Companies are finding it increasingly expensive to market their products off-line. Therefore we must address this issue. It's commonly understood that all businesses need to be online. But that's not the answer to the problem. Purchasers won't necessarily be able to find you.
Let's compare it to a new store opening up... A lot of money has gone into setting it up. They're ready to go... And only then realise they're out in the sticks in a no-through road. What's worse, they haven't told anyone where they are. How do you think they'll get on? This is exactly the scenario for 99% of ALL commercial websites in existence.
Marketing has undergone a huge change because of the internet. As we left the 20th century, we all thought we had to have a web site. Getting a presence on-line became the be-all and end-all. Companies often spent a fortune on the latest features for their site. Naturally, web designers were very happy. Then it became apparent that no-one was visiting these sites. They'd thought that simply having a site on the web meant customers could see them. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
Modern internet marketing requires a fundamental shift in thinking from traditional marketing. Traditionalists might see your site in the same way they'd view a sales catalogue. So to drive traffic to that website, you'll need to use the regular methods of marketing. They'll recommend media advertising and promotions in the press. Sticking to the familiar routine. They start with a flashy sales site, and then try lots of 'off-line' avenues to get people to look at it. Yet in the web economy, this approach is way off the mark!
The internet itself is not just a viewing portal. It allows us to search and research - to discuss ideas and interact with others. It's completely interactive, bringing massive choice to billions of people. The Search Engines - such as Google and MSN (now Bing) - have made this easy for us as customers. They've put together massive directories to guide us. Just think how hopeless it would be trying to find something in a Business Directory with no index! How on earth would anybody get anywhere?
Search Engines have sorted all this. And so marketing is forced to move on. Because now, if you want to be found in the vast sea that is the internet, you have to be indexed in the Search Engines. But there's a lot more to it than that... #S#
So to bring in more profit and give all sites a chance to be top dog, the SE's gave businesses an ingenious paid facility to promote themselves. You Pay Per Click, so you're only charged for your ad when someone clicks on it. This created a lot of excitement... Basically, the only time you now paid was when someone who was already interested asked to look at your site. This is an incredibly targeted way of advertising, and done properly, can yield some exceptional results.
Today however, most search terms are overwhelmed with pay per click adverts. New online marketers have forced up the price per click, largely through over-the-top bidding. So it's often the case now that many are priced out of the market. This happens mostly where lots of clicks are essential to get one buyer. This has brought Search Engine Optimisation to the fore, where driving a site to page one is the goal.
Try the following: Enter some service or product keywords (relevant to your business) on Bing or Google. Look through pages one, two and three. Is your site there? Chances are - the answer's no. Which puts you in the exact situation detailed above. Maybe it is there. But is it listed for terms that clients are actually using?
Maybe you've already tried some Pay Per Click advertising so you appear in the paid listings, and maybe you've achieved some success so far. Can you be sure you're working it as efficiently as possible? Is your ROI satisfactory? Are you aware of how to assess the quality and viability of each campaign? With PPC, testing and diagnostics are critical. You'll never get the best results without correct figures.
Global figures clearly demonstrate that commercial marketing is swiftly moving online. There is no other choice but to deal with it - and ensure you're taking full advantage of all the opportunities.
Let's compare it to a new store opening up... A lot of money has gone into setting it up. They're ready to go... And only then realise they're out in the sticks in a no-through road. What's worse, they haven't told anyone where they are. How do you think they'll get on? This is exactly the scenario for 99% of ALL commercial websites in existence.
Marketing has undergone a huge change because of the internet. As we left the 20th century, we all thought we had to have a web site. Getting a presence on-line became the be-all and end-all. Companies often spent a fortune on the latest features for their site. Naturally, web designers were very happy. Then it became apparent that no-one was visiting these sites. They'd thought that simply having a site on the web meant customers could see them. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
Modern internet marketing requires a fundamental shift in thinking from traditional marketing. Traditionalists might see your site in the same way they'd view a sales catalogue. So to drive traffic to that website, you'll need to use the regular methods of marketing. They'll recommend media advertising and promotions in the press. Sticking to the familiar routine. They start with a flashy sales site, and then try lots of 'off-line' avenues to get people to look at it. Yet in the web economy, this approach is way off the mark!
The internet itself is not just a viewing portal. It allows us to search and research - to discuss ideas and interact with others. It's completely interactive, bringing massive choice to billions of people. The Search Engines - such as Google and MSN (now Bing) - have made this easy for us as customers. They've put together massive directories to guide us. Just think how hopeless it would be trying to find something in a Business Directory with no index! How on earth would anybody get anywhere?
Search Engines have sorted all this. And so marketing is forced to move on. Because now, if you want to be found in the vast sea that is the internet, you have to be indexed in the Search Engines. But there's a lot more to it than that... #S#
So to bring in more profit and give all sites a chance to be top dog, the SE's gave businesses an ingenious paid facility to promote themselves. You Pay Per Click, so you're only charged for your ad when someone clicks on it. This created a lot of excitement... Basically, the only time you now paid was when someone who was already interested asked to look at your site. This is an incredibly targeted way of advertising, and done properly, can yield some exceptional results.
Today however, most search terms are overwhelmed with pay per click adverts. New online marketers have forced up the price per click, largely through over-the-top bidding. So it's often the case now that many are priced out of the market. This happens mostly where lots of clicks are essential to get one buyer. This has brought Search Engine Optimisation to the fore, where driving a site to page one is the goal.
Try the following: Enter some service or product keywords (relevant to your business) on Bing or Google. Look through pages one, two and three. Is your site there? Chances are - the answer's no. Which puts you in the exact situation detailed above. Maybe it is there. But is it listed for terms that clients are actually using?
Maybe you've already tried some Pay Per Click advertising so you appear in the paid listings, and maybe you've achieved some success so far. Can you be sure you're working it as efficiently as possible? Is your ROI satisfactory? Are you aware of how to assess the quality and viability of each campaign? With PPC, testing and diagnostics are critical. You'll never get the best results without correct figures.
Global figures clearly demonstrate that commercial marketing is swiftly moving online. There is no other choice but to deal with it - and ensure you're taking full advantage of all the opportunities.
About the Author:
(C) Jay Kendall. Browse EvolveSEM.co.uk for intelligent business advice on SEM Consultants and SEO Consultants.
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