If you only have $1, should you invest it in organic or paid search? Julie Batten believes while the question may seem simple, the answer is not. She proposes a few questions you might want to ask yourself in hopes of making your decision a little easier. Whether you decide to go with organic or paid search depends on your goals and the type of products your company sells. For example, are your products in a regulated industry with strict advertising guidelines? "Remember that you're at the search engines' mercy with organic search," she writes. "Therefore, if you have a seasonal product or offering and your key time of year is quickly approaching, SEM may be the quick win you're looking for to capture prospect leads."