Search Engine Advertising (SEA) Or Organic Links: Do Customers See The Difference?

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of internet users toward the sponsored link. In light of this study, respondents do not express greater bias with sponsored links in comparison with traditional advertising media, as well as in comparison with organic links. Among factors that mostly affect searchers’ attitudes, the informativeness is the critical factor; however, no specific category of information will significantly increase the respondent’s likelihood to explore a sponsored link. It is rather text relevance to the keyword typed by the searcher that makes a link attractive. Results also indicate that business students recognize a great value and potential benefits of using search engine advertising as a marketing tool.