The Trouble With Free Search Engine Traffic Many Web site owners struggle to get their site to the top of the search engines. And if you're working in a popular area, believe me - it is a struggle. It takes time to learn how the search engines work. It takes time to "optimise" your Web pages to suit them. It takes time for search engines to find your optimised pages. And it then takes time for you to monitor your site's progress to ensure that it remains near the top. Time is money! You might think you're saving money by aiming for the free listings. But is this really "free"? Is this the best use of your time? While you're playing around with your Web site, who's doing the work that you should be doing in your business? How many opportunities are you missing? If you measured the amount of time it really takes to get a high ranking, you would be horrified at how much it's really costing you. Remember that it's all the time I've listed above - research, Web site tweaking, re-submitting and monitoring. Here's a better use of your time ... What if you could get near the top of the search engines without having to invest all this time? And without having to pay buckets of money to an Internet marketing expert to do it for you? What if you had more traffic to your Web site fast? Not in three months' time; not in a week; not tomorrow; but now! What difference would that make to your business? If you do decide to invest some time in your Web site, but you don't have to worry about search engine optimisation, what would you do with that time instead? Would you spend time improving the sales letters that promote your products and services? Or get some client testimonials to add to the site? Or create some bonus products that increase the value of the order? Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will agree that it's a better use of your time. Here's how to get traffic FAST. The easy way to get traffic fast is by paying for it. Before you throw up your hands and say, "I can't afford it!", think again. Using pay-per-click advertising, where you only pay a few cents every time somebody clicks on an ad, is a very cost-effective way of getting more traffic to your Web site. Both Google and Overture have well-established pay-per-click advertising programs. Learn how to use it effectively. I interviewed Ed Keay-Smith, Australia's leading expert on Google's pay-per-click program. We made this into a CD/book product that takes you through all the essentials elements of getting started with Google advertising. Before you dive head first into pay-per-click advertising, it's worth investing in this product. Key words: Internet Marketing, search engines Permission to Reprint: Yes, you may reprint this article in any of your publications - paid or free, electronic or physical, commercial or non-commercial - provided you do not edit it in any way (except for formatting changes to suit your publication style), and include this resource box with the article: Gihan Perera is the author of "Get Active: Web Sites for Speakers, Trainers, Coaches and Consultants" and "Fast, Flat and Free: What You Need to Know to Stay Ahead in a Connected World". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get your complimentary copies now. I would also appreciate receiving a copy of the issue in which it appears, if that is convenient.