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This compares to just 11% of marketers who report that PPC ads produce higher ROI. That means that three times as many webmasters who can measure the ROI of each method recognize a higher ROI from natural SEO than from PPC advertising.

Should you use PPC or SEO to market your web site?

The study confirms that you shouldn't focus on paid search engine advertising. While pay per click can be a good addition to your normal web site promotion activities, you'll receive a better return on investment (ROI) with natural search engine optimization.

Many webmasters that are new to web site promotion choose only pay per click advertising. Optimizing your web pages for natural search engine results involves a lot more work but in the long term, you'll receive a much better return on investment with natural search engine optimization. The numbers speak for themselves.

How to get a better ROI with your natural search results

To get a positive ROI with your natural search results, it is very important that your web pages are optimized for high search engine rankings.

It is equally important that your web pages are optimized for the right keywords. You will only get a positive ROI from natural search results if you target keywords that attract web site visitors that are interested in buying your products.

Details on how to find the best keywords for your web site can be found in our free SEO book.

How to get a better ROI with pay per click advertising

Getting a positive ROI with pay per click advertising also depends on the keywords you use in your pay per click campaigns. In addition, it is also very important to use the right text in your PPC ads.

Use the wrong texts or keywords and you can pay a fortune on pay per click ads without getting something back. Take a look at this Google AdWords book to find out how to optimize your Google PPC ads.

If done correctly, pay per click campaigns and natural search engine optimization can both contribute greatly to your bottom line.

"A new worm modifies the infected PC so attempts to search using Google are directed to a spoofed site that looks like the real thing, but with different sponsored links to drive traffic to sites the hacker's designated [...]

Searches run on the spoofed version of Google return results similar to the real Google, but in some cases, the sponsored links -- top-of-the-page and right-side links to e-commerce sites that have paid for the placement -- are different."

"Google have confirmed a pilot project to 'open up communications' with webmasters they feel are breaking their guidelines. Emails are being sent to selected websites flagged for removal from the Google index. [...]

'Google is trying out a pilot program to alert site owners when we're removing their site for violating our guidelines. JavaScript redirects are the first trial, but we've also sent a few emails about hidden text, I believe.'"

"Why feel lucky when you can be right? With Instant Search, results instantly appear for Yahoo! Shortcuts and common searches."

"What's the next big killer app from search companies? Quickly and easily searching telephone calls for a particular word or phrase—in essence, to Google your calls—is a likely candidate. And it isn't as far off as it might seem."

Search engine newslets

• Google combines Google Earth with National Geographic content.
• Google's follow-on offering raises $4.18 billion.
• Google's recruiters have been directed to hire every attractive single woman they can.
• Take a look at Google search results map.
• Google sometimes displays Google Groups results under the main search results.
• Ask Jeeves celebrated the talk like a pirate day.
• British protest Google Earth threat.
• A major update for Yahoo Mail is on the way.
• Chinese search engine Baidu ordered to halt music downloading service.

Google to partners: Mum's the word

"Search giant Google next month plans a first-ever gathering of its partners, with one eye-raising caveat: no one speaking or attending the event can talk about the goings on with outsiders, according to two sources with knowledge of the three-day affair."

"Google could try to bid for America Online to preempt a Microsoft takeover and protect the $380 million in revenue Google gets from its biggest partner, according to an analyst."

Their privacy page says: "Google may log some information from your web page requests as may the websites that you visit. We do this to understand how Google Secure Access is being used and to improve our services. Google Secure Access does not log cookies and strips potentially sensitive query data from the end of requests to help better protect your privacy."

Just like Google's Web Accelerator, this might be another attempt to collect all of your Internet traffic data.

Stop losing money with your Google AdWords ads

Most Google AdWords campaigns don't work as well as they could. Google's AdWords program is so popular that the competition is fierce.

It has become difficult to find affordable keywords and it has become even more difficult to write ads that return a positive ROI (return on investment).

Does the following sound familiar to you?

• You need more web site visitors and more sales.
• Your web site is not listed on Google's first result page.
• You want to lower your advertising costs.
• The per click prices are too high for your Google AdWords ads.
• Many web sites compete with your site.
• Your current Google AdWords campaigns have not been successful.

These problems have one thing in common: you can solve them at once with optimized AdWords ads! Lower your advertising costs and make more profit!

If you need more visitors and more sales, or if your current AdWords campaigns don't work as well they could, take a look at Successful Advertising with Google AdWords (2nd edition).

Lower your advertising costs and make more profit. It's possible.

"I can honestly say that IBP and ARELIS have helped my company increase the number of clients"

"I switched to IBP after using WebPosition for several years. Congratulations on an EXCELLENT product - I use it constantly to manage many clients.

I can honestly say that IBP (and ARELIS) have helped my company increase the number of clients, and impress them with professional (and professional-looking) reports. Keep up the good work!"
David Szetela, www.clixmarketing.com

The winner of our iPod raffle is Joseph Barnes, Denver. Thank you all for participating.

• Google's Matt Cutts talks about buying links
• Can grammar and spelling mistakes influence your Google rankings?
• An open SEO analysis
• Search engine insiders talk about links
• Is the KEI (keyword effectiveness index) really a good indicator for useful keywords?
• Keywords and search engine optimization
• The most important search engines for search engine optimization (SEO)
• View all past issues...