Organic Results —
Why Natural Search Engine Optimization is Often Better than Paid Search Placements

“Organic” everything is popular these days. In the world of internet marketing strategy what we’re really talking about is getting the most out of natural search result listings on Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft’s Live. Organic listings are the results that appear in the main body of search results (see illustration). Paid or “sponsored” results appear in a box at the top or off to the right, and these spaces are auctioned on a pay-per-click basis. While paid listings may get you a lot of hits right away, the costs can add up quickly and the results disappear the instant you stop paying.

An organic Search Engine Marketing strategy targets the keywords and phrases that are most valuable to your business and sends visitors to a landing page on your site with exactly that content. For instance, if your company sells fondue pots, you might optimize for “Cheese Fondue” and create a page with the best cheese fondue recipes. Once on your site, you have the opportunity to target interested consumers and sell your products. Providing an excellent recipe also encourages other sites to link to you and moves your site higher in the rankings.

Organic search engine marketing offers many advantages. Organic placements are determined by the search engine’s ranking algorithm and cost you nothing. However, an organic SEO campaign does require both commitment and upfront costs. Knowledgeable search engine marketing professionals can help you identify the right keywords and phrases to target. Achieving top rankings often involves creating excellent content, optimizing your site structure, and building links and partnerships with other prominent sites. You must see these costs as an investment in your site’s future advertising and long-term branding. Evaluate the results of your organic SEO campaign every six months to make sure you stay on top for the keywords that matter most to you.