Remember though that neither SEO or PPC is a "quick fix" strategy. Instead, they're both valuable assets within the online marketing mix. Working in conjunction, the two can return better results, as PPC contributes to brand building efforts while SEO can build a permanent presence (the costs of which can be amortized over time). But back the main point: How do you decide which strategy is best for your website?

The optimal way to arrive at a conclusion is to gather user data and analyze behavior, always asking yourself "How does my target market or user group currently search for my products or services? What phrases are they using, and conversely, which phrases are the most popular?" There a number of existing SEO resources and tools out there that estimate the predicted volume of a given search query.

Still, it's best to have an experienced SEO professional analyze this data to ensure a proper diagnosis. Imagine you're at the hospital and some random guy sitting in the corner offers a quick diagnosis for half the price of your regular doctor costs. Would you trust him before yourself? You might. But you'd prefer a doctor's diagnosis because you can be sure their experience and credentials will be more accurate and trustworthy. Along the same lines, you want whoever is diagnosing your ailment to have the proper equipment at hand to do so, not just some trial stethoscope that looks like a toy.

Fusionbox, the Denver interactive agency I work for, begins the SEO process by gaining a detailed understanding of user motivations to ensure the keyword phrases we optimize a website around are the most effective. The perfect keywords will carve an online niche for your company or brand while eliminating most competition. A full understanding of user motivations is essential to a successful SEO campaign, as the keywords (and the copy itself) can mean the difference between a conversion and an abandonment. Interestingly, data shows that longer phrases convert much better, probably due to the fact that searchers using longer phrases are further along in the research or buying cycle.

So, once your SEO agency has performed searches for your potential focus, a Keyword Analysis will provide the data to determine the historical popularity of keyword phrases that match the theme of your site or describe your product or service. Make sure you're specific and test various combinations, as the results can often be drastically different. If the data shows that there are a high volume of searches that align with your web presence, you'll know that SEO is the way to go. If your phrase is more obscure or basic, like "computer keyboards" for example, PPC can be an excellent method to ensure your site is visible without expending the thousands of hours necessary to overtake the top ranked organic sites.

So take advantage of the power of search engines to deliver your website to the waiting eyes of interested searchers, and your bottom line will thank you for years to come.

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