One of the misnomers of online marketing that persists is the idea that you can get “free” clicks through organic traffic.

Marketers perpetuate this idea.  Because at one time it was at least partially true.
We advised that you start with pay-per-click advertising, and take the time to build out your organic SEO.  Once you hit page one with SEO, you could stop paying for clicks.  Wallah!  Free traffic for your business.

There was, perhaps, a brief window about a decade ago when it seemed you could get to page one and just stay there.  It created the illusion that you could market online for free.

But for the most part, this was never true.  As search algorithms became more sophisticated,  SEO became an ongoing project.  You had to build links, create new content, and keep analyzing KPIs.  In other words, there was ongoing work you either had to pay an SEO to do or do yourself.  Not free.

Today, the better term to qualify organic traffic is earned.   By creating value and connections with your target audience, your content earns a position on page one.  Again, this is something that requires ongoing work including content creation, social media interaction, PR, and data analysis.

Content that proves itself to be valuable to the target audience earns those high rankings.  It takes a lot of work to create and promote that type of content.  Not free.

If you’re still thinking in terms of getting “free” clicks, it’s time to change your mindset.  You’re not looking at marketing in realistic terms.

There is no free marketing.  You don’t get a return on no investment.

Marketing, rather, is all about an equation.  If you get more back than you put in, it’s working.  If you don’t, it’s not.

If you get $2 in revenue for every $1 you put in, you’re getting a return on your investment.  Keep doing that all the way to the bank.

But you can’t get ROI when you have to multiply by zero.  0 x (whatever your pipe dream profits are) = 0.

SEO provides valuable traffic, and is vital because it captures people early in the buying phase as they research their options.  PPC campaigns are essential to advertise to people with an active need, and really stand-out on mobile searches.

Both are necessary, ongoing investments in a comprehensive digital marketing campaign.

The best things in life, it’s said, are earned.  That is absolutely true of all profitable traffic on the internet.