RESOURCES · E-NEWSLETTERS · THINK · DECEMBER 2005
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Websites Work Harder through Search Engine MarketingSo you've got a great website. It's not only beautiful; it also has all the functionality your organization needs to utilize the Internet as your most cost-effective business tool. Now what? The adage, "If you build it, they will come," doesn't really work in this situation. Just like any other product or service, people need to be able to find your site easily for it to provide value. A search engine marketing (SEM) program does just that. Search engine marketing is the broader industry term that combines search engine optimization with paid search activity or Pay-Per-Click advertising. Both functions are driven by your site's content, specifically on a keyword strategy that aligns with your organization's greater marketing messages. SEOSearch engine optimization, or SEO, is the optimization of the website's structure and content in a way that helps search engines list your site and rank it highly when someone conducts a relevant search from their web browser. SEO involves combining keyword strategy, website construction, content development and a strategy to increase external links to your site with a strong technical understanding of how search engines work to make your site as easy to find as possible. When a search is conducted, the resulting list of websites is ranked in the order the search engine believes is most relevant to the terms entered. These organic search results can vary greatly from one search engine to the next because competing search engine sites use different algorithms to pull results from the Internet. Some factors affecting this organic result can be keyword density in the content of your site, or the number of other sites linking to yours as a source for information on a specific key term. PPCThe other side of a comprehensive SEM program is Pay-Per-Click (PPC). A PPC program provides predictable, controllable results at a predictable, controllable cost. These auction-like programs available through search engine companies, offer a unique way to drive qualified traffic to your website. You decide what key search terms you want to bid on, and the market determines the cost per click by how desirable that term currently is. One big benefit of PPC programs is that they offer measurable return on investment and conversion rates, including how many people clicked through to your web page. Sites that produce poor results from an organic search can be bolstered by implementing a targeted PPC program that focuses on the key terms your target audience would use to search for your product or service. In essence, PPC leverages your site's natural strengths for greater visibility and makes up for many weaknesses as well. |
