For starters, think of SEO as marketing, and PPC as business development – they are similar but different, with the end goal of both being an increase in business, one way or another.
Here is why SEO is worth considering:
- SEO is a brand building exercise. Strong brands do more business
- It is inexpensive and typically billed on a fixed cost basis
- It often provides a survivable benefit after you stop paying for it
- Positive results build slowly over time – the longer you do it, the more value you get
Here is why PPC is worth considering:
- PPC is a lead generation process. The more leads you have the more likely you are to engage a client
- Immediate results – we can generate leads for you within days of starting a campaign
- 100% scalable – the more you spend, the more leads you get
- M&A keywords are fairly inexpensive (unlike other financial service keywords)
- You can place ads within specific demographic targets – this is HUGE for M&A
If your firm ranks well organically, you own that position, effectively depriving your competitor of the same ranking. An effective PPC campaign can circumvent good SEO (as long as you are willing to spend money) by ensuring you are the #1 result for a specific user who is looking for exactly what you are selling at that moment – in short, there are strong arguments for both!
Don’t think people click on Google display ads? The vast majority of Google’s astounding value comes from PPC revenue. The data fully supports that while you may not click these ads often, someone else does – and that someone may be your next client.
So, which service is right for your M&A firm? The best firms have strategies that include both PPC and SEO services. A modest PPC budget ($500-$1000 per month) supported by quality SEO services can drastically change how your firm generates leads online. Being able to put your brand, or a specific offer in front of a prospect right when he or she is looking for information you have is incredibly powerful.
