The primary objective of this research project is to investigate the student perception and acceptance of natural versus paid search engine results. It has been established that only 47.1% of search engine users with a university or postgraduate qualification select search engine advertising results (PPC) as more relevant. This research sets out to establish what this trend is for younger consumers, specifically university students. The research methodology includes a survey of relevant literature and a questionnaire done with a sample of students at some local universities. The questionnaire will be designed, and a pilot study first done to test its accuracy. The final version of the questionnaire will be completed during a practical session in a computer laboratory, to simulate real-life conditions more accurately. The expected results include that their will be clear differences in preference, based on attributes such as gender, age, under- or postgraduate students, race, Internet experience, actual university and others. Statistical analysis, based on category and gender will be used to identify different trends and outputs against institutions. Expected conclusions include that online advertisers should consider these results, as they reflect the views of a percentage of young consumers in the Cape Town area, and may be generalised. High rankings on Google and other search engines can make the difference between a successful online business and a failure.