If You Are Relying On SEO, You Could Be SOL!

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I gave a presentation recently at a conference where I explained why our clients have been getting most of their new business leads from paid listings in recent years (such as Google AdWords) rather than from their organic (SEO) search results*

You can download the slides (I think they are self explanatory) using the link below.

In the presentation I cover –

  • Why if you are relying on SEO (organic search results) and not running an effective paid listing campaign (PPC) like Google AdWords you are almost certainly missing new business opportunities
  • Screen shots of search results in that past vs. today that show the increase in amount of “real estate” the paid listings take up at the top of search results, pushing more and more of the organic results lower
  • The most effective SEO Tactics to improve rankings including what is still most important factor – Building a number of high quality links to your web site. It can take a long time to build up to the point that your site is on par with the sites you compete with for important rankings
  • The effect over recent years of Blended Search results – Where the search engines often show a sample of local (Maps) results, images, etc in the search results which usually pushes the traditional organic results down. This could mean you need to try to do well for both the local (maps) and traditional organic results
  • How “Local Businesses are being Squeezed Out Of Organic Search By Larger Websites” – a link to a recent article on Search Engine Land

search results in that past vs. today

  • The advantages of Paid Listings –
    • Much faster to ramp up than SEO
    • Geo Targeting – You can run paid listings only in geographies that generate new business cost effectively
    • Control of the Search Listings (You can test ad copy for best overall results to maximize new business and the cost per lead or sale)
    • Can test for best landing pages (or create custom landing pages) to maximize new business and the cost per lead or sale.
    • Can run hundreds or thousands of keyword phrase variations that generate business (almost impossible to do with SEO)
    • Can have paid listings appear on more than just search results – text and image ads on other web pages. For example you can re-engage site visitors with Remarketing ads as people who came to your site but didn’t convert browse other web sites.
  • The importance of the user experience on the web site once people click through (from any traffic source)
  • Lead Tracking Is Vital In PPC – Without it you’ll likely pay 500% or more for each new business acquisition
  • Bonus – A link to an article, “Should you Run Keywords In PPC If Doing Well In Organic Search?”

Download the PDF Slides for “Build Your Business with Search Advertising – If you are relying on SEO, You could be SOL!”

* The conference director came up with the sub title, “If you are relying on SEO, You could be SOL!” after I went over the slides with him. It wasn’t me! Can you say SOL online or am I going straight to Hell?)