According to paid search marketing guru, Mike Moran getting to know the types of paid search marketing should be a first on anyone's list when investigating this new and exciting technological advancement to ensure brand protection. There are a variety of paid search techniques, which include a number of per-click venues, like bidding for contextual ad space and using directories. Basically, paid search marketing is just what the name implies, attract the customer and direct them to the right page for your product or service and get paid by the click (and by enticing them to buy from you).
A basic form is to use directories. Get your product or service listed in a directory, where visitors to the directory will see your site and visit it. Some directories charge a fee, but others will list you for free. Directories have advantages also, in that you can see who else is there, and get to know your competition. This concept is somewhat similar to using the old paper copy of books like the Thompson Register to find companies in various industries, found in the reference section in libraries, except now you can do it online.
If you decide search marketing is where you want to put your advertising budget, then use shopping search. Here, people who are ready to buy will hit your site, and you can point them to the right buy page for your product. Shopping search engines that feature your site may be your best bet for your money. Studies have been done on buyers who frequent shopping search engines vs. traditional search engines. Serious shoppers who are net savvy will choose a shopping search engine designed to give them the maximum return for their effort.
There is a downside to paid search marketing (pay per click)people should be aware of, however, and that is click fraud, caused by people clicking on paid search results -- either with no intention of making a purchase, or to drain the budget of a competitor by clicking on their ad. Most search engines will try to determine if something is amiss and refund the money to the advertiser for the bad clicks. It is difficult to stay ahead of the defrauders but the effort must be made or the paid search marketing enterprise will be unaffordable. Click fraud is a serious business, recent estimates put it at 20% of all paid search clicks.
In spite of the problems, paid search marketing is a viable way to do business. There is a lot of information available about it on the web, so do your research before putting up any money.
