In order to use Google, Yahoo, Bing or MSN in order to as part of your Internet marketing or advertising strategies, there are several approaches you can take to implement this strategy.
One of them is known as organic SEO in which specially designed techniques are used so that your web site is ranked high on the list of search engine results.
These high rankings come about by the use of a specific word known as a "keyword" or a group of words called a "keyword phrase".
Another technique is called Pay Per Click Advertising, or PPC, and enables you to place an ad for your website on a search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
The price for this service is the amount of money you are willing to pay for each time a person clicks on your ad.
The higher your bid, the greater ranking that your ad will have in the search engine results for ads.
Google uses an additional factor in ranking by ad by considering your ad's relevancy or importance to the search, which is a factor that a business is not able to manipulate.
Another service used in search engine optimization in Internet marketing is Pay for Inclusion, or PFI.
Search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo also have directories which may be general in nature ore related to a specific category.
Some of these online directories will offer listings for free but most of them charge for the service.
A commonly used directory is one from Verizon known as SuperPages, while Yahoo has a directory that is separate from its search engine that lists web sites in a wide range of topics that include such categories as art and entertainment to culture, education, health and science.
If you are involved in Internet marketing and do business on the Internet, then you most likely have a web site not only to promote business but to conduct your business as well.
Using search engine optimization is one approach to attracting visitors to your web site.
New visitors to your web site are the source of potential new customers as new business and revenue.
The use of search engine optimization can be a very cost effective strategy as part of your Internet marketing.
Using keywords and planning their placement on your website can be done at no charge and is probably one of the best ways to increase your rankings in the search engines listings and increase traffic to your web site.
You can also find the directories that offer free listing, like DMOZ, but most of them offer listings at reasonable prices for as little as $30 a year.
Although Pay Per Click Advertising seems like it would expensive, you limit yourself the amount you pay for a click on your web site and can also limit how much you pay on a daily basis.
Settings such limits can reduce your ranking on a given page, but simply having a presence on a search engine page will give some exposure to your web site and your business.
The effectiveness of your search engine marketing as part of your Internet marketing strategies will be determined by the objectives you set forth with this strategy.
If your goal was simply to increase traffic to your web site, then the success of your efforts can be done by measuring the traffic to your web site before and after the search engine marketing was implemented.
An added measurement would be to see how much of that new traffic resulted in new customers and business.
Using SEO for Internet marketing is a gradual process that takes time for it to be generally effective.
It is a common practice used by many businesses and is an important step in drawing exposure to your web site.