At times, the relationship between organic SEO and Google PPC search ads has been misunderstood. In reality, the organic relevance of your landing page can have a direct impact on the performance of your paid search campaigns. Let’s break down why this is important and how optimizing your landing pages can strengthen your PPC efforts.
A landing page that is optimized for its target keyword doesn’t just improve organic search rankings, it also enhances the user experience. This positive landing page experience contributes directly to the Quality Score of a Google Ads keyword. In turn, a higher Quality Score improves Ad Rank, which determines the placement of your PPC search ad. And as an added bonus, a strong Quality Score can even lower your cost per click in Google’s ad auction.
SEO Affects Organic Relevance
The foundation starts with SEO. Your landing page should focus on a specific keyword tied to the product, service, or theme you want to rank for. Google’s organic search algorithm evaluates the relevance of your page and determines its position in the search engine results page (SERP). A page that ranks high organically demonstrates its relevance to the keyword, signaling both search engines and users that it’s a trustworthy, useful page.
A solid SEO strategy ensures that your landing page ranks well organically. And what’s good for organic search turns out to be good for your PPC campaigns as well.
Quality Score Affects Pay-Per-Click
In Google Ads, Ad Rank determines the position of your ad on a scale from 1-10. About 50% of your Ad Rank depends on the Quality Score. And here’s the connection: roughly 33% of that Quality Score is derived from the organic relevance of your landing page.
A landing page that aligns with its target keyword and offers a strong user experience contributes to a higher Quality Score. A high-quality ad means a better Ad Rank, a higher chance of clicks, improved conversions, and potentially lower cost per click.
Organic Relevance Directly Impacts PPC
When users click a PPC ad, their experience on the landing page is critical. A well-optimized page that ranks well organically signals a relevant, helpful experience. Positive landing page experiences encourage users to stay, engage, and convert, making the investment in SEO and landing page optimization doubly valuable.
Here’s How It Works
Take an example of an e-commerce shoe store. Suppose we have a landing page selling women’s athletic shoes [WAS]. The page must be optimized for the keyword [WAS] so that when users search for this term, the page ranks well organically at the top of the SERP.
Simultaneously, a PPC ad may appear for the same keyword. If the user finds the ad relevant and clicks through, they arrive at the landing page. A well-optimized page that is relevant organically creates a good user experience, which boosts the Quality Score of the ad. A high Quality Score drives a higher Ad Rank, potentially lowers cost per click, increases click-through rate, and can lead to more conversions.
The net result is a more effective PPC campaign, driven by the combination of organic relevance, a positive user experience, and strong Quality Scores.
The Bottom Line
What’s good for organic SEO is also good for PPC. Optimizing your landing pages for your target keywords not only helps your pages rank in the SERPs but also strengthens your paid search campaigns. A relevant, high-performing landing page enhances Quality Score, improves Ad Rank, may reduce CPC, and ultimately leads to better engagement and conversions. For businesses running Google Ads, investing in landing page relevance is an investment in the overall effectiveness of your search campaigns.
If you struggle to make organic and PPC work together, reach out to our team. We’re here to take on the complexities so you can focus on your business.