Dealing with the Drawbacks

Earned and paid advertising also have their downsides that warrant a closer look. Take search advertising, for example. With this paid advertising venture, you have to pay for your ad placement and also devote time to managing it. Fail to optimize your campaign or give it the proper attention and you could end up going over your budget or wasting money on something that doesn't produce desirable results. If you are not careful, paid advertising can quickly become cost prohibitive for your business.

Although generally more cost effective, earned advertising is not without its flaws. Some marketers are struggling to consistently deliver quality content, and few are reaping the rewards that come from the word of mouth marketing that keeps this form of advertising economical. How do you keep cranking out the hits your audience will gobble up? How do you garner attention for a brand that didn't exist a week ago? Which outlets do you choose to spread the word when there are so many options available? These questions represent a few of the many challenges you face when trying to turn earned advertising into a prosperous marketing venture.

Earned and paid advertising both have their advantages and disadvantages. The key to making the most of either is giving the maximum effort and, more importantly, taking a disciplined approach to your marketing strategy. Someone who clicks on a Google advertisement is not guaranteed to immediately make a purchase. The visitor who runs across your interesting blog post will not always become a regular reader. Instead of chasing sales and conversions, focus on an online marketing strategy that provides value and builds real relationships with your audience. Getting the most from both earned and paid advertising takes a lot of effort. The harder you work, the greater the reward.