Content is the currency when it comes to online marketing

Relevant well-targeted content is still the best way to approach search engine marketing, one industry expert has said.

As the debate rages over the best way to market products on the internet – be it through search engine optimisation (SEO), banner advertising or pop-ups - Benj Arriola, a US based winner of the 2007 SEO World Championships, said good content is crucial.

Mr Arriola said that traditional marketing methods combined with good website copy would help companies succeed in the relatively new industry specialism of search engine marketing.

He told Inquirer.net: "SEO is still traditional marketing using technology. SEO works in countries where it is more convenient to look things up on the internet.

"It is easy to learn SEO tricks. They're available online. But you still have to go back to traditional marketing."

Mr Arriola added that when publishing articles on a website, it helped to always have the summary of the article located at the top to draw in readers.

An E-consultancy report from earlier this year found that organisations are spending an average of 13 per cent of their website design budgets on usability functions.