By Rebecca Wicks
SOHO News

You have a Web site; you need it to be found easily, regularly and by the right people. It’s yet another thing to market. We all know we need to do it. We just need to figure out the best way. The bottom line is studies show that 85 percent of all initial Web site visits originate from search engines. And, there are only two ways to appear on search engines: organically or via paid means.

Paid Search Engine Marketing
Paid search is a tactic such as paid inclusion or pay-per-click ad listings. The benefit – it works fast and effectively, getting your message in front of Web surfers who are in an acting context. The shortcomings of paid search – it can be expensive. Paid search is oftentimes recommended for opportunities that require immediate action, e.g., if it’s a seasonal sale of products or a timely political message.

Organic Search
Organic search is a process by which Web users find Web sites having unpaid search engine listings. In essence, it is a merited search based on indexing pages using content and keyword relevance versus who paid more to end up at the top of the list. The benefits – people trust organic search as “earned” support for a Web site – and, it’s free. It has also been found that it is more effective when the person is involved in a considered purchase, e.g., choosing a consultant or purchasing a car. The main limitation to organic search is that while it may not cost money to appear toward the top, it does take time and expertise. It also takes time for a site to “gain traction” with search engines.

Which then, do you ask is better? The answer – much like any tactic when it comes to a marketing mix query – is both. The most powerful way to get your Web site found is to use a mix of both organic and paid search tactics. Much like public relations and advertising, it is the mixing of the two disciplines which yield the best results – you just have to figure out the right percentages of each for your business. And, of course there is no cookie-cutter solution. This is why many call upon public relations and marketing firms such as SOHO Prospecting who help clients create a cost-efficient Internet marketing plan that can be continually monitored for guaranteed success.