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Organic Search – Giving You The Skinny

If you have heard anyone talk about Google, you may have heard the terms organic search or paid search. So, what is the difference and how can you use both to your advantage?

When it comes to search results (the list of options that you get when you type something into Google), there are two different categories –  you have paid search and organic search. Paid search is just what it sounds like – a company has paid to show up on your screen. So, when you click on something that is in the paid search section you are actually clicking on an ad. Organic search is everything else- the unpaid results.

When your company appears in search results in the organic section it is because you are relevant to the terms that were typed into the Google search. Basically if your company turns up higher in the organic search list it is because Google has determined that are the best fit for what someone is looking to find in their search.

Some people don’t like to click on the paid search results – they feel like the companies who paid to be there are “cheating”. Some users will only click on the companies that appear in the organic list. You would obviously have to understand which results fall into which categories.

Our advice to clients and friends when it comes to organic and paid search strategies is that both are important. Sometimes a company will have to spend a lot of money in order to get high up on the paid search results, which may not be feasible. (Especially for our small business friends.) Therefore organic can be a better strategy. A few words of caution: In order for organic search to work a company must be dedicated to creating and updating quality content on their website and to consistently driving users to their site by using things like blogs and social media.

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