With the changes in the economy, everyone is spending less. From the average consumer up to the Fortune 500 Company, we all are experiencing limited spending powers. As a natural reaction, when faced with any of life’s limitations we tend to expand our imagination and brainstorm new ways of getting things done. We immerse ourselves in the “think mode” of how can I do more with less? This is even true for Search Marketing.

Owing to its fine ability to be measured as well as the high return on investment, SEM has become one of the most resilient areas of marketing. But now, even we, as Search Marketers, are accepting the reality that the budget cuts are affecting us too. We can no longer be so uber-focused on Paid Search as the “end-all-be-all” of online marketing. We are beginning to spread our wings and consider search from a more holistic perspective. This epiphany has shown the light on SEO.

The value of SEO has, for the most part, been undermined because of the time it takes to see the fruits of your labor and the labor itself. SEO as a standalone strategy works well for any brand whose idea of online success is coupled with the commitment to longevity. But SEO, as part of an overall strategy with paid, defines success with increased traffic, brand strength, brand authority and most importantly, cost efficiencies. Now that companies are cutting back on their overall budgets, thus having less to spend in paid search, they are considering SEO as their golden ticket to remain competitive in the online space.

In an article on iMediaConnection, Turn to SEO to help beat a bad economy, Seth Besmertnik does an excellent job of summing up WHY marketers will start to look toward SEO as the saving grace to online marketing. The point I found to be the most thought provoking was his closing remarks:

We have known for a long time that traffic in search is entirely disproportionate to spend. Eighty-six percent of consumer clicks happen in the natural space, yet the lion’s share of spend goes to paid search. Marketers have been told for years that this is acceptable because paid search is easier to justify. With new economic woes fueling stress in every market sector, and so much more to be gained in natural search, I am thinking that by next year, interactive will have a new favorite.

I’m a huge fan of SEO, but I’m an even bigger fan of integrating marketing efforts to experience a wider range of success; finding this article made it feel like Christmas again. SEO is no longer the red headed step child; instead it’s become one of the brightest members of the online marketing mix!