Advantages of Search Engine Optimization

1. Up front fixed cost vs. fluctuating costs that can skyrocket with ppc advertising.

2. Long term listings and rankings with natural placement vs. Showing up only as long as your bank account has money.

3. Natural rankings have higher click thru ratios than ppc listings because natural rankings are pull demand vs. push demand.

I'm going to close this article with an analogy. Most of you have been camping before and remember at least one cold night when you couldn't get a fire started. So you went and got some lighter fluid and squirted it on the dry oak or whatever wood you used. Then you threw a match into the fire and began to warm up next to the fire.

The lighter fluid is akin to ppc advertising. When the lighter fluid is squirted on the fire the flames shoot high and bright and then vanish. Just like ppc advertising it's short term because as soon as the money is gone so is your exposure. Whereas natural rankings are like the solid oak used in the fire. The oak will burn for hours and hours and keep you warm much longer than just lighter fluid alone. Like the oak, natural search engine optimization campaigns last in excess of 6 months in stead of one day. And if you learn the secrets to good web site optimization you can stoke the fire and make it last even longer with no added cost. Of course it takes a little longer to get the oak branches to light up but once you get them going they will last for a long time.

Many people see the solution to their search engine marketing campaign in pay per clicks because they're easily set up and effective almost immediately. However, those that understand the principle of laying a solid foundation and building upon it can understand the long term benefits of natural search engine placement. It may take longer to get the same results but it will cost much less in the long run