Paid Search... It's Sexier.

I had probably two or three different people in my office email me the Shari Thurow ClickZ article on how the search world needs more "vaginas" working in it.

There was once a time where I felt kinda left out from the hierarchy of the search world because I didn't have a penis. (This was circa 2004 to 2005.) Then I switched agencies and found a work environment where it was mostly women in charge. (And it was a nice change.)

I do agree that there need to be more women doing organic search. I think the paid side tends to be a "sexier" form of marketing, and attracts more females, than the organic side. I believe this is because in the early days of SEO, as Shari says, "(it) had little to do with marketing and a lot to do with Web site development's (even) geekier aspects."

In fact, if SEO and PPC were divided into the two personalities of Superman/Clark Kent... SEO would be "Clark Kent" and PPC would be "Superman."

I mean... Sure, Superman is an attractive guy. (I mean, how can he NOT be with the muscles, hair, those killer eyes?...) But when it comes down to it, Clark Kent is the geeky side of the the whole package. He's down to Earth (because he doesn't fly, Superman does... Duh!) and is the everyday persona.

But (most) chicks don't want the everyday guy. (Well, I do. But I am in the minority.) They want the "stud." He's sexier. And if they get to be seen with him, they themselves are considered "hot." It's a status thing.

And it's the same with search. More ladies have flocked to the client-facing and PPC side because it's sexier. You get money to spend. Vendors buy you free drinks and send you crap with their logo plastered all over it. (Then they avoid your calls when something goes wrong with your campaign...)

SEO is the geeky and non-sexy side. And it's gonna be harder to attract more ladies to it until it becomes sexier. Or until IT guys start to look more like "Superman."