So search engine optimization, search results pages, we typically refer to those as the SERPS. Here's where we’re going to get into a little bit of terminology.

So you've got organic listings. As I mentioned before, the organic listings show up below the ads. They usually show up below the Google map result. If the map is triggered, they will show up below the Google map results.

So that's where you're going to see other websites that people have written, the top painting companies in a particular city or even individual company websites are going to show up. That's in the organic listing section.

The Google maps, we've talked about pay-per-click, where those show up on the search page results.

And then this new thing called Google lead ads, which is working its way across different markets in the U.S. and I know for painters, there are some markets where these are currently running.

So let's take a look at a typical search result page.

So these new ads that Google running, and they're only available in certain markets, for now, they're the rectangularly shaped ads across the top with the Google guarantee check by beside them.

So that's a new program that Google's launched over the last 18 months or so, maybe a little bit longer in certain markets. And what they're doing is a pay per lead strategy, not a pay-per-click strategy. That means that somebody can click on your ad, read about your business. Until they fill out a form or place a phone call from your ad, you are not going to be billed by Google.

It's only a pay per lead type strategy, whereas a pay-per-click strategy is where you see those three listings below where it says ad beside them if somebody clicks on that, they're going to cost that business money for that click. And that's actually calculated by a real-time auction, believe it or not, and so the price is going to vary from one click to the next.

And then you've got the Google map results. You'll notice that this is at the very top of the search results page. So I now have to scroll to finish seeing the rest of the Google maps before I even get an opportunity to see the organic listings. So while search engine optimization is really, really important, a lot of people are going to rely on the Google map result to find business there.

Now, you're typically seeing what we call a Google three pack. So there are three businesses listed in that result, and then you've got the organic listings below. There are a lot of customers who ignore ads and go right past to the map and below because they know an ad is an ad and they don't trust ads. They would rather trust the organic rankings and the map listings as they show up.

But,for some businesses, if you're not ranking in the organic listings, or even if you are, if you want to totally dominate the homepage, the first page of the search results, you want to have Google ads, you want to be prominent on the Google three pack and the maps, and you want to have your organic listings here.