while many will tell you all about their great results, not many will have the depth of insight into the work that lawyers and law firms do, to replicate those great outcomes.
Give yourself a little time to do your research, ask questions to learn about their depth of knowledge in your practice area, not just with law firms generally. See our recommendation questions to ask resources at the bottom of this page.
SEO is both a science and an art. It is complex and deep work when done well. The results, while not as quick as paid search ads, are for those who value and understand the power of the long-game.
There is a solid strategy piece that is involved in getting a good return on investment.
Summary
- Organic SEO is ideal for building a sustainable, long-term presence and is generally more cost-effective over time. It requires consistent effort and updates.
- Paid SEO is suitable for gaining MORE immediate visibility and traffic, particularly for time-sensitive promotions or highly competitive keywords. It offers precise targeting and measurable results but can be costly.
If you plan to seek out a professional for organic or paid search, ensure you ask them the right questions. These resources will help:
Download – Organic SEO Selection: Questions to Ask printable
Download – Paid Search Selection: Questions to Ask printable.
