15 Apr 2005

Precision Marketing

Online intervention

Jim Brigden, chief operating officer at Internet marketing company The Search Works, agrees that paid search is the way forward for marketers: it brings immediate results, it is measurable, and it is marketing activity that companies can switch on and off. "Businesses worldwide recognize this is a low-cost, but effective form of online marketing" he says. "It is also easy to manage search marketing budgets with the aid of intermediary agencies."

He draws comparisons with direct mail costs to reinforce the economy of this channel. He cites a survey by Piper Jaffray that claims the average cost per lead in the US is just 29 cents (15p) for paid search, compared to 50 cents for email, $1.18 for Yellow Pages and a whopping $9.94 (£5.30) for direct mail.