The hidden value of Search Engine Marketing

An interesting article in Thursday’s Search Insider about the value of PPC ads not clicked. Most marketers know the old rule of traditional advertising/branding that states that it takes up to 10 “exposures” to a brand before a consumer buys.

Well, it just may be true in online advertising too. We all tend to get caught up in the “measurability” of our online campaigns. Because it is all so measurable, we just may be overlooking another big value of our organic search listings and our PPC campaigns. The value of branding.

A customer who is doing his pre-purchase research online, frequently spends quite a bit of time searching out reviews, pricing and descriptive information. Inevitably, this means time spent at search engines where he will be exposed multiple times to a given message. Even if he doesn’t click the first time, he is much more likely to click an ad that is recognized after repeated exposure to a brand.

What this all means to you, is that your PPC ads and your SEO listings are far more valuable than the listing fee or click charge paid. Each time a customer sees your ad, whether he conscioiusly recognizes it or not, your brand is making an impression. And that ads up to a great deal!