Importance of SEO vs. PPC/SEM

Again last week, I had a conversation that reminded me that there’s ongoing confusion about two marketing tactics: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC)/Search Engine Marketing (SEM). That’s not surprising for several reasons:

The marketing landscape continues to evolve at an incredible pace. Tools, platforms, tactics, and options are introduced or changed at every turn. Just keeping up requires our team to divide and conquer by specializing and focusing on different areas so we can stay abreast of the latest trends and identify true opportunities.
Operationalizing SEO and PPC/SEM have changed, both in their complexities and the required ability to properly employ and manage them.

At the very least, I recommend you be aware of the two tactics. Both are important tools in our marketing toolbox, and we use them for certain clients when they are the right fit given particular business goals. Here’s a one-page summary to review.

If you do implement either or both of these tactics, remember, they can be an effective addition for general brand building. Should you like to discuss your marketing tactics, please reach out.

Quote of the week:

Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes, it’s an ad.
Howard Gossage

Right-fit Marketing for Business Success

Every single day, we in the marketing and public relations field are inundated with “the next best thing,” the new opportunity, the new platform, the new service, the new best way to do whatever. Our job is to keep up with all the opportunities, educate and train ourselves to their potential benefits, drawbacks and costs, and then ultimately match opportunities to our clients’ needs—their business needs, their sales goals, their brand models, etc., all while doing

Don’t Be a Focus Group of One

One valuable method of research is a focus group. While the purposes, processes and information collected varies per project, very generally, a focus group follows along these lines: A small group of specially-chosen people (perhaps 10) is assembled in a conference room to answer questions and have discussion about a company or organization and its products or services (existing or potential). Topics may include how they feel about the brand or a product, what may

Google Launches Domain Name Registration Services

In late June, Google announced that it would begin providing domain name registration services. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it will impact the big players like GoDaddy, Network Solutions and 1&1, to name a few. How so? Private registration will be included with the domain name registration fee. Big players currently charge extra for this feature. Google will provide branded email services with their registration fee (yourname@yourcompany.com). Some of the big players