Cover Story: Finding the Perfect Balance

Although it has, essentially, given up some sales by going after less popular, more profitable terms, the company's profitability has increased in low double digits, Marshall says. "There are a ton of people caught up in the relative newness of pay-per-click marketing," he notes. "They aren't paying enough attention to their bottom line — they're just excited to get the new sales. That worked for a while, but the space has gotten so competitive now that all marketers have to be smart about where they're spending their money."