Social Media and Paid Search

When I began building websites and online presence for businesses (way back before the year 2000), “search engine optimization” was a term we would use to describe the process of getting a website to rise-up in the organic search results in order to get noticed. Over the years, the techniques changed as search engines such as Google became “smarter”, but essentially the work was the same. Today, the sheer number of websites vying for attention on Google makes the likelihood of any business’ website rising organically to the top less likely, and, as buyers’ behaviors change as well, it’s become a good idea to supplement organic search engine results with social media and paid search.

There has always been a place for paid search engine advertising, especially in some industries. Over the years, I have built, reviewed, or taken over the paid search engine campaigns for products as diverse as kitchen hardware, ocean-going catamarans, and technology services. It was often reasoned that persons ready to buy would respond best to paid search engine advertising, while persons simply researching a topic were drawn more to organic search engine results. These days, that paradigm is changing.

Millennials and beyond

Those who did not witness the introduction of the Internet (but, rather, grew up with it) tend to spend more time with social media than search engines. A referral from one’s social network, or from a community of users, carries greater weight than a search engine suggestion. On top of that, paid advertisements — well-formatted for smartphones and tablets — look great and convey information with authority. These new behaviors — traits of the millennials and those still younger — make it imperative that we adjust and adapt as marketers of our businesses, and consider social media and paid search.

Here at Internet Presence, we have embraced these changes as a company, and boosted our social media and paid search core offerings. Here are some of those recent additions:

• Social Media Management
  We’ve brought my daughter, Traci, into the business as Manager of Social Media Services for our clients. Traci is the definition of a “social media butterfly” having more than 10,000 online followers of her own. She is proficient with the most popular social media platforms today, and has her fingers on the pulse of what’s trending and likely to be “hot” tomorrow. Several of our clients already enjoy working with her to develop their businesses and engage with customers and prospects online.
• Google Adwords (Paid Search)
  Adwords is the leading search engine advertising platform, and we are a member of the Adwords program. We have Google Certified Professionals available for those wishing to have a large presence on Adwords, and Adwords Express for those who want to “test the waters” first. With Adwords, you are charged only when someone clicks on your ad, and the campaign management fee is typically a percentage of your ad budget. Google Adwords is a great way to get noticed online, and unlike organic search which takes time, the results from Adwords can be immediate.

Call or click with any questions: (203) 548-0070 | Contact Form