Can I Rely On Search Engine Placement?

Author: Charlie Cook   |   May 11th, 2005

“I have a client who is generating lots of business from the top placement of his listings under his keywords in the search engines. Is this a risky strategy or should he be looking at pay-per-click advertising?” – M. Anderson, KPMG

Given the vagaries of the search engine algorithms and the volatile nature of the search engine marketplace I’d advise your client to develop multiple ways to generate leads over the internet. He could be doing very well with his Google search engine placement this year, but if Microsoft has their way, they’ll be putting Google out of business and his search engine placements could be irrelevant.

Even if his current listings continue to do well, why not invest in pay-per-click advertising and generate 30% more leads and business? – Charlie Cook

One Response to “Can I Rely On Search Engine Placement?”

1. Alan Boyer Says:
   October 9th, 2009 at 11:49 pm

   Charlie

   I have some local clients who have both position 1 natural search engine positions and pay per click ads. Especially when they are doing only local business, the pay per click is helpful.

   They tell me they get about 60% of their traffic from a localized pay per click add (it only shows locally even when a broader geographic search is done), and about 40% from the position 1 natural search engine position.

   Most people will look for “auto stereo” when they actually want a local business. So, at first they only see nationwide online stores. And if a company has an ad that is set up for 50 miles of a metropolitan area even when “auto stereo” is searched that ad will be at the top and be seen first.

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