SEM – Update
Companies are getting fewer results for a higher spend using time-honoured marketing techniques. So we have to look at updating our modus operandi. We all know it’s vital that all commercial organisations are on the web. Yet that in itself isn’t sufficient. Buyers MUST know how to reach you.
Imagine a company opens a brand new shop: It’s taken time, money and expertise to get to this stage. They open for business… Then notice they’re in a backwater – miles from anywhere. So no-one will have a clue how to find them. Can you see a fundamental flaw? The vast majority of business websites have just this problem.
The World Wide Web has caused a paradigm shift in marketing. Ten years ago, as everyone was getting on the bandwagon, there was an idea that everyone needed a website. Vast amounts of money were spent on all singing/dancing web sites. (A happy situation for web design businesses…) Before long though, the site owners were complaining that no-one looked at their new website! People had thought that if they had a big website, it would be easily spotted. This proved to be a complete fallacy…
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?
The SE’s have got it all sussed. However, this means marketing is no longer the same. Now, if you wish to be visible online, you must be indexed by Google, Bing and/or Yahoo etc. Even that isn’t enough though. You might as well forget it if you’re several pages in!
Of course, the Search Engines weren’t blind to this, so they developed an unusual paid advertising scheme so any site could get to the top. It’s known as PPC, or Pay per Click, because you’re only charged when a user opts for your link. What a great idea… Effectively, only people who’d expressed an interest in your product cost you any money. This form of advertising is very targeted. It can bring outstanding results if handled well.
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.
Do this small task – Get onto one of the Search Engines now and look for some keywords that you think apply to you. Can you see your website on the 1st three pages? It’s unlikely. So you’re in the same position as the backstreet shop! And if your site is listed, is it appearing for keywords that your customers will actually enter?
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.
