What is Organic Search
Organic search works for the little guy and the big guy. If you're a freelance writer or blogger, the niche I cover, it behooves you to learn about it now - to get a jump on the competition.Why All Online Marketers Need to Know about Organic SearchLoosely translating the Wikipedia definition, Organic search is a process by which internet surfers find web sites that have not employed paid search techniques like pay per click (PPC) advertisement.The definition goes on to explain, "The field of search engine optimization, (SEO), is concerned with maximizing the visibility of a web site by making its listings appear more frequently and more prominently in organic search results. Some businesses base their SEO strategies on the successful insertion of their web site listing(s) into organic search results for various popular keywords."
Why Knowing SEO is Critical to Online Marketing SuccessI don't care if you're trying to sell an eBook or a toilet seat, if you're not employing SEO techniques, you will soon be search result number one billion, 999 million, blah, blah, blah - that is, if you already aren't.Consider this: According to the InternetRetailer.com article, Burgeoning search advertising market grows new approaches, 68% of U.S. online retailers ranked search engine optimization as the fifth most popular online marketing vehicle." This article also points out that more online retailers are employing SEO techniques to heighten their natural/organic search results, because pay-per-click advertising is getting ever more expensive.So, where does that leave the little guy? Ostensibly out in the cold. But, organic search is the online marketing Goliath budget equalizer. To have a decent shot at showing up in the first few pages of results in your niche doesn't take rocket science if you know some basic SEO.How Much Do You Know: Test Your SEO & Organic Search Knowledge
For example, do you know what key words are? Do you know how to find out the "hot ones" for your niche? Do you know what meta tags are? Do you use them on every single page of your website? Do you use article marketing?If you're not familiar with all of these and not employing them on a regular basis, you are not only opening the door for your competition, you are propping it open and inviting him in to take over.Freelance writers and bloggers already have half the puzzle in place for online marketing success - they know how to generate content. Figuring out the other half - SEO - will practically guarantee online marketing success.
