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“Paying to Play” on Search Engines Pays Off Big

Expert says this is the most cost effective direct marketing method.

Thousand Oaks, CA, August 3, 2004 -- When most businesses think of direct marketing, paying for search engine placement doesn’t even enter their minds. According to one expert, this could be a costly mistake.

According to Entrepreneur magazine columnist Catherine Seda, paying for search engine placement is the most cost effective way to generate new leads. In a recent article, Seda wrote, “Online search is the most cost-effective direct marketing method. The average cost-per-lead from search is $0.29, far less than e-mail ($0.50), yellow pages ($1.18), banner ads ($2.00), and direct mail ($9.94).”

“On search engines,” Seda says, “buyers are looking for someone to fill their needs. In many cases they’re already in shopping mode. Companies with prominent placement in search engines will very likely acquire these new customers.”

Seda says it’s the reversal of this relationship that’s at the heart of search engine advertising’s success.


In her new book, Search Engine Advertising, Buying Your Way to the Top to Increase Sales (New Riders Publishing 2004), Seda writes, “Instead of advertisers broadcasting their messages to consumers, search engines let millions of consumers each day tell advertisers exactly what they want.”

According to Seda, most business owners are simply unaware of search engine advertising’s potential to grow their businesses, and even more are at a loss as to how to best utilize this marketing tool.


Catherine Seda is president and CEO of Seda Communication, an Internet marketing and training company. She is giving a groundbreaking seminar series in several cities around the country this fall. For more information, visit: