SEO and Google Adwords are both techniques used in today’s Internet marketing industry. And with a large number of consumers relying heavily on the Internet to meet their product/service needs, effective Internet marketing has become more and more important. According to an annual survey conducted by Fleishman-Hillard in 2012, “89 percent of consumers use Internet search engines to make purchasing decisions.” It’s safe to assume that number has only grown since last year. So to successfully market to this ever-growing number of online consumers is it more important to use SEO or Adwords? Turns out, it’s a combination of both.

SEO is all about optimizing your website content. If the content on your site is relevant and unique, search engines will better recognize your site, and it will rank higher in a user’s natural, or “organic,” search. SEO increases your site’s exposure to consumers based on the keywords in the content of your page. But because of all of the different ways consumers can search, there is no assurance that you’ll rank well in the natural search. And even if you do rank well, sometimes it’s not enough to distinguish your business from the one ranked right above or below you.

With Google Adwords, you can ensure that your ad will appear in relevant searches. When a potential customer searches for the products/services that your company has to offer, your ad will be shown either at the top of the page over the organic search results or on the right side of the page. Google Adwords enables you to advertise directly to potential customers who are looking for what you have to offer.

When your page ranks high in the organic search and your ad is displayed on the search results page at the same time, you stand out more. Both SEO and Google Adwords work together for a common goal: to make sales and generate new business. When you rank high in the natural search and your ad appears on the results page, it adds to your exposure. Therefore, it’s ideal to have both SEO and Google Adwords working together in unison for maximum search engine exposure.