Whether you’re a fan of Google, Bing, or something else, whenever you search for something, the search engine gives you a list of results. What you see are page listings that closely match the relevance of your search. These results are sorted into two types: paid results and organic results.

So How Does SEO Work?

At a higher level, ranking high organically on the results page is ideally what every business wants to happen. Ranking high organically means people like what you’re selling. Consumers are visiting your page often, leaving positive reviews, and spending quality time on your site just to name a few items.

 

The Difference: Paid vs. Organic Search

Now that you understand the answer to How does SEO work, let’s talk about the differences between organic and paid searches. Paid search results are what you imagine: you pay for these rankings. It’s pay-per-click and as long as you have the money, your results appear toward the top of the search results. Paid searches are advertisements and the fee you pay is based on the number of views or clicks you get on your ad.

Organic SEO is more natural. It’s what companies strive for. Organic results are a listing of web pages that closely match a user’s query; it’s all based on relevance. You can achieve solid organic rankings through a variety of practices including using the right keywords, incorporating backlinks on and to your pages, as well as using correct metadata.

The goal here is to rank in the top five searches on a results page, or the first page if you are just starting. All the magic disappears if you don’t even make it to the first page.

 

Which Is Better?

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand, and whether organic SEO or paid searches are better comes down to preference. There are pros and cons to each. Your focus should be what your company needs. If you have the money to afford paid search, it can help drive traffic to your site.

Going organic means reaching all aspects of SEO, as searches are rarely perfected with one result. You have a broader language you can use and rank for.

Paid search is perfect if you already know what you want to rank for and are looking to be more brand-specific.

Whether you know what you want or you need help deciding, Wind River Marketing can help you reach your goals. Our services are geared toward your company’s success. To see how we can help you thrive in the age of online searches, and to get more information to your questions about How does SEO work?–give us a call today.