Google AdWords Does Not Replace Organic Traffic

SilverServers offers high quality responsive design and search engine optimization for small to medium businesses in Kamloops BC and around the world. Our plans focus on measured, organic search engine growth without the use of possibly expensive and misunderstood tools. One of the SEO tools that we see overused a lot is one of Google's own products: Google AdWords.

To put it simply, there should never be a case where Google AdWords is suggested or used as a main traffic driver for your business website. Don't get me wrong, AdWords can be very powerful when used properly. For targeted product releases, upcoming sales or special events and the like, AdWords can help get the word out quickly no matter your organic rankings and drive visitors to a specific page that you offer and measure your product/service sales through. If you are building organic authority and just want to top up your traffic while it builds, go for it. Often though, these more focused approaches can be easier on your pocketbook as the keywords you are paying for have a chance to be more focused instead of a generalized service.

For example, let's say you manage and own a candy delivery/sales business and you have a new product coming out in two weeks. You aren't worried so much about growing your overall traffic base for the next two weeks, you want to push focus on your new product. In that case, you can run an AdWords campaign who's keywords are focused on that product while tied in to your overall service. Perhaps your product is a specialized chocolate covered marshmallow. In most cases, the competition and value of 'chocolate'/'marshmallow' are going to be below simple more generalized keywords like 'candy' or 'store'. To pay for an ad focused on less used keywords can mean a lower AdWords bill. Nevermind that the cost for keywords changes on a daily basis sometimes, your return on investment is measured and affected by everyone else desiring to use the keywords you're using. Keep in mind AdWords is a product that Google sells, they have a vested interest in you paying them for their product just like you'd like customers to purchase yours.

The content on the rest of your site should push the fact that you are a local candy store enough anyway, so that the AdWords becomes an additional piece of information. But wait, does your website NOT have enough content to convince Google that you are a reputable and valued local candy store?

If your SEO team's suggestion is to pay for AdWords campaigns focused on your main service keywords and area and have users land on your homepage, it's basically an admission that they are not keeping up with the online marketing environment. In SilverServers' opinion, you should never ever waste money on paying for traffic that you haven't put effort into gaining organically. Google and your visitors should already know that you are a local candy store, if your website is doing its job properly. If your content is authoritative, engrossing and supported by your website's structure there should be no reason Google doesn't know who you are and what you do. Paying them to show otherwise is a waste of money and can even hurt your rankings in the long run. Running an ad to let your local audience know that you have something new and exciting coming is a much more effective and affordable use of AdWords. Alternatively, if you're working on SEO but need sales faster than the natural growth of your rankings can get them (ie. you need sales now),that's another situation where you might implement an AdWords strategy into your marketing.

No matter which way you use AdWords, if your website content does not support the keywords and campaigns you are running you are only putting a band-aid on the problem. Once you stop paying, where does your traffic go? Your Page Authority? Continually paying for regular traffic is a trap, and one we see almost daily while moving clients on to our GrassRoots SEO program. Focus on your content, website technical quality and interaction with your audience first and foremost. If you need help growing your website's authority and rankings, contact SilverServers today!

Check out the Business Marketing section of our blog for more insights into using SEO for marketing!