| Millions of websites attempt to seduce Google and its | | | | credibility in the marketplace, which further |
| competitors to score high search engine rankings. But | | | | establishes your business and brand for long-term |
| what is the best path to this lucrative romance? | | | | success. |
| While there are more than a few website promotion | | | | Wear a white hat |
| tactics, you have two primary means to establish a | | | | Whether you conduct the organic search engine |
| relationship: court Google and other search engines | | | | optimization campaign or have someone do it for |
| with alluring web content; or simply pay to get lucky. | | | | you, be sure to play by the rules. This is often |
| Pay per click campaigns | | | | referred to as "white hat" SEO. |
| This popular search engine marketing tactic can get | | | | Try to manipulate the likes of Google with "black hat" |
| you substantial presence in just hours or days. | | | | SEO and chances are you'll be deemed a 'spammer' |
| However, after you clear the floor of fraudulent | | | | and disappear from search engine rankings altogether. |
| clicks (from competitors eating up your marketing | | | | Not good for any bottom line considering Google |
| budget) and tire kickers, you might end up with | | | | alone receives more than 350 million searches per |
| less-than-anticipated conversions, if any at all. | | | | day, and provides the search results for AOL Search, |
| Big businesses with hefty marketing budgets might | | | | ICQ Search, Netscape and others. |
| be able to absorb such losses. But if you're a | | | | To oust those who've entered the dark side of SEO, |
| relatively small business, blowing your budget with | | | | Google performs frequent updates industry types call |
| nothing to show for it can be crippling. | | | | the "Google Dance." While these events were initially |
| Depending on the market demand for your | | | | held monthly, Google now maintains a database that's |
| keywords and clicks, a pay per click campaign could | | | | updated continuously. As a result, the 'dances' only |
| range from just a few dollars to thousands per day. | | | | take place when Google needs to make major |
| Hence, if you go this route, be sure to have | | | | changes to its algorithm (a complex set of rules used |
| someone well informed and reputable conduct | | | | to determine website rankings). |
| meticulous testing and analysis on your behalf. That | | | | If you play by the rules and feature relevant web |
| way, you can identify what's not working and swiftly | | | | content and high-ranking inbound links, each update or |
| make adjustments to improve conversion efficiencies. | | | | dance can bring you closer to the top spot. On the |
| Organic search engine optimization | | | | other hand, if you break search engine rules and |
| Organic search engine optimization (SEO) is achieved | | | | regulations, it could be your last dance, at least for a |
| by optimizing your web content with the right | | | | while. |
| keywords and acquiring inbound links. Both tactics | | | | To pay or not to pay? |
| help boost search engine rankings and drive traffic to | | | | If you can afford it, a combination of organic search |
| your site. | | | | engine optimization and pay per click advertising can |
| The con of this website promotion strategy is it | | | | generate leads and sales in both the short and long |
| typically takes three to six months to advance to | | | | term. But if you have to choose between the two, |
| search engines' top pages. However, once you get | | | | going organic provides the most significant margins |
| there, it's possible to maintain your position with no | | | | over the long term. |
| budget and little effort. | | | | Regardless of the website promotion route you |
| Plus, web users consider organic search results to be | | | | choose, your web content must promote usability |
| more trustworthy than pay per click ads, hence, | | | | and readability, and comprise strategic calls to action |
| potential clients are twice as likely to click on the | | | | to turn the additional traffic into sales. |
| organic listings. Moreover, organic results build | | | | |