Paid Traffic Vs Organic Traffic In 2024
Posts by StephenJuly 13, 2023
In this increasingly digital world, websites are currently one of the most in-demand features.
That’s precisely why a lot of people want to build a website. However, it may not be easy as you imagined.
For one, the process of building a website is challenging in and of itself. Moreover, you have to consider many factors, such as accessibility and navigation.
Furthermore, once you finish building the website, you also have to worry about driving traffic into the site.
This can be tricky, especially since you must decide what type of traffic you must prioritize.
With that said, this guide will explain the concept behind the two most common types of website traffic and which of them would be ideal for your website.
What Is Paid Traffic?
There are different types of website traffic, one of which is paid traffic. It works similarly with other types of web traffic in that it allows you to send people to a certain page. However, what sets it apart is that you have to pay for it.
A perfect example of paid traffic is pay-per-click or PPC—an advertisement model wherein the advertiser pays a certain amount whenever a person clicks on the ad.
Here’s a closer look at some examples of paid traffic sources:
- Website banners
- Pay-per-click adverts
- Mobile game ads
- Pop-ups
Pros And Cons Of Paid Traffic
While some may argue that paid traffic is not very cost-effective, it’s pretty handy in boosting your website, although it’s true that there are also considerable disadvantages.
Here are some of its pros and cons:
- Paid traffic ads are more likely to be seen on the first search engine results pages (SERPs)
- You have some control over who will see your ads
- Paid traffic has greater profitability than traditional formats
- Metrics are more transparent, measurable, and predictable
- It can be quite costly
- Results are often equivalent to investment
Take note that paid traffic, particularly online ads, also requires skills, unlike what most people say.
That’s precisely why there are courses built to teach people how to drive traffic and generate leads with advertisements.
Speaking of which, if you’re interested in these types of courses, you might want to look into Modern Millionaires reviews.
What Is Organic Traffic?
Organic traffic is the opposite of paid traffic. As the name suggests, organic traffic occurs naturally through unpaid sources. So, in other words, it’s free traffic.
Examples of organic traffic sources include:
- Social media platforms
- Search engines
- Internal and external links
Pros And Cons Of Organic Traffic
Much like paid traffic, there are merits to using organic traffic to boost your website ranking.
But while that may be true, you’ll also face some difficulties when using this type of web traffic.
- Organic traffic generally has a high return of investment (ROI)
- You can raise your brand awareness
- The positive effects on your ranking are long-term
- It takes time to achieve the desired outcome
- Your ranking may fluctuate
- It’s difficult to predict your results
Which Should You Use?
It can be challenging to figure out the type of web traffic you must choose, considering how each type has its respective advantages and disadvantages, which can make or break your website.
On that note, here’s a side-by-side comparison of paid and organic traffic based on three factors:
Cost
It’s worth noting that there are still expenses associated with organic traffic. For example, you may have to hire a marketing team to manage your social media pages or write content.
On the bright side, you don’t have to worry about the cost once you set up your organic traffic sources. Overall, the costs associated with paid traffic are objectively higher than organic traffic.
Time
The main benefit of paid traffic is that you can enjoy its benefits right from the get-go, as opposed to organic traffic, where you can’t be sure if it’ll bear fruit.
Efficiency
Most experts would tell you that organic traffic is more efficient in the long run, especially since its impact on your website ranking lasts long.
Hence, there is no right or wrong answer to your question. Certain websites will benefit from paid ads, while others may get the most out of organic traffic.
Wrapping Up
While it’s understandable why you’d want to compare paid traffic and organic traffic, you must remember that they’re not necessarily mutually exclusive. You can incorporate both types of web traffic for your strategy.
You can even use other types of traffic aside from these two, like direct traffic and offline traffic. By doing so, you can drive traffic from pretty much anywhere.