There are two major search engine marketing strategies in use today: SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay-per-click). Both strategies are entirely different and it is tough to decide which one or which combination is right for you.
To decide which strategy is best for you, consider the basics. It is easier to judge the pros and cons when taking the big picture into account. People will continue to battle for the top search engine positions. Search engine marketing is undoubtedly one of the best sources of targeted traffic.
As people continuously try to find new and unique ways to get additional traffic to their web sites, the SEO industry continues to grow. PPC refers to advertising on a search engine that charges on a per click basis whenever a visitor clicks on one of your ads. The order of ads is usually based on bidding prices, meaning that the advertiser who bids the highest price per click will be listed first. These sponsored listings are known as PPC listings.
SEO tries to change your search engine ranking by looking at a number of factors including link popularity, Page Rank and so on. If your web site is search engine optimized then obviously you are more likely to have a good ranking in the search engines. A well-optimized and marketed site will be listed in the top results whenever a person searches for related keywords. One of the best benefits of SEO marketing is you dont have to pay for any clicks! So, how can we decide which method is better Both methods actually serve different purposes. However, one is likely to be a better fit for your business than the other one.
PPC
PPC traffic, rankings and results tend to be more stable and predictable than SEO, and, combined with its low cost, this makes PPC one of the more popular ways of advertising. Most companies try PPC before they try SEO, because its seen as more stable. In many cases PPC lets you rank well on the search engines, without having to do the tedious work involved in SEO no finding link partners, posting links, creating content and so on. As long as you have the budget for it, the ranking is yours. Another advantage is that the listing will get posted when you want it and not when the search engine gets around to it. With PPCs popularity growing day by day, the market is also getting competitive. You will find that CPCs (costs per clicks) are steadily rising, and for a common man it is getting tough to invest much. As with most auctions, the more people bidding on PPC, the higher the prices get.
SEO
The main benefit of SEO is that it does not cost per click. The disadvantages are that the traffic to your website is more unpredictable and requires a lot of work. With SEO, you have to adapt and constantly change strategies as search engines change their algorithms. SEO is also slower than PPC, as many search engines dont list new sites. So what should you choose Well, it depends on how much money you are willing to spend, what your time line is, and what your return on investment is. If you have cash then PPC should be your first choice, as it produces fast results. PPC can also be used for testing the effectiveness of web sites. If you have time and money to invest in long-term results, SEO is an excellent option as well.
All and all, the best marketing strategy is typically to go with PPC in the short term to get immediate traffic and analyze conversions. SEO should then be taken with a long term view in mind, so you can reap the benefits of free traffic later on.
Halstatt Pires is an Internet marketing consultant with - an Internet marketing firm in San Diego offering automated web site systems through .
When I was a child, I used to love the funnies.
Oh, who am I kidding Im still a child, and I still love the funnies! I have the good ones all over my wall here in my office, and in my studio at home. I get my news bits from Doonesbury. I went into mourning when Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson called it quits.
But just recently, I discovered webcomics. I especially like them because of the easy access. Its like in my bookmarks Ive created my own funny pages. Mostly theyre done by amateurs, artists that just love to draw. Once in a while, one rises above the pack and begins to find financial success. There are a few that have managed to make their webcomic into their full-time living.
Lets take a look and see what theyre doing right.
First of all, the authors of the comics are passionate. They love what theyre doing. They have to, because it can take a while before a comic is popular enough to make any money.
Second, the sites are focused. Theyre not full of scattered nonsense that a visitor has to sort through. The sites are about the strip and the characters.
Third, the sites are updated regularly. Most of the ones that have made the transition from hobby to job are posting new strips daily, sometimes all seven days. Most maintain a commentary or blog alongside the strip. So, theres constantly new content to bring people back to the site, often on a daily basis.
Ever hear of the 80/20 rule It says that in any collection, 80% will be garbage, and 20% will be of any quality. That holds true in webcomics, too. The ones that make the living for the artist, though, are all well-crafted. Theyre well-written, with good story and character continuity. Theyre well-drawn, and theyre constantly improving their art. The point Fourth, the product theyre selling is quality.
Fifth: Theyre innovative in their business models. A web comic is free. People can just log into the website and read it. Why would anyone want to pay for it Thats just not how it works. So, how do you make a living at it Merchandising is often a big part of it, as well as advertising. Some are also marketing their art in books, and in the mainstream printed media as well. Theyre all about new ways to make their art profitable.
Sixth, they have identified their audience, theyve courted that audience, and they deliver what that audience wants. Most webcomics are humor-driven, but are also built on multi-strip, often ongoing story arcs, rather than one-strip gags. Since they dont have editors to please, they often are edgier than newspaper comics, and that allows them to target niche markets, like computer gamers (pvp), or twenty-something pop culture (questionable content-a comic that, in spite of its name, is actually quite tame in its actual content).
Seventh, they tap into existing promotional networks. Virtually all successful web comics engages in reciprocal linking with other web comics. There are lots of vertical portals and directory sites devoted solely to web comics, and the best ones use both. They dont rely on only one promotional method, including traveling to comic shows and conventions and other F2F (Face-2-Face) strategies.
The bottom line Whenever you see someone succeeding in their chose line, do two things. First, applaud them. Theyre making it work. Second, even if theyre doing things youre not interested in, study them. Trust me, you CAN learn from them all.
Mark Hansen has been an Internet Business Mentor for over 6 years, and is currently the Head of mentoring department.