The big conversation and controversy about the Microsoft Bid for Yahoo! has a life of its own among Internet marketers. If you stop to think that U.S. ONLINE advertising revenues exceeded $21 BILLION in 2007, you realize the problem will soon become how to get more bang for the buck in a high demand environment with a relatively low amount of quality ad supply. This is why I keep on talking about and writing about Organic Search Marketing as the real annuity to Internet marketing programs. The Internet provides many advantages over traditional media, such as effective measurement for ROI and specific targeting for audience demographics or behavior. Broadcast and print advertising cannot come close to either of these. I forecast that the Internet will eat away at even more print and broadcast budgets as we come into 2009 and more companies will realize that Pay Per Click is not the total answer to Internet advertising and marketing. I recommend that you develop a mixed media approach and that Organic Search Marketing must be the ongoing annuity that keeps on giving. 

1. Where are you spending your Internet marketing dollars and are you really tracking the effectiveness and the conversion rates for each offline/online media?
2. Online, are you spending on display banner ads, on Pay Per Click or are you investing in Organic Search Marketing?
3. If Pay Per Click costs double as a result of mergers or acquisitions in the search industry, what are you willing to budget to "maintain" your positions in the engines?

Let me know what you think. Many of you email me and that is fine, but it is also OK to post : )

till next time...

Leah Woolford, CEO, www.USDM.net, lwoolford@usdm.net