Are you familiar with the phrase, “Search Engine Marketing?”

That’s the current “big tent" term in the industry. In other words, it’s broad enough to include the entire spectrum of available methods to get rankings and traffic via the search engines.

For example, my search engine firm, SearchEnginePatrol.com started doing SEO, which involves optimizing the code, text and other content on web sites. We then added PPC and recently Strategic Traffic methods to our growing arsenal.

Now to the average non-techie, the entire search engine landscape can be quite intimidating.

Even more so with the ground constantly shifting under your feet.

Here’s a quick example. Times used to be, you want your site indexed, you submit it. And keep right on submitting it.

Guess what folks: that doesn’t work anymore. Here’s a secret: the best way to get your site ranked in Google is not to submit it at all! Am I crazy? Yeah, Like a fox, natch.

You see, you can get into Google much faster (like finding a backdoor) by getting a link to your site on someone else’s site. Make sure that site has ALREADY been indexed in Google. Extra points if the site has a high Google Page Rank.

Since the site is already indexed, Google most likely will visit it more frequently. And when the Googlebot follows the link on that site back to your site, that’s when it indexes your site’s content.

SEM pros and cons

Before you can put it all together you need to know what you’re assembling right?

Basically, the Search Engine Marketing dots are identified as follows:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
2. PPC (Pay per click)
3. Strategic Traffic (other traffic sources)

Now let’s look at the pros and cons of each. That way, depending on your needs, you can start one area and then expand to another.

Search Engine Optimization

Pros:
• More cost-effective than PPC, long-term
• Piggyback effect: get keywords ranked that you didn’t optimize
• Rankings are often very stable, month-in, month-out

Cons:
• Lengthy process: could take 8-10 weeks (even longer if major link building is needed)
• Can get expensive with competitive keywords
• Some techniques change as search engine algorithms evolve

PPC

Pros:
• Fast: can be getting traffic in a matter of hours
• Can test different approaches and gain market intelligence in real time (Google)
• Superior tracking and clickthrough analysis

Cons:
• You only get rankings as long as you keep buying keywords, no staying power
• Can get expensive
• Your ads can be removed if they don’t pass muster with the editors
• Monitoring bids can get time consuming if done manually

Strategic Traffic
Note: Strategic Traffic refers to a variety of techniques, many that are relationship-based in generating traffic. For more on what Strategic Traffic is and isn’t, go to StrategicTraffic.com

Pros
• No advertising cost
• Little to no tech expertise required
• Time-proven and stable techniques
• Techniques are very versatile and flexible

Cons:
• Takes time to ramp up to full traffic generation
• Does require cooperation from other web site owners
• Writing and organizational abilities not essential, but helpful

Connecting all the SEM dots: what works for you

Here’s what I recommend for your "to do list" to integrate all the traffic methods at your fingertips:

Overall, traffic generation and conversion is an ongoing process. The key is to start somewhere. Don’t try to do it all. Just do SOMETHING. And remember to monitor your results.

Marc Harty is the owner of SearchEnginePatrol.com. His firm has obtained hundreds of top 10 search engine rankings for a diverse list of clients, including those in the financial, legal, human resources, educational and manufacturing sectors. Marc regularly leads Internet marketing seminars and is an authority on guerilla-style e-marketing.

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