Let me say, first of all, that I don’t do Pay Per Click. I have a PPC expert I refer clients to when they want pay per click as a part of their online marketing strategy. That said, I believe it can be an important part of your online marketing strategy and should be considered.

The basics of an online marketing strategy

A great online marketing strategy begins with a great website. Period. Without a great website, no amount of marketing to get people to your website will pay off if your site is so bad, no one will use it.

Here’s a list of the basic minimum standards of an effective website:

• Easy to navigate
• Have up-to-date information
• Strategies in place to constantly increase relevant content
• Answer customer questions
• Look professionally designed
• Have a minimum of Flash
• Effective search engine optimization campaign

I’ll be happy to refer you to a solid web designer if you think your website needs updating or a complete redesign.

Start with Search Engine Optimization

Every online marketing campaign should start with SEO. Organic search engine optimization, if done correctly, can help you dominate your segment of the online market. SEO costs are predictable and usually less than the cost of pay per click. So it’s a good place to start.

Next step is Pay Per Click

Caveat: One mistake in pay per click and you can spend thousands of dollars per day. I know people it has happened to when they tried to run their own campaign. If you want to pursue PPC, email me and I will put you in touch with a friend who I trust to do pay per click campaigns. And believe me, with PPC, you want someone you can trust to manage your campaign. Or it can get real expensive, real quick!

Pay per click is most effective with an older, less Internet-savvy crowd. The under 30 population tend to be much more cynical and ignore PPC ads. However, you should talk to an expert and let them determine how effective your campaign will be.

Either/or or both?

I’ve known businesses that have relied on just one of these online marketing methods and been extremely successful. However, I’m the sort of marketer who doesn’t believe in putting all of his eggs in one basket. And there are plenty of other online marketing methods you can use to supplement these tow campaigns. You’ll find more ideas in my online marketing articles and elsewhere in this blog.

If you’d like to learn more about search engine optimization, follow the links below to my SEO marketing articles. These articles will help you either do it yourself, or know the right questions to ask when talking to an expert.

What is Search Engine Optimization and How Does it Really Work?

What You Absolutely Must Know About Search Engine Optimization

Who Needs Search Engine Optimization and Why?

HackingEthics

Originally posted 2007-12-11 11:09:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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