I’m part of a conversion optimization group in a certain social media site.  In it the members are supposed to post conversion studies and help each other with various projects.

A guy that owns an SEO firm posted an article the other day titled,  “SEO vs. PPC, Which is Better?”

It was a thinly veiled sales pitch for SEO.  Espousing the virtues of SEO, how easy it is (yeah right) while PPC is good sometimes, but really expensive (sounds bad!).

I wonder if general consumers are easily swayed by this non-sense or if their BS meter goes off?

Here’s what you need to know:

Do what works, based on conversion, based on an ROI that you are happy with and hopefully based on the lifetime-value of a customer.

Everything other take on what is “best” is inherently biased.

The video guy wants to sell you a video, the SEO guy says do SEO, PPC guy says do PPC, Social Media gal says do social media…you get the picture, everyone is trying to fit their solution into your situation instead of the other way around.

Here’s what you really need:

1.    A method to track results, preferably not reliant on humans i.e. “Where did you hear about us?
2.    Ballpark lifetime-value of your customer
3.    A cost per lead/acquisition you can live with
4.    A heart-to-heart on your risk tolerance. If someone tells you “this is a sure thing,” RUN, if you believe them, RUN FASTER.

Then, and only then, do you seek out solutions to fit with what you want to do.

Stayed tuned for what may be a monumental blog post.  Salesman watch out!