Smaller Businesses Aren't Marketing Effectively With SEO & SEM!
According to a recent study by the Center for Media Research (As outlined by studies by Nielsen) although 63% of individuals and small business entrepreneurs utilize the internet first for finding nearby merchants and 82% choose search engines to do so... only 44% of small businesses have got a web site and 50 % of those spend less than 10% of their own advertising budget marketing online.
The investigation discovers an increasing tendency towards multimedia designed for developing local SERP listings. Nonetheless, the study uncovers a noticeable
problem between how small company owners act as shoppers vs the direction they promote their own businesses on the web.
The study found that search engines are the most well known resource for finding local information by all potential buyers:
- 82% use search engines (Google and Yahoo)
- 57% use Phone Book directories (Yellow Pages)
- 53% use regional or local newspapers
- 49% use internet based Yellow Pages
- 49% use the local TV stations
- 38% use paper mail (postcards)
- 32% use the White Pages directories
- 50% stated search engines were the first place they looked when trying to find a nearby business.
More than 92% of individuals (potential buyers) say they're satisfied with results they end up getting when selecting search, although many potential buyers report commonly not being able to locate a specific known local business. This means, says the report, individuals may very well pick a equivalent company which has a more robust online profile.
The report determined that internet search (and email newsletters) are the only types of local marketing which are increasing for individuals that need to locate or track down a local business. Compared with the metrics from just 2 years ago, consumers use search engines and news letters a lot more, while they utilize newspapers, magazines, mail and radio stations much less...
However, in spite of the growing utilization of internet based search engine marketing for local searches, just 41% of businesses report turning to online search engines initial, whille 31% select phone book print ads first. In addition, it's still the case that only 44% of small businesses use a website.
When utilizing the search engines to chose a business they know is out there, 39% announce that they repeatedly have trouble finding a local business they're searching for (just 19% of survey participants said they rarely encountered trouble locating nearby business).
Despite the fact that less than 50 % small businesses have a web site, the ones which do are generally unsatisfied overall with their own internet advertising and marketing. Among small businesses which have a online presence:
- 51% believe both the quality and ability of their website to help find new customers is just "poor"
- 30% of business owners feel they commonly do a superior job of marketing and advertising in comparison with a rival
- 78% believe they advertise in the same spots as competitors
- 7% of local business owners state their leading marketing and advertising goal is to have more visitors to their websites
- 61% dedicate much less than 3 hours a week advertising and marketing their site
- 99% of small companies are closely involved in the actual advertising and marketing
- 65% believe it is very important to know where their new customers come from
- 9% will be pleased with their own web marketing efforts
- 78% of small company owners give 10% or less of the budget to advertising and marketing
During the previous 2 years, 43% of businesses say they have elevated the use of website seo - sem in their marketing efforts. In contrast, use of old-school marketing sources is decreasing rapidly:
- Just less than 23% use the Yellow Pages less
- Over 42% employ the newspaper less
*The term (local business) pertains to any kind of retail company within a participant's community, like theaters, bars etc. and services such as medspas, plumbers and real estate agents. The term "Internet Yellow Pages" pertains to internet Yellow Page web pages such as yellowpages.com, superpages.com, etc.
So what precisely will we all extrapolate from this if you own or run a small business and are trying to drive local traffic?
Search engine marketing and SEO is the fastest developing kind of selling for a very good reason. It positions your marketing message right in front of potential customers at the very point in time they’re hunting for your services or products.
There's no better, more efficient, or more cost effective way to market your business. It’s that simple.
Share Article | tagged 
